The Madeira Cellar
Madeira cobbler with orange, peach and nutmeg — an after-dinner glass worthy of Washington's cellar
Guests remembered Washington chatting after dinner with Madeira in hand.
Why this cocktail? Washington loved Madeira enough to order it by the pipe. This cobbler celebrates the rich, sociable after-dinner side of his table.
The Story
Washington's relationship with Madeira was not casual. He ordered it in great quantity, specified the style he wanted, and was remembered drinking several glasses after dinner. This Madeira cobbler, brightened with orange and peach and cooled over crushed ice, imagines the founding of America from his most relaxed vantage point: after the work, after the meal, with the right wine in hand.
Ingredients
- 3 oz Madeira
- 0.5 oz peach syrup
- 2 orange slices
- Crushed ice
- Fresh nutmeg
- Mint sprig
Preparation
- 1.Muddle one orange slice with peach syrup in a glass.
- 2.Fill with crushed ice and pour in Madeira.
- 3.Stir briskly until chilled.
- 4.Top with more crushed ice, grate nutmeg, and garnish with mint and remaining orange slice.
More from this collection
President's Cocktail Collection — George Washington
The Hoecake Hearth
Brown-butter washed bourbon with honey and toasted corn — Washington's favorite breakfast, recast as a fireside sip
The Potomac Catch
A crisp aquavit highball with dill, lemon and cucumber — bright as a river dinner at Mount Vernon
The Porter Ledger
Porter flip with rum, whole egg and nutmeg — dense, colonial, and built for a long night of strategy