Red Surfet Water

This recipe for Red Surfet Water hails from the manuscript collection of Mary Cruso, dated 1689. At this time, English gentlewomen were recording home remedies and nutritional tonics as part of household management. 'Surfet Waters' were typically consumed after a period of 'surfeit'—overindulgence in food or drink—as restorative or medicinal cordials. The liberal use of brandy, medicinal herbs, warming spices, and botanicals illustrates both the global trade networks of the late 17th century and a fascination with both health and luxury in culinary practice. It reflects the era's penchant for blending native and exotic ingredients, as well as the rise of 'receipt' (recipe) keeping among literate women of means. The inclusion of poppy flowers, raisins, dates, and figs marks it as both a luxurious and potentially soporific tonic, intended more for wellness and digestion than for daily refreshment.

In the 17th century, this restorative cordial would have been prepared using large glazed earthenware jars or stoneware crocks ideal for macerating fruits and spices in alcohol. Ingredients were pounded with a mortar and pestle to release aromas, and steeped in a cool pantry. A wooden paddle or large spoon would be used for daily stirring. After steeping, the mixture would be strained through linen or muslin cloth, sometimes doubled for a finer result, then transferred to glass bottles sealed with wax or cork.