CORDIALS AND RESTORATIVES. 209 
are to be attributed. British Brandy is distilled in England 
from malt liquors, and has the flavour, and colour, of French 
Brandy imparted to it artificially. 
For Orange Brandy, which is an excellent tonic restorative, 
“to one gallon of best pale Brandy put one dozen Seville 
oranges; tear these oranges into very thin segments, and 
squeeze out the juice; next add two pounds of powdered loaf 
sugar, and stir until dissolved ; let it stand a day or two, then 
shake up well, and leave it for a few months; afterwards 
bottle it.” 
Punch is an alcoholic drink in which lemon-juice is introduced, 
with a flavouring of the peel, as added to either of the principal 
distilled spirits, water, and sugar. Without. doubt the most 
characteristic Punch is made with Rum, at least in part. It 
may be drunk hot or cold. As an immediate restorative, and 
in winter, hot Punch is best. It should never be stronger than 
the presence of alcohol to 20 per cent will make it ; this is about 
the average strength of Sherry, or Port wine. The Punch will 
be more wholesome if containing less spirit (down to 10 per cent 
of alcohol). If milk be added, this will give to the Punch a body 
which develops, and accentuates its taste. The beverage always 
remains a little turbid, except when kept a long time; very 
little precipitation of curd (casein) takes place. “ Hot Punch” 
(the Bagman’s Story, in Pickwick) “ is a pleasant thing, gentlemen, 
an extremely pleasant thing under any circumstances, but in 
the snug old parlour, before the roaring fire, on a cold winter's 
night, with the wind blowing outside till every timber in the 
old house creaked again, Tom Smart found it perfectly delightful. 
He ordered another tumblerful, and then another; I am not 
quite certain whether he did not order another again after that.” 
Also, “‘ when Mr. Pickwick at the skating party fell through the 
broken ice, and was extricated with much splashing, and cracking, 
and struggling, he ran off at the top of his speed, mufiied in 
shawls, until he reached Manor Farm, then paused not an instant 
until he was snug in bed. A bowl of Punch was carried up 
promptly after some dinner, and a grand carouse was held in 
honour of his safety ; a second, and a third bowl were ordered 
in, and when Mr. Pickwick awoke next morning there was not 
a symptom of rheumatism about him ; which proves, as Mr. Bob 
Sawyer justly observed, there is nothing like hot Punch in such 
cases ; and that if ever hot Punch did fail to act as a preventive, 
; 14 
