Monday, May 27, 2013

Make Along: Cherry Vinegar- part three, final hurrah!

I've been away for a few days, so I'll post the next instructions for those who have worked ahead.

At this stage, your cherries should have been steeping in vinegar for six to nine days. 
For this stage, you will need:
The Cherry Vinegar Mixture
Glass Bowl
Clean Cloth
Measuring Cup
aprox. 2 cups Sugar (or equivalent sweetener of your choice)
Sauce Pan
Funnel
Clean Glass Bottle


As before, you will take the cloth and place it over the bowl.
Carefully pour the vinegar through the cloth into the bowl, retaining the cherries in the cloth. 
Take up the edges of the cloth and twist, expressing the juice from the cherries.

Measure the liquid and pour into the sauce pan.









For every cup of liquid, add one cup of sugar.


Bring to a rapid bowl to dissolve the sugar.









When cool, bottle the syrup. Store in a cool, dry place that won't freeze. 












When you are ready to use the syrup as a beverage, dilute approximately two tablespoons of syrup in approximately eight ounces of water. 

Period sources choose raspberries and strawberries as the most popular fruit for this beverage, but many juicy fruits are acceptable. 

Make Along: Cherry Vinegar- part two

I have been preparing for a presentation on beverages to beat the heat. I'm choosing a fusion of modern and period by presenting period beverages in a modern "tasting" format.

One of the favorite summer beverages of the mid 19th century is a fruit vinegar diluted into cold or iced water. 

Last time, I shared the recipe and we got started.

For this next step you will need:
Jar containing your cherries an vinegar mixture
Another pound of cherries, stones and stems removed
Glass Bowl
Clean, sturdy, loose-weave cloth


So far, you should have had the cherries steeping for several days in a glass container with a secure lid.

In this next step, you will take the cloth and place it over the bowl.
Carefully pour the vinegar through the cloth into the bowl, retaining the cherries in the cloth.




Take up the edges of the cloth and twist, expressing the juice from the cherries.
Discard the cherries in the cloth.
Place the new cherries in the jar.
Pour the vinegar & cherries mixture over the new cherries.
Secure the lid and set the jar aside for two to three days.

See you in another two to three days. :-)

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Make Along: Cherry Vinegar- part one

I have been preparing for a presentation on beverages to beat the heat. I'm choosing a fusion of modern and period by presenting period beverages in a modern "tasting" format.

One of the favorite summer beverages of the mid 19th century is a fruit vinegar diluted into cold or iced water. As a special treat, I thought to share the recipe and process here so you can follow along.

First, the recipe... I made a survey of over 100 period recipes for fruit vinegars. Here is one I feel is representative of the "usual" process and will direct my efforts.



Strawberry Vinegar
 Put four pounds very ripe strawberries, nicely dressed, to three quarts of the best vinegar, and let them stand three, or four days. Then drain the vinegar through a jelly-bag, and pour it on to the same quantity of fruit. Repeat the process in three days a third time. Finally, to each pound of the liquor thus obtained, add one pound of fine sugar. Bottle it and let it stand covered, but not tight corked, a week; then cork it tight, and set it in a dry and cool place, where it will not freeze.
Raspberry vinegar can be made in the same way.
                                                                                                        


I want to use cherries and in a smaller quantity than directed, so some tweaking will need to happen.

To make your own, you will need the following at this stage:
about 1 pound ripe sweet cherries
1 pint of distilled white vinegar
glass jar with secure lid
knife and cutting board

The first step is to stone the cherries... and I don't mean offer them an illegal smoke.

 Do this by taking a knife and slicing the cherry from the stem around. Peel open and remove the stone and stem.

Place both halves in the glass jar.

When all cherries are stoned, cover with the vinegar.

Set aside for a few days.

Good luck, see you in a few days. :-)