Brief Summary
This video explores the history and preparation of switchel, a popular 18th and 19th-century drink, particularly in New England. It covers the various names, ingredients, and historical contexts of the beverage, including its association with farmhands, the Temperance Movement, and even Congress. The video also touches on regional variations and the drink's eventual decline in popularity.
- Switchel is a vinegar-based drink popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, especially in New England.
- Key ingredients include water, vinegar, ginger, and a sweetener like molasses or maple syrup.
- Historically, switchel was associated with both temperance and the addition of rum, showcasing its versatility.
Introduction to Switchel
The video introduces switchel as a refreshing, vinegar-based drink popular in the 18th and 19th centuries, particularly among farmhands in New England. It is also known by various names such as Yankee punch, ginger pop, and haymaker's punch. The host mentions a previous video on shrub, another fruit-flavored vinegar drink, and notes the numerous requests to explore switchel.
Historical Recipe and Ingredients
The host references an 1856 recipe for "Harvest Drink" from "Practical American Cookery and Domestic Economy," which includes water, molasses, vinegar, and powdered ginger. The video then details the ingredients needed to make switchel: water, apple cider vinegar, powdered ginger, and a sweetener such as molasses or maple syrup. The host also explores alternative sweeteners used in historical recipes, including honey, maple syrup, corn syrup (referred to as "corn stock molasses"), and even birch sap.
Birch Sap Tasting
The host tries birch sap as a sweetener alternative, noting its watery consistency and lack of significant sweetness. He expresses disappointment, finding it doesn't live up to the descriptions of its use as a sweetener in historical recipes.
Preparation and Serving
The video demonstrates the preparation of switchel by mixing the sweetener, vinegar, and ginger into water. A whisk is recommended to dissolve the ginger. The host explains that switchel is traditionally served cold, with jugs placed in cold streams or wells to chill.
The Question of Rum
The video explores the historical context of adding rum to switchel. While most recipes don't include rum, historical sources suggest it was often added, particularly for sailors and even in Congress. Some accounts describe farmers complaining about farmhands getting drunk on switchel in the afternoon. However, the video also notes that switchel was sometimes associated with the Temperance Movement.
Switchel in History and Culture
The video discusses the widespread popularity of switchel, from farmhands to children on fishing trips and even in courts of justice. It notes that variations in recipes were common, with some people substituting nutmeg for ginger. The video shares anecdotes about differing opinions on switchel recipes and its relative obscurity outside of New England.
Decline of Switchel
The video explains that mentions of switchel and its recipes began to fade by the late 19th century, disappearing almost entirely by the 1930s. It attributes this decline to the disappearance of New England hayfields and changing tastes. The video also shares a story about a grocery seller who mistakenly used mustard instead of ginger in his switchel, causing a mass vomiting incident.
Tasting and Final Thoughts
The host tastes the switchel, both without and with rum. He describes the flavor as similar to a gingery apple pie, with a subtle vinegar burn. He highly recommends adding rum and expresses surprise at how delicious the drink is, wondering why it fell out of fashion. He encourages viewers to make their own switchel, suggesting a mix of sweeteners to balance the bitterness of molasses and recommending strained apple cider vinegar for aesthetic purposes.
