When and Where: Deck the Alley 2023Saturday, December 9, 202312:00 PM 8:00 PM (event runs 2:00 – 6:00 but I need help with set-up and pack-out) What are we doing: This is a holiday open house fundraiser for Elfreth’s Alley and the Admiral of the Blue Apron is running the tavern for the day. It’s a …
Continue reading “The Admiral of the Blue Apron is Looking for Volunteers”
Elections in the 18th Century were festive. Food and drink were provided to voters to encourage both turn-out (often 85 percent of the eligible voters[1] participated). Songs were sung and GALLONS of rum punch were consumed. Prior to Prohibition, handing out drinks in order to woe voters was common. When Washington entered politics for the …
Fish House Punch is an alcoholic drink consisting mainly of rum. The first mention of Fish House Punch — though not yet by that name — may be in the notes of William Black, the secretary of the embassy of Virginia Commissioners who visited Philadelphia in 1744. He recounted being met by locals on the …
Punch was introduced from the Indian subcontinent to England by employees of the East India Company in the late 17th century. The original drink was named paantsch from Hindi पाँच (pāñć), meaning “five,” as the drink was frequently made with five ingredients: alcohol, sugar, juice from either a lime or a lemon, water, and spices …
In the drink world, a shrub is a concentrated syrup that combines fruit, sugar, and vinegar. Apple cider vinegar is the most common base for shrubs, and herbs and spices are often added to create interesting flavor combinations. By the 18th Century, making shrub with no vinegar was considered passé but vinegar shrubs will make …
Add excitement and authentic color to your special event, or create one for your site, with Philadelphia’s best Colonial Brewer and tradesman. Whether it is a reenactment, motion picture, a tavern night for a private event, or other endeavor, I can bring can bring a real sense of authenticity and fun to your event and …
Continue reading “Hire the Regimental Brewmeister for your Event or Site”
The traditional hot toddy formula is simple: Start with a hot cup of tea, add lemon and honey, then a bit of whiskey. This is certain to make even the worst cold feel just a little better. The toddy is believed to have been invented in Scotland sometime in the eighteenth century. It was a …
Between the 17th and 19th centuries, enslaved Africans and African Americans in British North America and the United States staged hundreds of revolts. Slave uprisings were daring, desperate, and inevitably doomed. The first known slave rebellion in one of England’s American colonies took place in Gloucester County, Virginia in 1663. The Servants Plot, as it was known, …
Continue reading “The Scourge of Slavery (#7) — Lord Dunmore Weaponizes Slavery”
Switchel or “Haymaker’s Punch” is a drink made of water mixed with vinegar, and often seasoned with spices like ginger. It is usually sweetened with molasses or brown sugar. Switchel originated in New England, and it became a popular summer drink in the American Colonies in the late 17th century. By the 19th century, it …
The American revolution was a matter of great interest for the people in Britain. The British press weighed in on economics, military success and failures, the morality of the revolution, and more, through the press and private correspondence. As the British enjoyed one of the freest press systems in the world, not everyone felt obliged …
Continue reading “How the British Perceived the American Revolution”
Michael Carver -- Historical Interpreter/Reenactor 