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“Dickens was a dedicated punch-maker and an inveterate showman,” says drinks historian David Wondrich, offering as proof this historic flaming punch from his 2010 book Punch: The Delights (and Dangers) of the Flowing Bowl. And with a simple list of ingredients and some fireproof tools, you, too, can add some razzle dazzle to your own holiday gathering. Be sure to use a heatproof bowl with a capacity of at least one gallon.
1. A few hours before preparing the punch, peel 4 lemons with a vegetable peeler or paring knife to create 4 long spirals of peel. Put them in a heatproof bowl with 3/4 of a cup of demerara sugar. Muddle the peels and the sugar together and let sit at room temperature. Juice the 4 peeled lemons (and any extra needed) through a strainer to yield 6 oz. of strained juice. Set aside in the fridge. 2. Measure the rum and Cognac into a pitcher or other pouring vessel. To prepare the punch, boil the water and place the bowl containing the lemon peels and sugar on a wooden cutting board or other heat-resistant surface in an open area (free from clutter, flammable items, or nearby curtains or light fixtures) where everyone can gather around at a safe distance. 3. Pour the Cognac and rum into the bowl. Use a long-handled barspoon to remove a spoonful of the rum-cognac mixture. Light the spoonful on fire with a match and hold it just above the surface of the bowl in order to ignite the rest of the liquid. Stir with the barspoon or a heatproof ladle to help dissolve the sugar. Let the mixture burn for 2 or 3 minutes, occasionally lifting out one of the lemon peels with the ladle or spoon to show the flames running down it. 4. Cover the bowl with a large heatproof dish or tray to extinguish the flames. Add the lemon juice and the hot water. (For cold punch, replace the hot water with 3 cups of cold water and add a 1-quart block of ice, made by freezing a quart bowl of water for 24 hours.) Stir. Grate fresh nutmeg over the top and ladle out in 3-ounce servings.
Grated nutmeg
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