Cherry Catsup (1877)

From Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping (1877)
Recipe contributed by Miss M. Louise Southwick

Ingredients

• 1 pint cherry juice (2 cups)
• ½ to ¾ pound sugar (about 1 to 1½ cups granulated)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• Very small pinch cayenne pepper

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, combine cherry juice and sugar.
2. Add cloves, cinnamon, and a tiny pinch of cayenne.
3. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer.
4. Cook until the mixture thickens into a syrup, stirring occasionally.
5. Bottle while hot in sterilized jars.

Notes

This spiced cherry syrup was traditionally used as a savory-sweet condiment for roast meats and wild game. Its flavor is deep, aromatic, and slightly bold — a forgotten gem of Victorian kitchens.

Source

Originally published in Buckeye Cookery and Practical Housekeeping, 1877, page 108.
Public domain recipe contributed by Miss M. Louise Southwick.