Several years ago I discovered Patrick O’Brian’s Aubrey/Maturin novels and promptly read all twenty-one books, including the unfinished one, back to back. I devoured them so quickly that the events of individual novels blur together. There were few moments when one of O’Brian’s books left my hands for longer than it took to make a meal or change a diaper. Beyond being some of the finest historical novels ever written, the series offers a vivid chronicle of food in the Napoleonic era, from the fare of ordinary seamen to the dishes prepared aboard ship. Spotted Dog (Spotted Dick), Skillygally, Jam Roly-Poly, Solomongundy, Lobscouse and other curious names crop up throughout the stories. Jack Aubrey, the ship’s captain, and Stephen Maturin, his friend and ship’s surgeon, share passions for music and food, which inspired another culinary obsession of mine.
A dear friend, Alison, gifted me Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which It’s a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels by Anne Chotzinoff Grossman and Lisa Grossman Thomas. I’ve read it twice. The first reading was pure pleasure: the Grossmans write with wit and meticulousness, cataloguing and testing roughly 5,000 references to food and eighteenth-century medicine that appear across O’Brian’s novels.
The second reading was more practical. I wanted to try some period recipes, though I skipped anything requiring interminable boiling or unappetizing ingredients. Certain recipes—I’ll pass on “Millers in Brown Onion Sauce” (millers = rats) and authentic haggis—were eliminated for obvious reasons. The Grossmans note that those who cook haggis rarely enjoy eating it; the description of the preparation is enough to put most people off.
Fortunately, many recipes looked inviting: toasted cheese, ratafia biscuits, trifle and several old-fashioned drinks, including Hot Lemon Shrub. A sucker for anything lemon, I decided to start there. The shrub also appears in the novels: Killick, the long-suffering servant, grumbles about chores when asked for a Hot Lemon Shrub. I’d happily trade for a Killick—curmudgeonly as he is—if it meant my house would be immaculate.
Plan ahead when making the Lemon Shrub: it benefits from resting about a week before serving so the flavors can meld. Of course, if you’re impatient or caught in a storm-troubled watch, you can sample it sooner.
Hot Lemon Shrub
as reproduced from Lobscouse & Spotted Dog: Which It’s a Gastronomic Companion to the Aubrey/Maturin Novels
Ingredients:
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 1/2 cup fresh-squeezed lemon juice
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 cups rum
Combine all ingredients, stir thoroughly, bottle and store in a cool place. Let it mellow for about a week before drinking.
To serve, mix 1 part shrub with 2–3 parts boiling water.
Notes:
This shrub is different from a modern hot toddy. It is lemony, gently sweet and soothing—an ideal drink when you have a cold, or when you come in cold and damp from rain or snow. For book lovers, there’s something special about recreating the tastes described in a favorite novel; sipping a hot shrub while reading about Jack and Stephen adds another dimension to the experience.
Shrub is versatile: it also mixes well with cold seltzer in the same 1 part shrub to 2–3 parts seltzer ratio, which would be very refreshing on a warm evening.
For a non-alcoholic version, replace the rum with an equal amount of water plus 2 teaspoons of rum extract, and proceed as directed. This preserves the flavor profile while making the drink suitable for those who prefer not to drink alcohol.