Fruit Vinegars

Ingredients

• acid fruit
• cold water
• 2 1/2 pounds sugar
• 1 quart cider vinegar
• spices

Instructions

1. Any sort of acid fruit — as strawberries, raspberries, gooseberries, currants, black or red — affords a refreshing drink.
2. Pick, wash, put over the fire to scald. When it has boiled a minute or two, add half as much cold water as fruit, and bring again to a boil.
3. Skim clean, take from fire and let stand till next day.
4. Strain, then measure juice, add two to three pounds sugar to the gallon, according to tartness desired.
5. Put over the fire, and simmer for twenty minutes, skimming clean. Boil in it spices most liked, tied up in thin muslin.
6. If it seems watery, boil another twenty minutes till the syrup shows rather rich.
7. Then add, after taking from the fire, a quart of cider vinegar for each gallon of syrup, mix well, bottle while still hot in small bottles, cork and seal.
8. To serve: mix half and half with ice water, or pour over finely broken ice, or use as a flavoring to tea, hot or cold. Use in tea a spoonful to the cup or glass.