Switchel: The Haymaker’s Punch

I’ve always been a pretty good home cook, and I always find new things to try out and make at home. I caught wind of a drink that has some history pulling back to the 17th century. Originating debatably from either New England or the Caribbean, it served as a cooling energy drink for many a farmer during hay harvest, giving it also the nickname of “Haymaker’s Punch”.

Water is mixed with vinegar and sweetened with a sweetener of your choice. But the best choices are honey, molasses or plain old brown sugar, but the true key ingredient is a generous among of ginger. If you know about ginger’s powerful anti-inflammatory properties, you may see why this drink has received a resurgence in popularity.

Naturally I decided to make a batch myself at home. I settled for apple cider vinegar and a less than substantial amount of Manuka honey as I didn’t want to waste too much of a precious honey, so I added some brown sugar as well. I even got experimental and seasoned it with some cinnamon. I then peeled and sliced raw ginger and tossed it all into the mix, letting it infuse overnight, as I really like the generous warm heat of ginger.

If you feel inclined to make this yourself, you can be very free with the ratios of each ingredient and adjust to your liking. For instance, when I tried mine for the first time, I concluded that it needed more of a sweetener and a touch less vinegar to get the taste I wanted/expected. It can also be quite concentrated so feel free to treat it as a cordial and dilute it either with plain or soda water.

If you’re also daring, a touch of rum is also a great addition, which sailors and pirates took to with great gusto.

Overall, this is an amazing and naturally energizing drink that I suggest making yourself at home if you happen to notice that ginger is on sale at the supermarket.

Thank you for reading and have a beautiful day!

• Daniel