A hot or cold punch made with corn whiskey, sweetened with sugar, brightened with lemon and spices. Convivial, it circulated in a large bowl where everyone helped themselves. It is the drink of compromise and celebration on the American frontier.

Why this dish? Jackson enjoyed Tennessee bourbon whiskey, which he consumed in moderation despite his fragile health. Whiskey punch was the obligatory welcome drink at political receptions of his time — and he even offered it to the people at his famous 1829 inauguration.

Whiskey, sir, I respect — I drink little of it, for my bullet-riddled body won't allow it. But at my table, the punch bowl never empties: Tennessee corn whiskey, sugar, a squeezed lemon, and something to warm a man in winter. On my inauguration day, I opened my doors to all the people — they drank my punch until they overturned the furniture! A democracy must be watered, but with measure.

How it was made : Whiskey was the spirit of the American frontier: abundant, made from locally distilled corn or rye, it sometimes even served as currency. Hot punch (toddy) sweetened and lemoned was a universal hospitality drink. At Jackson's 1829 inauguration, the crowd stormed the White House, attracted in part by the alcoholic refreshments.

The contemporary twist : Serve it as a "hot toddy" in a pewter cup, with a stick of imaginary hickory cinnamon — or over a large ice cube, presidential old fashioned style.

Andrew Jackson · Charactorium