Recipe #123: Mulled Wine (in verse)
First, my dear madam, you must take
Nine eggs, which carefully you’ll break–
Into a bowl you’ll drop the white,
The yolks into another by it.
Let Betsy beat the whites with switch,
Till they appear quite frothed and rich–
Another hand the yolks must beat
With sugar, which will make them sweet;
Three or four spoonfuls may be’ll do,
Though some, perhaps, would take but two.
Into a skillet next you’ll pour
A bottle of good wine, or more–
Put half a pint of water, too,
Or it may prove too strong for you;
And while the eggs (by two) are beating,
The wine and water may be heating;
But, when it comes to boiling heat,
The yolks and whites together beat
With half a pint of water more–
Mixing them well, then gently pour
Into the skillet with the wine,
And stir it briskly all the time.
Then pour it off into a pitcher;
Grate nutmeg in to make it richer.
Then drink it hot, for he’s a fool,
Who lets such precious liquor cool.
Summer has yet to begin in earnest, and I am already looking forward to winter.