Raspberry vinegar

Raspberry vinegar is a drink made from raspberry juice, vinegar and sugar. It can be used as with any concentrated squash and simply diluted with water.

History
Raspberry vinegar has been recorded as a beverage used for hundreds of years, dating back to the middle of the seventeenth century and prior - with texts written by the scholar Franciscus Junius referencing the drink in the late 1500s.

The beverage was initially known as fruit vinegar, a concoction whereby raspberry, vinegar and sugar were mixed together to create a type of syrup. By the mid-1800s this same fruit vinegar was being referred to by a second name, notably, Raspberry Shrub, which was a blended drink made from fruit juice, sugar, and a spirit such as brandy or rum.

The sweetened raspberry syrup is said to have entered the beverage world through pharmacists and chemists, primarily through its use within the apothecary. The mixture has been recorded as a tincture for use in natural remedies treating coughs, colds, and asthma, though in modern culture, Raspberry vinegar is mostly used as a condiment, or a pleasant drink.

Making process
It is made by filling jars with raspberries, adding vinegar and leaving them to stand for 8–10 days then pouring off all the liquid. This process is sometimes repeated several times with fresh fruit each time. Finally, the liquid is boiled for 5 minutes with an equal weight of refined sugar.