The 1901 Cookbook Archive
No. 3467 — Peach-Stone Ratafia
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 3467 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
The historical recipe calls for pounded peach stones filling half a shtof, topped up with the finest old French vodka and kept in sunshine or on a warm stove bench for four or five weeks.
The infusion was decanted and sweetened with 1 pound sugar per bottle. A milder version used a thick sugar syrup prepared with a glass of boiling water.
The source describes filtering through close-woven linen. A later editorial note explains that ratafia is a variety of fruit-flavoured liqueur made with vodka or spirit and sugar.
Historical editorial note: Crushed peach pits can release cyanogenic compounds, potentially causing serious poisoning. This historical formula is unsafe to reproduce literally.
Original source: Read Russian recipe No. 3467. Historical quantities and terminology are retained. See the measurements guide. Period preparation and storage methods are not modern safety guidance.