To Make Syrup Of Raspberries
From the treasured pages of Cookbook
Unknown Author
To Make Syrup Of Raspberries
"Take 7 pound or less or more of rasp berries or currans pik'd them and bruis them in a Stone mortar and put them into some earthen pott thore to stand 4 or 5 days in the Sellar or some cold place then Strain them through a cloath then put it gently through a whyte Woolen cloath of this purified Juice take on pound & two pound of Whyt Loaf Sugar that is dryed stirr it about with a Silver Spoon into Some tinn dish and Set them on a pretely Smart fire till your Sugar be all to gither melted then Strain it through a linon cloath and let it be cold So bottle it Off this Syrup take three ounces and two pound of boyled barly Water and as much Spirit of Sulphur as will make it Sharp or Sour to the sick person take a hand full of rough barly and two pints of Spring Water boyl them a litle to gither then let your Barly Water be cold and mix it as above wryton"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe uses phonetic and period-appropriate spellings ('pik'd' for picked, 'whyt' for white, 'cloath' for cloth, etc.), and lacks precise quantities or times by modern standards. Instructions are given with the assumption of the reader's experience in the kitchen. Historical recipes often list process and ingredients together in a stream-of-consciousness style without headings or time cues, and ingredient proportions are flexible, meant to be scaled according to what was available. The use of 'Spirit of Sulphur' was common as a sharp medicinal acid, but not used today due to safety.
Title
Cookbook (1706)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1706
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step back to the early 18th century with this charming culinary collection, brimming with period recipes that tantalize the tastebuds and offer a delicious glimpse into historic kitchens.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from a household or medical recipe book dating circa 1706, a time when sugar syrups were common for both culinary and medicinal use. Raspberry or currant syrups would have been made at home to preserve the summer's bounty and enjoyed as a cooling drink, a flavoring, or a gentle remedy. The addition of 'Spirit of Sulphur' (historically, diluted sulphuric acid) was believed to have cooling or medicinal properties—today's version uses lemon juice or citric acid for sharpness instead. Recipes like this were often included in the collections kept by well-to-do households, reflecting both foodways and healthcare practices of the time. Cellars or cool pantries were used for gentle maceration of fruits before the invention of refrigeration.
Originally, the raspberries or currants would be mashed in a heavy stone mortar and pestle. The fruit pulp was macerated in an earthenware pot kept in a cool cellar, then strained through household linen, felt, or wool cloth for clarity. Silver or pewter spoons (for stirring) and tin or pewter dishes were common before the widespread use of stainless steel. Once made, the syrup was stored in glass or stoneware bottles, and would have been poured or measured with pewter or porcelain measures.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Servings
20
Ingredients
- 6.5 lb fresh raspberries or red currants
- White granulated sugar (approx. 12 lb for 3 pints juice)
- Barley (3.5 oz, for barley water)
- Spring water (2 quarts, for barley water)
- Few drops food-grade citric acid or fresh lemon juice (as stand-in for 'Spirit of Sulphur')
Instructions
- For a richly flavored raspberry syrup as enjoyed in the early 18th century, start by taking about 6.5 lb (or more or less, as you wish) of fresh raspberries or currants.
- Gently pick through and mash them in a large, sturdy bowl—modern cooks can use a potato masher or food processor.
- Transfer the mashed berries to a ceramic or glass bowl, cover, and let them rest in the fridge (to mimic the historical cellar) for 4–5 days.
- Next, strain the juice first through a fine sieve, then twice: first with a cheesecloth, then through a clean piece of fine muslin or butter muslin to clarify.
- For every 1 pint (2 cups) of your pure juice, add 2 lb of white granulated sugar (which approximates the 'white loaf sugar' of the period), pre-dried or pre-warmed.
- Stir the sugar into the juice in a non-reactive saucepan with a wooden or stainless steel spoon, then gently heat over medium-low (a 'prettily smart fire'), stirring until all sugar dissolves but no more—do not let it boil vigorously.
- Strain one last time through a fine cloth and cool completely, then bottle in sterilized glass bottles.
- Refrigerate.
- To serve as prescribed: for each dose, mix about 3 fl oz syrup with 1 quart barley water (barley boiled with spring water and cooled), and add a few drops of food-grade citric acid or lemon juice (to mimic 'Spirit of Sulphur') for sharpness, adjusting to taste.
Estimated Calories
250 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Allow about 20 minutes for preparing and mashing the berries, and a few minutes to strain and dissolve the sugar with the juice on the stove; most of the time is passive, as you let the juice rest and clarify over several days. One serving is based on about 90 ml syrup mixed with barley water, and calories are mainly from the sugar.
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