Don’t Drink the Water: Fruit Waters
We looked at summer beverages made of fresh fruits. But what happens when fresh fruit isn’t available? Use preserved fruit of course.
Here are some Regency era suggestions for fruity drinks made from preserves.
No. 110. Currant Water made of Jelly.
TAKE two large spoonsful of currant jelly, and mix it with a little warm water, then put one gill of syrup ,squeeze two or three lemons in and let the rest be water; taste and make it to your palate, putting a little cochineal in to make it of a fine colour; strain it through a sieve, and it is fit for use.
No. 113. Raspberry Water of Raspberry Jam
TAKE two large spoonsful of jam ; put it into a bason ; squeeze six lemons in, and let the rest be water ;put a little cochineal to colour it, put in a little syrup to make it palatable; pass it through your sieve, and be careful all the seeds are clean out, it is then fit for use.
No. 116. Apricot Water.
TAKE two large spoonsful of apricot jam, and one gill of syrup; squeeze four lemons, put a handful of bitter almonds pounded and a little powdered sugar int he jam, so as to make it have the same bitter taste as the kernals of the apricots ; let the rest be water, and make it palatable; pass it through a very fine lawn sieve,’ and it is fit for use.
No. 117. Strawberry Water of Strawberry Jam.
TAKE two large spoonsful of strawberry jam, squeeze three lemons, and add one gill of syrup and the rest water to make it palatable, pass it through a lawn sieve, and it is fit for use.
No. 119. Barberry Water.
TAKE two large spoonsful of barberry jam, and put them in a bason ; squeeze two lemons, put in one gill of syrup and the rest water; put a little cochineal in and if you find it not rich enough, put a little more syrup, make it palatable, pass it through a sieve, and it is fit for use.
No. 120. Peach Water.
TAKE two large spoonsful of peach jam in a bason ;put one handful of bitter almonds with a little powder-ed sugar; squeeze five lemons, put in two gills of syrup and let the rest be water; make it palatable, pass it through a sieve with a spoon, and it is fit for use.
References
Nutt, Frederick. The Complete Confectioner ; Or, the Whole Art of Confectionary: … By a Person, Late an Apprentice to the Well-known Messrs. Negri and Witten ..London: Printed for the Author, 1807.
I had no idea – who knew? This put a whole new spin on flavored drinks… using jam and jelly to flavor. Thanks for sharing.