Recipe Manuscript

Cinamom-Water In A Dry Stellator

Name: Cinamom-Water In A Dry Stellator
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 25
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 450 grams cinnamon sticks, roughly crushed; 2 liters brandy; 1.35 kilograms granulated sugar; 1.65 liters spring or filtered water

1670

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Drink

Original Recipe • 1670

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Cinamom-Water In A Dry Stellator

"Take a pound of Cinamom woll beaton, then take four pynts of brandie, and infuse the Cinamom two dayes beside a fire, & mongst halfe the brandie, then mix it with the other two pynts, and put all into the Still. Then after it is Distill'd, take three pound of sugar to three shapins of spring water, make this in a syrup, till it boyle into a pynt, Let this syrup Stand till it be halfe cold, then put it amongst the Cinamom- water, Stir all about, & put it in bottles, and Sot it in the Sun till it Settle woll, & have a ground, then pour it off in clean bottles."

Note on the Original Text

Seventeenth-century recipes like this favor brevity and assume familiarity with kitchen chemistry and processes such as infusing (maceration), distilling, and clarifying ('settling'). Spelling was unconstrained—'Cinamom' for 'cinnamon,' 'pynt' for 'pint,' and verbs like 'boyle' or 'beaton' reflect phonetic usage common at the time. Quantities were given in pounds and pints ('shapins'), which the modern cook must carefully translate. Directions often leave timing and temperatures to the reader's judgment, reflecting the experiential, apprentice-based knowledge of cooks in early modern households.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1670)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1670

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful voyage through 17th-century kitchens, this manuscript tempts the senses with timeless recipes, forgotten flavors, and the intrigue of historical culinary craft. Savory secrets and sweet indulgences await within its well-worn pages.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from England in the latter half of the 17th century (circa 1660s–1680s), a time when the English gentry delighted in alcoholic cordials and flavored waters known as 'waters.' Cinnamon was a prized spice, imported at great cost, and such recipes hovered between medicine and luxury drinks. The technique also reflects burgeoning scientific interest in distillation and the preservation of exotic flavors for both health and pleasure.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the original kitchen, cooks would have used a 'dry stellator,' or dry still—an alembic or glass/metal pot still without additional water in the base, heated over coals. They’d use ceramic or glass jugs for maceration, copper or pewter pans for syrup-making, and glass bottles sealed with corks or wax for storage. Sunlight played a practical role in settling and clarifying the mixture.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

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) cinnamon sticks, roughly crushed
2 quarts (about 68 fluid ounces) brandy
3 pounds granulated sugar
7 cups (1.75 quarts) spring or filtered water

Instructions

To make cinnamon-water using modern kitchen tools and ingredients, start by coarsely crushing 1 pound (16 ounces) of cinnamon sticks.
Place half of the cinnamon (8 ounces) in a clean jar with 1 quart (about 34 fluid ounces) of brandy, and leave it near a warm spot (such as atop the fridge or in a very slightly warmed oven, turned off) to infuse for 2 days.
After 2 days, mix in the rest of the brandy with the cinnamon mixture, combine both portions together.
Pour the resulting mixture into a distillation apparatus, such as a modern rotary evaporator or a home distilling kit, and gently distill.
Collect the distilled cinnamon-infused spirit.
Meanwhile, dissolve 3 pounds of sugar in 7 cups (1.75 quarts) water (spring or filtered), heat and simmer gently until the mixture reduces to about 2.4 cups (a thick syrup).
Let the syrup cool until only warm, then mix it into the distilled cinnamon-water.
Stir thoroughly, pour into bottles, and place in a sunny window for several hours to help settle any sediment.
Once settled, decant or filter the clear liquid into clean bottles, discarding the sediment.

Estimated Calories

170 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and infusing the cinnamon with brandy takes about 2 days. Cooking time includes making and reducing the sugar syrup. Prep time covers crushing cinnamon, assembling the ingredients, and setting up your distillation equipment. One serving is about 45 ml (a shot), and calories are based mostly on the sugar syrup.

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.