To Drink Royal Strawberry Acid

royal strawberry acid

(from Miss Beecher's Domestic Receipt Book by Catharine Beecher, 1846)

Ingredients:

6 lbs. ripe strawberries​

2 oz. citric acid​

1 qt. spring water​

about 8 lbs. of sugar​

Instructions:

Take three pounds of ripe strawberries, two ounces of citric acid, and one quart of spring water. Dissolve the acid in the water and pour it on to the strawberries, and let them stand in a cool place twenty-four hours. Then drain the liquid off and pour it on to three pounds more of strawberries, and let it stand twenty-four hours. Then add to the liquid its own weight of sugar, boil it three or four minutes (in a porcelain lined preserve kettle, lest metal may affect the taste), and when cool, cork it in bottles lightly for three days, and then tight, and seal them. Keep it in a dry and cool place, where it will not freeze. It is very delicious for the sick, or the well.​

Photo by Sharon Mollerus [CC BY 2.0]​

With spring well on its way and summer coming, I was interested in finding some good recipes for cool drinks that are everyone-friendly. I liked this recipe and will probably give it a try as written before tweaking it, even though my wallet sobbed loudly at the mere thought of using six pounds of strawberries. It looks like citric acid is available from a few online shops, so it should be a fairly easy-to-make drink. Has anyone else tried this? Any suggestions would be great!

Enjoy!
Adam

https://archive.org/stream/missbeechersdome01beec#page/190/mode/2up

 

[amweiner]

Thought I would add this old Shaker Recipe for similar Strawberry Drink called "Strawberry Cup"

9 quarts strawberries
4 cups vinegar
1 cup sugar to each cup of juice

Wash, boil and crush the strawberries, Cover with vinegar and let stand four days. Strain through jelly bag and measure juice. Add sugar and boil gently for 5 minutes. Makes four quarts. Dilute with water and serve.

The Shakers always made large quantities as was for the whole community.

Thank you, @donna! The vinegar looks like an interesting addition - would this serve the same function as the citric acid? Have you tried this out?
Thanks!
Adam

 

[donna]

Had some like this. I think the vinegar would serve like the citric acid.

My Granny made this many years ago. She was born in Mercer County, Ky. The Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill was there. It is now an historic place to visit.

 

[amweiner]

Thank you! Going to give this a try.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Had some like this. I think the vinegar would serve like the citric acid.

My Granny made this many years ago. She was born in Mercer County, Ky. The Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill was there. It is now an historic place to visit.

I agree, the vinegar would act much they way citric acid would in breaking down the juices of the fruit and acting as a preservative after!

 

[JohnW.]

'Zackly what I had in mind! Safe concocting, my friend!
Mwah haah haaaaaah,
Adam

No promises. LOL

 

[JohnW.]

OK....I finally found a big container of citric acid and about 6 lbs. of strawberries.....I'm gonna try this bad boy over the weekend. If you don't hear from me again, it's been a slice

 

[donna]

Be waiting for your post.

 

[nitrofd]

Sounds like a fun weekend.