So Make Sweet Water

This recipe comes from Ann Goodenough, an Englishwoman living in the 18th century, between 1700–1775. During this period, 'sweet waters' were fashionable homemade cordials or aromatic drinks, often served to guests or used medicinally. At a time before commercial soft drinks or artificial flavors, such recipes enabled creative use of imported spices, essences, or fruit waters. This charmingly simple recipe reflects the rising interest in delicate flavors and the social practice of home entertaining or genteel refreshment. Essences like orange flower or rosewater were luxury imports, signaling wealth and sophistication. Recipes such as this one appear in family receipt (recipe) books, often passed down through generations.

The recipe would have been prepared using a simple kitchen spoon, finely milled sugar, and a 'bodkin'—a pointed, needle-like tool (traditionally used for sewing, but pressed into duty here for mixing). Stoneware or glass jugs would have held the sweet water, with mixing either done in a spoon or a small bowl before transferring to a larger container. No specialized equipment was needed beyond what any modest Georgian household would possess.