Cherry Drink

A cold-steeped cherry infusion, scaled for a single glass. The only decision that matters is the flavouring: take the lemon rind and leave the kernels alone.

• Skip the kernelsCherry stones contain amygdalin, which releases hydrogen cyanide when the kernel is crushed and left in contact with water — exactly what a four-hour steep achieves. The quantity here is small and the Victorian kitchen used kernels freely for their almond flavour, but there is no reason to court it. Use the thin lemon rind, or a drop of almond extract if you want that note.
• Quantities in modern termsHalf a pound of cherries is about 225 g, roughly 1½ cups once stoned. A pint is 20 fl oz Imperial, so use 2½ US cups of boiling water. Two ounces of sugar is about ¼ cup.
• Loaf sugarLoaf sugar was refined sugar sold in a hard cone and broken or grated as needed; "sifted" means crushed fine. Ordinary caster or granulated sugar is the direct substitute; caster dissolves more readily, since by this stage the strained liquid is cold.
• Steep cold, not on the counterFour or five hours at room temperature in summer is how the original intends it, but a sweet fruit infusion left warm will start to ferment and pick up whatever is in the air. Pour on the boiling water, let it cool for half an hour, then refrigerate for the rest of the steep.
• Bruise, do not puréeCrush the stoned fruit with the back of a spoon or a pestle so the flesh opens up. A blender emulsifies the pulp and gives a cloudy drink that will not strain clear; a fine sieve lined with muslin does the rest.
• Yield and serving"Sufficient for one person" covers about a pint of finished liquid — a large tumbler — served cold. It scales linearly: quadruple everything for a jug of four.
• The brandy is optionalA dessert-spoonful is about two teaspoons. The recipe adds it after straining and sweetening.
• CostThe 3d. is pre-decimal pence. The book gives a probable cost for its entries throughout, a reminder that it was written for households costing every dish.