No. 3424 — Vishnyak: Cherry-and-Honey Fermented Drink
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 3424 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
The source describes this drink as tasty and healthful by the standards of the time. Select a sound barrel reinforced with four iron hoops and clean, fully ripe cherries without stems or leaves.
Fill the barrel almost completely with cherries, leaving only about 1–1½ vershoks of space at the top.
Pour in raw clean honey from the hive, free of added flour and wax. The author prefers pale rather than reddish honey. Add it slowly until it covers all the cherries and fills the spaces between them.
Stop when the honey reaches the top layer of cherries. The original directs sealing the barrel tightly with resin and rope so that outside air cannot enter.
Store in a cold cellar, though not directly on ice, or in earth or sand in the cellar for three months. The source observes that fermentation occurs and that a weak barrel without iron hoops can burst.
After three months, the historic method strains the drink through linen into bottles, then corks and seals them. The author claims it may keep for years.
For a three-vedro barrel the source estimates about two vedros cherries and one vedro honey.