Oxford Night Caps by Richard Cook (1860, p.41) — Oxford 1860
| 1 whole | lemon — Sliced into the sugar-water. | acid |
| 0.5 pint | brandy | base |
| 0.25 pound | brown sugar | base |
| 1 pint | water | dilution |
| cinnamon — Pulverised. | other | |
| cloves — Pulverised. | other | |
| ginger — Grate on the toast. | other | |
| nutmeg — Grate on the toast. | other | |
| 1 quart | strong ale | other |
| 2 slices | toast — toasted bread | other |
- Dissolve the brown sugar in one pint of water and slice a lemon into it.
- Let it stand a quarter hour, then add pulverised cloves and cinnamon, the brandy, and the strong ale.
- Stir well, add toasted bread, grate nutmeg and ginger on the toast, and serve.
- Ice thoroughly for summer service or warm for winter.
Garnish: Toasted bread dusted with nutmeg and ginger.
Ice: Optional icing
This is a useful example of a named domestic bowl surviving by anecdotal reputation rather than grand institutional ritual.
The recipe is intentionally adaptable across seasons, which is unusual for the more fixed-service bowls around it.