Forgotten Drinks of Colonial New England: From Flips & Rattle-Skulls to Switchel & Spruce Beer by Corin Hirsch

Forgotten Drinks of Colonial New England: From Flips & Rattle-Skulls to Switchel & Spruce Beer by Corin Hirsch

Colonial New England was awash in ales, beers, wines, cider and spirits. Everyone from teenage farmworkers to our founding fathers imbibed heartily and often. Tipples at breakfast, lunch, teatime and dinner were the norm, and low-alcohol hard cider was sometimes even a part of children's lives. This burgeoning cocktail culture reflected the New World's abundance of raw materials: apples, sugar and molasses, wild berries and hops. This plentiful drinking sustained a slew of smoky taverns and inns--watering holes that became vital meeting places and the nexuses of unrest as the Revolution brewed. New England food and drinks writer Corin Hirsch explores the origins and taste of the favorite potations of early Americans and offers some modern-day recipes to revive them today.

Corin Hirsch is an award-winning culinary writer at Seven Days, the alternative weekly newspaper in Burlington, Vermont. She profiles chefs, farmers, cheese makers, brewers and trends in this hotbed of farm-to-table fare, and develops seasonal recipes and cocktails. Her work has also appeared in a range of regional publications. She is a member of the Association for Food Journalists, and recently won a 2nd Place for Best Food Writing from the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies.