The online magazine
dedicated to the
discussion & revival
of British foodways.

NO.72
FALL/WINTER2023

Three drinks made from Madeira, one with an inadvertently contentious title, another that sounds demure but packs a punch & the other a punch itself.

The Madeira nig. Not an offensive use of the unmentionable but rather reversal of the word ‘gin:’ this is a twisted Martini.

- gin
- half as much Rainwater or cheap fake Madeira
- ice
- a green olive or three

Pour the gin over a glass of ice followed by the Madeira and olive(s). That’s it.

 

Madeira_glass.jpg

Madeira murmer. Our own variation on another formula.

- 2 shots gin
- 1 shot Rainwater or cheap fake Madeira
- ½ teaspoon Angostura bitters
- ½ teaspoon lime juice
- a peel of lemon

Pour everything over cracked ice, stir and strain into a festive glass and adorn with the peel.

 

 

A Madeira punch with an eighteenth century ethos. This, as punches are, is a strong drink that you can dilute by substituting unfermented cider for the hard stuff, but the result would be too sweet for our taste. The proportions are our own.

- 1 quart hard cider
- 4 oz brandy
- 8 oz Rainwater or cheap fake Madeira
- a bruised sprig of mint
- seasonal fruit
- cold sparkling water

Stir everything but the water together in a punchbowl or serviceable substitute and stand it in ice for at least an hour. Pour the punch into glasses, with or without ice, topped up with the sparkling water.