Sir Walter Raleigh Recipe For Sack Possett

Former NC Miscellany front-man Nick Graham pointed out this recipe quite some time ago, and I’m just getting around to sharing it. It comes from A Bachelors Cupboard; Containing Crumbs Culled from the Cupboards of the Great Unwedded, which was published in 1906 but has recently been digitized by the Internet Archive. The drink has an obvious North Carolina connection, so we want to share it with our loyal readers.

Sir Walter Raleigh Recipe For Sack Possett
Heat a half-pint of ale and a half-pint of sherry, add one quart of boiling milk, sugar to taste, and some grated nutmeg. It should stand in a warm place for an hour, and just before serving add the yolks of two eggs, then beat well and serve hot.

Sounds yummy, doesn’t it?

Now, for the definition of “possett.” According to the OED, it is: “A drink made from hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or other liquor, flavoured with sugar, herbs, spices, etc., and often drunk for medicinal purposes (now hist.); a kind of syllabub made from similar ingredients. Freq. with distinguishing word.”

The Sir Walter Raleigh variety has nutmeg in it, so it sounds perfect for the holidays.

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