French House Christmas Pudding Vodka

For many years, on and off, this ungodly preparation was shared down Dean Street, Soho between The Colony Room Club and The French House, made in the cellar of the latter where staff could give it a swizzle upon passing. After a while the odour would permeate out to the stairs and upwards bringing a early Yuletide hum to the bar.

One may not necessarily naturally prescribe it for breakfast but a shot to rouse the day in the appropriate season immediately puts everyone in festive spirits.

The blueprint was passed on by the late, great Matt Cogger, gawd bless him, erstwhile manager and bartender of both houses of libation at one time or another who mischievously admitted:

“The recipe I gave to Sainsbury’s Magazine was complete rubbish designed to cause riot and mayhem, and not the least bit of sickness.”

Given here below is the real deal.
Any ill effects are entirely down to your own foolish indulgence.

Christmas Pudding Vodka Recipe

Working on the basis of using 48 bottles – get the cheapest vodka you can find – this should produce about 36.

1.5 kg muscovado sugar
6 kg caster sugar
2 kg mixed peel
3.5 kg sultanas
3.5 kg raisins
peel and juice of 3 lemons
peel and juice of 5 oranges
1.5 small bottles of almond essence
2 small bottles of vanilla essence
1 jar of ground cinnamon
1 jar of mixed spice

“Put everything into a dustbin (clean if possible, but not essential). Stir daily for two weeks. For the first three days whoever does the stirring must do so standing on one leg intoning the sacred incantation of ‘Ahhhh Waah Taana SIAM’ or those monks will be down on you.”

As far as I recall the brew was left to fester for a good month or so before filtering through a muslin cloth or possibly a pair on Cogger’s old socks then decanted into 500 ml bottles.

Serve chilled in shot glasses under the mistletoe while you unpack your Santa sack before any family rows commence.

Bon Noël !