Switchel

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Switchel
The-Switchel close-up(2).jpg
A close-up of a switchel-based cocktail, featuring various garnishes.
Country of origin  British America
Region of originNew England or the Caribbean
Introduced17th century

Switchel, switzel, swizzle, switchy, ginger-water, or haymaker's punch (of uncertain etymology, but possibly related to " sweet "), is a drink made from water mixed with vinegar and often seasoned with ginger. It is typically sweetened with molasses, although honey, sugar, brown sugar, or maple syrup may also be used. [1] In the U.S. state of Vermont, oatmeal and lemon juice were sometimes added to the beverage.

Contents

Origins

Switchel is believed to have originated in the Caribbean, although New England also claims credit for its creation. It became a popular summer drink in the American Colonies in the late 17th century. By the 19th century, it was a traditional drink served to thirsty farmers during hay harvests, earning it the nickname "haymaker’s punch." [2] Herman Melville wrote in I and My Chimney, "I will give a traveler a cup of switchel, if he wants it; but am I bound to supply him with a sweet taste?" [3] In The Long Winter, Laura Ingalls Wilder describes a switchel-like beverage her mother sent for her and her father to drink while haying: "Ma had sent them ginger-water. She had sweetened the cool well-water with sugar, flavored it with vinegar, and put in plenty of ginger to warm their stomachs so they could drink until they were not thirsty. Ginger-water would not make them sick, as plain cold water would when they were so hot."

Bottle and glass of a Brazilian switchel brand Switchel.jpg
Bottle and glass of a Brazilian switchel brand

Modern recommendations

The Vermont physician D. C. Jarvis recommended a similar drink, a mixture of honey and cider vinegar, which he called "honegar." [4]

Contemporary popularity

Switchel is experiencing renewed interest and has become a steadily growing category in the ready-to-drink beverage industry. As of 2015, several companies produce and distribute switchel beverages throughout the U.S., and Canada has two commercial switchel producers.[ citation needed ]

Usage with alcohol

Switchel was sometimes mixed with rum, especially at sea, [5] and it was served in the U.S. House of Representatives, where it was "flavored with the finest Jamaica rum." [6]

See also

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References

  1. "2011 | Cornell Small Farms Program | Page 2". Smallfarms.cornell.edu. 2011-03-31. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  2. "Uncle Phaedrus, Finder of Lost Recipes". Hungrybrowser.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  3. "I and My Chimney by Herman Melville". Online-literature.com. Retrieved 2016-10-08.
  4. D.C. Md Jarvis (May 12, 1985). Folk Medicine: A New England Almanac of Natural Health Care from a Noted Vermont Country Doctor. Fawcett Publications. ISBN   978-0-449-20880-9.
  5. The Horticulturist and Journal of Rural Art and Rural Taste. Luther Tucker. 1862.
  6. Moore, Joseph West (1895). The American Congress: A History of National Legislation and Political Events, 1774-1895. Harper & brothers. ISBN   978-0-7222-7394-4.