TOKAY PUNCH

This luxurious frozen punch from 1917 transforms sweet Tokay grapes and red Bordeaux wine into a sophisticated, semi-frozen dessert drink. The base is a rich grape and wine sorbet, lightened just before serving with a silky, rose-tinted Italian meringue and fortified with smooth brandy. Ideally served in punch cups or coupes, this "Roman Punch" style beverage offers a delightful contrast of icy texture and creamy foam, garnished with fresh grapes for an elegant finish.

Ingredients

6 pounds Tokay grapes (or red table grapes) (Divided use: 1 lb reserved, 5 lbs for syrup.)
3 pounds Granulated sugar (Approximately 6-7 cups.)
4 cups Water (Originally 'one quart'.)
2 whole Oranges (Juiced.)
2 whole Lemons (Juiced.)
4 cups St. Julien Claret (or red Bordeaux wine) (Originally 'one quart'.)
3 tablespoons Angostura bitters (Originally '1 jigger'. Converted to modern measurement (1 jigger = 1.5 oz = 3 tbsp).)
2 cups Brandy (Originally '1 pint'.)
6 large Egg whites (For Italian Meringue.)
1 1/2 cups Granulated sugar (for meringue) (Quantity estimated for standard Italian Meringue (not specified in original text).)
1/2 cup Water (for meringue) (Quantity estimated for standard Italian Meringue (not specified in original text).)
2 drops Red food coloring (Or as needed to color the meringue.)

Instructions

1Sort the grapes. Reserve 1 pound of the best-looking grapes to be added at the very end. Place the remaining 5 pounds of grapes in a large heat-proof bowl or pot and crush them slightly to break the skins.
2In a saucepan, combine 3 pounds of sugar and 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar is completely dissolved. Pour this boiling syrup directly over the 5 pounds of crushed grapes. Let the mixture stand until it is partly cold to extract the flavor and color from the skins.
3Once the grape mixture has cooled, rub it through a fine sieve to extract as much juice and pulp as possible, leaving the skins and seeds behind. To this strained liquid, add the juice of 2 oranges, the juice of 2 lemons, 4 cups of St. Julien Claret (or red Bordeaux), and 3 tablespoons of Angostura bitters. Stir well to combine.
4Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and churn according to manufacturer instructions until it reaches a sorbet-like consistency. Alternatively, pour into a shallow pan and freeze, scraping with a fork every 30 minutes to create a granita texture.
5While the punch is freezing, prepare the Italian Meringue. Combine the estimated 1 1/2 cups sugar and 1/2 cup water in a small saucepan. Boil until it reaches the soft-ball stage (240°F/115°C). Meanwhile, whip the 6 egg whites to soft peaks. Slowly stream the hot syrup into the egg whites while beating on high speed until stiff, glossy peaks form and the mixture cools. Tint with red food coloring to achieve a nice red or pink hue.
6Just before serving, transfer the frozen punch base to a large punch bowl. Stir in the 2 cups of brandy. Gently fold in the red Italian Meringue to create a creamy, frothy texture. Drop in the reserved 1 pound of fresh grapes. Serve immediately in punch cups.