RICH RASPBERRY WINE OR BRANDY

Ripe raspberries
1 lb. white sugar
2 qts. sherry OR 1 qt. Cognac brandy

Bruise the finest ripe raspberries with the back of a spoon; strain them through a flannel bag into a stone jar, allowing a pound of fine powdered loaf sugar to each quart of juice; stir it well together, and cover it down; let it stand for three days, stirring it up each day; pour off the clear, and put two quarts of sherry, or one of Cognac brandy, to each quart of juice; bottle it off; it will be fit for the glass in a fortnight [two weeks].

The Cook's Oracle by William Kitchiner, MD, New York, 1829

Comment: This is not really so much a recipe for "how to make raspberry wine or brandy" (sorry Dr. Kitchiner) as it is for "how to add raspberry flavoring to wine or brandy you already have on hand." We confess we have never actually tried this recipe, due to a shortage of affordable raspberries in the quantity needed, so we are not exactly sure what Dr. K. means about that "pour off the clear" instruction. It does suggest that a glass or clear plastic bottle might be the preferred vessel to use during the berry-juice-ripening part of the process. With this one will be able to see where the clear part ceases and the juice part commences, so as to avoid wasting any of the latter.

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