No. 3798 — Gooseberry Juice Resembling Lemon Juice
English historical translation of Molokhovets recipe No. 3798 from the 1901 Russian cookbook, retaining original methods and measures.
Around June 15, gather green gooseberries, clean them, pound thoroughly in a wooden mortar and press out the juice.
Pour the juice into a large jar or carboy and add two or three seedless lemons cut into slices. Cover tightly with cloth and leave on a sunny windowsill or outdoors for 12–14 days.
Once settled, decant the clear upper juice, strain and bottle, adding one or two slices of lemon or some lemon zest to each bottle.
Cork, seal with resin and stand the bottles neck-down in dry sand. The author claims the juice keeps two or three years and grows more lemon-like with age.
It was used in jellies, sometimes diluted with water or additional lemon juice, or as an alternative to vinegar in dishes.