Fruit-syrup - saft

1 kg (2 lbs) of berries, e.g. black or red currants, cherries, raspberries, strawberries, etc.
300 - 600 ml (1 - 2 cups) of water
300 - 600 ml (1 - 2 cups) of granulated sugar
5 grams of sodium benzoate to preserve the "saft"

1. Clean the berries. The pit can stay in cherries; black and red currants can remain as racemes.
2. Weight the berries and determine the water quantity. Black and red currants require the largest water quantity, strawberries, cherries, and raspberries require less water.
3. Boil the berries in the water under cover for 10 minutes. Squeeze them now and then with, e.g. a wooden spoon in order to make certain they are crushed.
4. Now comes the tricky part: You have to strain the "saft", using a straining-cloth. Do not apply pressure, but let gravity do the trick. This part of the preparation might take up to an hour.
5. Measure the quantity of "saft", bring it to the boil and add the sugar. If required, carefully skim off any scum.
6. Add the sodium benzoate if desired (first dissolve it in a small quantity of saft, then add the solution to the rest of the "saft").
7. Fill the "saft" into hot, clean bottles and seal the bottles immediately (e.g. using cork). Before serving, mix the fruit-syrup with water to desired strength.