To Preserve Cherries
From the treasured pages of Cookbook
Unknown Author
To Preserve Cherries
"Take one tt of Cherries, stone them, then take a afew Corrans Berrijes and picke them in water and boyle them, then strain them and take a pint of that Liquor to a pound of sugar and make a syrup, then put in your cherries and let them boyle till they be at a jelly right, so put them into your pots for use."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in the straightforward, somewhat intuitive style typical of early 18th-century cookery books. Spelling was highly variable—'tt' likely stands for 'pint,' and 'Corrans Berrijes' refers to currants. Terms like 'boyle' and 'Liquor' appear, with 'boyle' meaning a gentle simmer, and 'liquor' meaning a strained fruit juice. Instructions assume a cook already familiar with basic techniques, omitting precise timings or temperatures.
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 hails from early 18th-century England, around 1706, a period when sugar preserves were essential for extending the bounty of summer fruit into the colder months. Recipes like this one were cherished in well-off households, serving both as a delicacy and as a way to supplement winter diets with preserved vitamins and sweetness. Using currant juice to create a syrup added natural pectin, which helped create the sought-after jelly consistency before the era of commercial pectin.
The original cook would have used a brass or copper preserving pan set over an open fire or wood-burning hearth. A ladle or wooden spoon would help with stirring, while a sieve or linen cloth was used for straining the currant juice. Stoneware pots or glass jars, often sealed with parchment and wax, were common vessels for storing the finished preserve.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 pound (16 ounces) cherries (fresh, pitted)
- 3.5 ounces currants (preferably red, fresh or frozen; black currants or gooseberries can substitute)
- 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) water
- 1 pound (16 ounces) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Begin by taking 1 pound (16 ounces) of fresh cherries and remove their stones.
- Next, take a handful (approximately 3.5 ounces) of fresh currants (red or black) and gently simmer them in about 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of water until the juice is released.
- Strain the mixture to obtain a rich currant juice.
- For each 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) of this currant liquor, combine it with 1 pound (16 ounces) of sugar in a saucepan and heat until it forms a syrup.
- Add the stoned cherries into the syrup and simmer gently until the mixture thickens and takes on a jelly-like texture, which should take approximately 20–30 minutes.
- Once properly set, transfer the cherries with syrup into sterilized glass jars or ceramic pots and seal for storage.
Estimated Calories
170 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes 15 minutes to pit and prepare the cherries and currants. Cooking the fruit with the syrup takes about 30 minutes. Each serving has about 170 calories, and this recipe makes 8 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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