Tract · Cocktails

Sparkling · Built in glass · Historical · complexity 4/5

Loving Cup

A mixed wine cup with mountain wine, Madeira, Lisbon, champagne, pale brandy, lemon, sugar, and nutmeg.

Served in Cup. Ice: Iced.

Variants (2)

Drinking Cups and Their Customs by Henry Porter and George Roberts (1869, p.55) — Drinking Cups 1869

1 pintmountain wine base
1 liqueur-glasspale brandy base
3 thin slicelemon slice — lemongarnish
1 pintMadeira modifier
1 bottlechampagne other
1 pintLisbon wine — Lisbonother
nutmeg other
sugar sweetener
  1. Combine wines, champagne, brandy, lemon, sugar, and nutmeg; ice to taste.

Garnish: Lemon slices

Ice: Iced

Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks by William Terrington (1869, p.185) — Terrington 1869

1 wholelemon juice acid
1 gillcognac base
1 pintmountain wine base
1 pintMadeira modifier
1 bottlechampagne other
1 pintLisbon wine other
0.5 lemonoleo-saccharum — peel rubbed on sugarsweetener
sugar and spice — To taste.sweetener
  1. Combine the wines, champagne, Cognac, lemon juice, and lemon oleo-saccharum.
  2. Sweeten and spice to taste, then strain clear.
  3. Add ice on serving.

Ice: Ice at service

Terrington places the recipe immediately after a discussion of the Loving Cup as a surviving ceremonial institution.

The final straining keeps the ritual bowl elegant and serviceable despite its complex build.

See also: Freemasons' Cup, Councillor's Cup, Wassail Bowl