Syllabub

Syllabub was a popular drink in England from the sixteenth until the mid-nineteenth century. In America, its popularity peaked in the eighteenth century, when syllabub was a fashionable evening beverage or dessert served at card parties, ball suppers, and public entertainments. Syllabub was prepared by beating warm milk with sweetened, spiced wine, cider, or ale. The froth that formed was set aside to drain. The resulting clear liquid was poured into glasses, and the froth was placed on top. For dramatic effect, a cow might have been milked into the bowl of sweetened alcohol so that the mixture would froth. When the concoction was left to sit for several hours, a honeycombed curd formed on top. Sometimes a layer of thick fresh cream was poured over the curd, providing a rich drink for country parties and festivals. A solid dessert syllabub was made by reducing the ratio of alcohol and sugar to cream and adding beaten egg white or gelatin. The dessert was flavored with citrus or ginger and eaten with a spoon. The first cookbook to be printed in America (The Compleat Housewife, 1727) contained a recipe for everlasting syllabubs that would remain in perfect condition for nine or ten days, although they were at their best after three or four. Syllabub has retained seasonal popularity as an alternative to eggnog, especially in parts of the South, where bourbon, rum, or brandy is substituted for wine or ale. Colonial Williamsburg sells packaged syllabub mix.