No. 1360 — Mixed Spiced Pickled Fruit Salad
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 1360 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Boil three Russian pounds of sugar with three glasses of good wine vinegar and let cool. Add one pound of light-coloured cherries, then transfer to an earthenware bowl.
After several days drain the liquid into a saucepan, add three zolotnik of cinnamon, sixty cloves and two bay leaves, boil and pour over the cherries.
When apricots are in season, drain the cherry syrup, put one pound of halved, stoned apricots into it cold, bring to the boil and pour hot over the cherries.
When later fruits become available, drain the syrup again and boil one pound of ripe greengage plums in it, then add to the mixture. The author suggests ½–1 bottle of light white Crimean wine if there is too little syrup.
Next take one pound of summer apples without peeling, quarter and core them. Add to the cold drained syrup, bring just to the boil and pour over all the fruit.
Then use pears, peeled and quartered, simmering them longer than apples before adding.
Finally prepare Hungarian plums in the same manner. Each seasonal addition becomes part of the mixed fruit preserve.