No. 3764 — Excellent Cherry Salad Preserve
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 3764 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Select sound firm ripe cherries. Put bruised and overripe cherries separately into a glazed pot, cover with cloth and dough and bake in the residual heat of a bread oven, possibly until evening.
Drain the baked fruit completely through a sieve, measure the juice and add 1 glass sugar per glass juice. Bring to the boil five or six times and cool.
Pack the selected cherries in bottles, pour over the syrup, cork and seal with resin. The original stores the bottles on their sides on ice, and after frosts in dry cellar sand.
Optionally flavour the syrup with cinnamon and cloves, zest from half a lemon per bottle, or three to five crushed cherry stones.