Posset milk drink vs other traditional drinks
Posset is a warm drink of milk or cream curdled with alcohol and spiced. Clarified milk punch is strained clear, and eggnog is historically a type of milk punch. The old drink and modern lemon posset dessert are different things.
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In this article
How is posset different from other old drinks?
Posset belongs to a family of old British drinks that combine milk or cream with alcohol or acid. The boundaries blur, so this is a simple guide.
Comparison
| Drink | Key traits |
|---|---|
| Posset | Hot milk or cream curdled with ale, wine or spirits; spiced; sometimes thickened |
| Eggnog | Historically a type of milk punch, per Tasting Table |
| Milk punch | Milk curdled in spirit and lemon; the clarified version is strained clear |
| Syllabub | A separate old cream dessert; we did not verify details |
| Modern lemon posset | Cream, sugar and lemon set as a dessert |
Posset and eggnog
Tasting Table notes that eggnog is historically a type of milk punch. We found no source tying posset recipes directly to eggnog.
Posset and milk punch
The big difference is the strainer: clarified milk punch is strained until clear, while posset was a curdled or thickened drink. See the history of milk punch.
Posset and syllabub
We did not find a verified comparison, so treat syllabub as its own dish.
Why the name confuses people
Today the name mostly means a cooled lemon cream dessert, which is what most people now mean by posset.
Which to try?
- For a modern, easy dessert: lemon posset.
- For a cocktail: milk punch, for adults.
- For a holiday drink: eggnog.
Use pasteurized dairy and eggs for any of them.
Bottom line
Posset, eggnog, milk punch and syllabub are cousins. What separates them is mostly the ingredients and whether the milk is strained. Names also shifted over the centuries, so expect old and modern recipes to differ.
People also ask
Is posset like eggnog?
Related at most. Tasting Table says eggnog is historically a type of milk punch; we found no source linking posset directly.
What is the difference between posset and syllabub?
We did not verify a comparison; treat them as separate dishes.
Is posset alcoholic?
Old versions often were, with ale, sack or brandy. Modern lemon posset is not.
Sources
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