To preserve lingonberries and cranberries for a long time, these berries need to be soaked.
When soaking lingonberries, select large red berries, remove the stems, leaves, and other impurities. It is very convenient to sort the berries on a sloped table. After washing and tightly packing them into jars, bottles, or barrels, pour a sugar solution over the berries (0.5 cup per 1 liter of water). For 10 kg of lingonberries, use 4-5 liters of water and 400-500 grams of sugar. If possible, sugar can be well replaced with honey.
When soaking lingonberries, you can add cinnamon, cloves, and halved apples. Spices are added to taste. The berries are left at room temperature for 2-3 days. Then they are taken to a cellar or icehouse. Lingonberries contain benzoic acid, which protects them from harmful microorganisms. The action of benzoic acid is so strong that lingonberries can be stored simply by pouring boiled and cooled water over them.
When soaking cranberries, their preserving properties are also utilized. The berries are sorted, washed, and poured with the following solution: for 10 liters of boiled water, add 3 tablespoons of salt and 1.5 cups of sugar.
