Enjoying George Washington’s Peach Brandy

By David Duncan

Our Founding Father and First President George Washington was the largest distiller of whiskey in the United States.  As part of his whiskey distillery operations, Washington produced small amounts of Peach Brandy in 1798 and 1799.  A small portion of this special batch would be sold at the market but most of the Peach Brandy would be set aside to be used at Mount Vernon.  The peaches used in making the brandy would be harvested from orchards on the Mount Vernon estate. 

At Mount Vernon, the Distillery from Washington’s time period has been reconstructed and mainly rye whiskey is made there.  On a tour, visitors can learn all about the stages of whiskey production and periodically the whiskey and brandy produced as part of the demonstration process is put on sale.  The Peach Brandy was produced using traditional 18^th century methods.  The brandy was double-distilled in copper pot stills heated by wood fires.  Overall, making the brandy is as close to what would have been George Washington’s original recipe as possible.

The Peach Brandy sold today has been aged for eighteen months in used bourbon barrels at Mount Vernon.  It is produced using Mount Vernon staff and craft distiller consultants using traditional methods.  Sadly, Washington’s exact recipe and instructions for distilling Peach Brandy are not known. However, the distillation of fruit brandy is pretty basic and has not changed much over the centuries.  So, the Peach Brandy made today is as close to what Washington would have produced as possible.

In order to give the brandy its peach flavor, the peaches had to be prepared, crushed or pressed. Then, resulting juice was loaded with yeast and allowed to ferment for 10 to 15 days. The resulting fermented juice was then double distilled to achieve the Peach Brandy.

Washington’s peach brandy was produced and sold in very limited quantities. During his lifetime, only 60 gallons of the brandy were produced each year compared to 11,000 gallon of the rye whiskey.  The vast majority of the Brandy produced would be reserved for the family and guests. Very little would actually be sold.  Unlike the Peach Brandy sold at Mount Vernon today, in Washington’s time the brandy would not have been aged in barrels but sold in its unaged clear, colorless form.

Cheers to Founding Father and Distiller in Chief, George Washington! 

Tasting History with Martha Washington’s Great Cake Recipe

By Margaret Duncan, Ed.D.

Recently, I was able to visit Mount Vernon and meet Martha Washington. Okay, so it wasn’t really her but a reenactor instead.  However, while in the dining room, she shared her Great Cake recipe with us.  The recipe shared is one of the few recipes that have survived that are directly associated with Mrs. Washington.  Legend has it, the Great Cake was so well liked that she had her granddaughter, Martha Parks Custis copy it down to give out to other family members.  The Great Cake, as it was called is a basic fruitcake that would have been served as part of the Christmas holidays.

Her original recipe reads:

“Take 40 eggs divide the whites from the yolks & beat them to a froth then work 4 pounds of butter to a cream & put the whites of the eggs to it a Spoon full at a time till it is well work’d then put 4 pounds of sugar finely powdered to it in the same manners then put it in the Youlks [sic] of eggs & 5 pounds of flower [sic] & 5 pounds of fruit.  2 hours will bake it add to it half an ounce of mace & nutmeg half a pint of wine and some frensh [sic] brandy.”

Thankfully, the recipe that is given out and the one I baked is adapted for modern bakers.  The first step was soaking the candied fruit pieces and nuts in the Madeira for three hours.  The cake includes so much brandy and wine that when finished it was really moist and quite good.  The biggest change I had to make to the cake was using regular raisins instead of currants.  After several stores and an internet search, it was apparent that finding currants just wasn’t going to happen. 

  

French Brandy, Madeira, Candied Orange Peel, Citron, Lemon Peel & Raisins.

Soaking in the Madeira for at least 3 hours.

Also, I did not make the modern adaption of an 18^th century icing that was part of the recipe.  I had on hand an extra bottle of rum icing that we put on the plum pudding we make on Christmas Eve.  To say that the cake turned out to be incredibly tasty is an understatement.  My daughters usually refuse to eat fruitcake—they don’t like the taste and texture of fruits in cakes.  However, Mrs. Washington’s Great Cake was a huge hit.  My usually picky eaters gobbled up every bite.

The cake ready to be baked and fresh out of the oven with icing.

Bon Appetite to baking your very own Great Cake and tasting a bit of history!

  

Recipe card from Mount Vernon

Enjoying George Washington’s Straight Rye Whiskey

By David Duncan

One thing Southerners know plenty about when it comes to hard liquor is Moonshine, Kentucky Bourbon and Whiskey.  At one time, our Founding Father and First President George Washington was the largest distiller of whiskey in the United States.  Whiskey was so popular in our early days that when Congress put a tax on it, citizens rose up to protest creating a national crisis in the Whiskey Rebellion.  George Washington as President was quick to squash the rebellion and to this day, whiskey is taxed.

At Washington’s Virginia home, Mount Vernon, the Distillery from his time period has been reconstructed and Rye Whiskey is made there.  On a tour, visitors can learn all about the stages of whiskey production and periodically the whiskey produced as part of the demonstration process is put on sale.  Lucky for me, I was able to procure one of these prized bottles. 

At Mount Vernon, the whiskey distilled uses Washington’s original mash recipe and traditional 18th century methods are used in the production.  The method of production includes grinding all of the grain in the water-powered gristmill, fermenting it in wooden mash tubs and distilling in copper pot stills heated by wood fires.  Overall, making the Rye Whiskey is as close to George Washington’s original rye as possible.

The Straight Rye Whiskey sold at Mount Vernon has been aged in barrels for two years.  Washington’s original mash recipe was discovered by researchers examining the distillery ledgers from 1798 and 1799.  According to the ledger, Washington’s whiskey consisted of:

• 60% rye,
• 35% corn,
• 5% barley

According to the records, it is apparent that the whiskey was distilled at least twice before being sent to market.  Unlike the whiskey sold at Mount Vernon today, in Washington’s time the whiskey would not have been aged in barrels but sold in its unaged clear, colorless form.

 

Rye Whiskey is a whiskey that is distilled from at least 51 percent rye. Also, rye is a type of grass that is a member of the wheat family and closely related to barley.  Rye whiskey tastes like a spicy, grainy, hard-edged version of bourbon.  

 

For me, I will be happy to pair my Washington Straight Rye Whiskey with my Home-Brewed 1744 Porter.  Cheers to Founding Father and Distiller in Chief, George Washington!