Re: Christmas Carol and "Smoking Bishop" (fwd)
Charles Dickens (cdickens@RMPLC.CO.UK)
Tue, 2 Dec 1997 11:25:32 -0100
My dear Mr Coward,
Smoking Bishop was something I always made with seville oranges, cloves,
sugar, red wine and port. Take six seville oranges and bake them in a
moderate oven until pale brown. If you cannot procure any bitter seville
oranges, use four regular oranges and one large grapefruit. Prick each of
them with five cloves, put them into a warmed ceramic or glass vessel, with
a quarter of a pound of sugar and a bottle of red wine, cover the vessel,
and leave it in a warm place for twenty-four hours. Take the fruit out, cut
them, squeeze them, and pour the juice back into the wine. Pour the mixture
into a saucepan through a sieve, add a bottle of port, heat (without
boiling), and serve in warmed glasses. Drink the mixture, and keep
Christmas well!
Faithfully yours,
Charles Dickens
________________________________________________________________________________
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Mon, 1 Dec 1997 16:39:10 -0000
>From: Chris Coward <C.P.Coward@anglia.ac.uk>
>To: DICKNS-L@UCSBVM.ucsb.edu
>Subject: Christmas Carol and "Smoking Bishop"
>
>This is the time of year when I re-read Christmas Carol
>and I was wondering whether anyone knows exactly what
>"Smoking Bishop" (I think that's the name - I don't have my
>copy of C.C. handy) as drunk by Scrooge and Bob Crachit
>is?
>I assume it is some kind of mulled wine or ale or hot punch.
>Does anyone have a recipe? In the week before Christmas
>we usually have an "open house" with mulled wine and mince
>pies. I always use a victorian (Mrs Beeton) recipe for the wine
>but it would make a nice change to offer something else.
>
>Chris Coward
>
>C.P.Coward@anglia.ac.uk
>
>
======================
Charles Dickens
charles_dickens@rmplc.co.uk
Author