Recipe Manuscript

To Make Red Cherry Wine

Name: To Make Red Cherry Wine
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT0M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: Ripe cherries (about 1 kg yields ~0.75 liters juice); Sugar, 375–400 grams per liter of cherry juice

1712

From the treasured pages of Cookery and medicinal recipes by Kendall Rose and Anne Cater

Written by Rose Kendall, Anne Cater, Elizabeth Clarke, Anna Maria Bold

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Beginner Intermediate Drink

Original Recipe • 1712

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make Red Cherry Wine

"Take the cherries when they are full ripe & pull off all the stalkes then bruak thom & straine the Juice from thom in a Cloath. & to Evory Gallond of Juice put in a pound & a halfo of Sugar, then Turn it up in a Vofsoll & lett it stand a quarter of a yeare, before you bottle it out. If you Make a quantity it will be the better & you May lett it stand longer. before you bottle It the Sugar neds not be Very white."

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe is written in early modern English, with variable spelling and playful 17th-century phrasing—'bruak thom' (break them), 'straine the Juice', 'Turn it up in a Vofsoll' (vessel). Instructions are direct, relying on the cook’s familiarity with basic processes—fermentation was common knowledge. Quantities were based on what was locally available or required; precise measurements as we know today were rare. The text assumes sugar need not be refined, reflecting the use of less processed, coarser sugars of the day.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookery and medicinal recipes by Kendall Rose and Anne Cater - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookery and medicinal recipes by Kendall Rose and Anne Cater (1712)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Rose Kendall, Anne Cater, Elizabeth Clarke, Anna Maria Bold

Era

1712

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the inviting kitchens of the past with this enchanting collection of culinary wisdom from England's early modern era. Crafted by a talented array of women, this book promises savory pies, sweet confections, and secret family recipes—an aromatic tour through centuries-old feasts sure to delight the curious palate.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from an English household manuscript spanning the late 17th to mid-18th century, a period marked by home brewing and preservation arts. Such cherry wines were prized homemade drinks before industrial wines and spirits dominated. Wine made from fruit was both a culinary delight and a clever way to preserve the bounty of summer long after the cherries were gone from the tree. The recipe’s source is a collection by women—Rose Kendall, Anne Cater, Elizabeth Clarke, and Anna Maria Bold—preserving the culinary wisdom of their families.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Traditionally, the cook would have used a large wooden or stoneware bowl to crush the cherries, a coarse cloth (like muslin or linen) for straining the juice, a strong wooden spoon or pestle for mashing, and a large stoneware or glass vessel (often called a 'vessel' or 'cask') for fermenting the wine. Bottling required heavy glass bottles sealed with cork or wax.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

0 mins

Servings

Ingredients

Ripe cherries (about 2.2 pounds yields ~1.5 pints juice)
Sugar, 6–6.5 ounces per quart of cherry juice

Instructions

Begin by selecting ripe, sweet cherries—preferably sour varieties like Morello or Montmorency for authentic flavor.
Remove all stems.
Crush the cherries thoroughly, then strain the juice through a clean cloth or fine sieve, discarding the solids.
For every quart of cherry juice, mix in 6 to 6.5 ounces of sugar (the quantity is 1.5 pounds per imperial gallon, so adjust for exact volume).
Stir well to dissolve.
Transfer the mixture to a sanitized fermenting vessel, cover, and let it stand in a cool, dark place for about 3 months (a quarter of a year).
If making a larger batch, it is even better to let it age before bottling.
Before bottling, skim off any sediments and ensure the sugar is fully integrated—the sugar does not need to be of the highest purity.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You need about 10 minutes to prepare the cherries and mix with sugar. There is no actual cooking. The recipe yields around 7 to 8 small servings (about 100 ml each). The calories come mostly from the sugar and the natural sugars in the cherries.