Admiral Russell’s Punch
From Punch by David Wondrich
2.5 Cups Demerara Sugar
1 Cup Boiling Water
18 oz Strained Lemon Juice
4 oz Strained Lime Juice
2 Bottles Remy Martin Cognac
18 oz Sherry or Madeira (see below for specifics)
1.5 Quart Cold Water
To a punch bowl, add sugar and boiling water
Stir to dissolve
Add lemon and lime juices
Stir more, if needed, to dissolve all sugar
Add spirits, stir again
Add cold water
Grate nutmeg over the top
Garnish with a Playmobil rowboat helmed by a boy
Yield: 18 Cups. Multiply by 700 for true authenticity
Spaetzle
The word spaetzle means “little sparrows” and they’re essentially German drop noodles or dumplings and they’re brilliant. Extremely versatile, you can create variations by adding things to the basic dough. Try adding some mashed sweet potatoes, spinach, or even your favorite cheese for a nice twist.
What you need:
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 whole eggs-beaten
⅔ cup water
½ teaspoon white pepper-ground
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, grated
½ teaspoon salt
In a large bowl, combine flour, white pepper, nutmeg, and salt. Form a well in the center of the flour mixture and add eggs. Slowly combine eggs and flour by bringing in the sides of the well. Add water as the dough thickens. You may use more or less water depending on your type of flour, but the resulting dough should have the consistency of really thick paste. Spoon the dough onto a wet cutting board and with a long knife, “cut'” the dough into the boiling water in strips and let boil for 3-4 minutes. After cooking, strain spaetzle into an ice bath to halt the cooking process. Drain spaetzle thoroughly. For service, simply sauté in a little butter until the edges just start to brown.