Sweet Water from the Crusades

http://www.ravensgard.org/gerekr/food.html

(Sikanjabin)

This syrup will bring a delicious flavor to that stale water you toted all
the way to the event and now smells a little like the plastic milk jug.
It may even hide the flavor of the water coming from the campground
tap.  Either way, its a great summer drink.  The syrup is so strong,
(how strong is it), all I do is dip my spoon into it before stirring 
a glass of water.  The recipe is from The Compleat Anachronist Vol 79, 
From The Kitchens of Castle Gillywick - Willihilda the Kitchen Wench.


Ingredients:
                2 1/2 cups water
                    4 cups sugar
                    1 cup wine vinegar

Dissolve the sugar in the water and bring to a boil.
Add wine vinegar and boil half an hour.
Remove from heat and add a handful of mint leaves, or to taste.
Let the syrup cool.

To serve, dilute the syrup with between five to ten parts of water,
depending on how strong and sweet you like it.  The resulting
drink will be between a pale red and a deep burgundy in color.
The syrup can be stored without refrigeration indefinitely.