Cool Off This Summer with 19th Century Beverages

Since it's been so hot the past few weeks we thought you might want to cool off 19th century style with a few old fashioned thirst quenchers!


A COOLING CINNAMON WATER IN HOT WEATHER
Recipe By: The House Servant's Directory By Robert Roberts, 1827
Servings: 128

1 gallon water
12 whole cloves
2 ounces cinnamon sticks

Boil one gallon of water, pour it into a gallon demijohn, set this before the fire, then put into it twelve cloves, two ounces of whole cinnamon, then stop up your bottle and put it in a cool place; when you want to mix your liquor, put half a pint into two quarts of water, with one quarter of a pound of sugar; cool it in ice before you serve it, and it is a most wholesome and delicious drink as you can take in hot weather.

The above can be cut down as follows for modern-sized families:  ;-)

Amounts to use for making 1 quart of concentrate:
1 quart water
3 whole cloves
1/2 ounce cinnamon sticks

Follow above directions, except no fire is required.  Just boil your water and add the above ingredients.  Stop up the bottle and store it in a cool place.  You can dilute the whole quart of concentrate to serve  by adding 2 gallons cold water and 1 pound sugar according to the directions above, or follow the directions below to mix up just a quart at a time.

For 1 quart diluted:

Put 1/2 cup of cinnamon-clove water and a rounded 1/4 cup of sugar into 1 quart of water.  Chill on ice before serving.  Alternately, add spice water and sugar to 2 cups water, and add ice to make 1 quart.

NOTE: Each 1 cup of this concentrate makes 8, 1 cup servings diluted.

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Raspberry Shrub
Recipe By: The Frugal Housewife, by Lydia Maria Child, pub.  1830

"Raspberry shrub mixed with water is a pure delicious drink for summer; and good in a country where raspberries are abundant.   It is good economy to make it answer instead of Port and Catalonia wine.  Put raspberries in a pan and scarcely cover them with strong vinegar. Let sit to draw out the juice for 24-48 hours; strain. Add a pint of sugar to a pint of [strained] juice; (of this you can judge by first trying your pan to see how much it holds) scald it, skim it, and bottle it when cold."

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Sumac Lemonade; Indian or Pink Lemonade

8 clusters rosy-red sumac heads
2 quarts cold water
sugar to taste

To make one pitcher, use six to eight clusters of rosy-red sumac heads.  Empty the heads into a large container of water and mash them soundly with a beetle; or you may lightly bruise the seed heads and let them soak in the water, now and again gently stirring.  Strain the liquid through a muslin or several layers of cheesecloth, then add sugar to taste and you will end up with a drink that is very pleasant to the palate.

It is important to harvest the seed heads at the right time, just when the heads turn a nice rosy-red color.  Any darker and the results will be slightly bitter.  Always use cold water.  Hot water will leach out the tannin.  The natural tartness is partly sue to ascorbic acid, vitamin C.

NOTE: It is important to harvest the seed heads at the right time, just when the heads turn the rosy-red color.  Any darker and the results will be slightly bitter.  Always use cold water.  Hot water will leach out the tannin.  The natural tartness is due to ascorbic acid (vitamin C) in the berries.