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Powsowdie or Ponsondie

Drinks
Endangered
Lancashire, Yorkshire, Cumbria, Durham, Northumberland

In the North of England a form of thickened spiced ale, especially associated with Twelfth Night celebrations.

Thomas De Quincey's Selections Grave and Gay of 1854 has; "The anticipation of excellent ale ... and possibly of still more excellent pow-sowdy (a combination of ale, spirits, and spices)."

'Cumberland & Westmorland, ancient and modern' by Jeremiah Sullivan (1857) says that in some parts of Cumberland "The ale-posset continues to appear at the village tavern on what is called the Powsowdy night, and consists of ale boiled with bread, and seasoned with sugar and nutmeg. It is served up in basons, and is followed by music, dancing and card-playing."

There is also a form of sheep-meat broth from Scotland known by the same, or similar, names.

There is a further reference to Powsowdie as part of the Twelfth Night celebrations in Scouse.

See also: Posset




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