Recipe book [manuscript], 18th c.

England, 18th c.

1 item ; 19.5 x 16 cm

This is a PRELIMINARY RECORD. It may contain incorrect information. The "FAST ACC" number is a temporary call number. Please email catalog@folger.edu for assistance.

4 loose items at end (recipes).

Great Britain -- England.

FAST ACC 272589

From dealer's description: "Soused Eels, Cowslip Wine, & Snail Water RECIPES. COOKBOOKS. MEDICINE. HERBAL REMEDIES. Manuscript recipe book in English, 18th c. England: begun after 1704 {dollar}8,500 Quarto: 19.5 x 16 cm. 58 lvs. with text (additional blank lvs. at end.) 4 additional lvs. loosely inserted. Bound in contemporary blind-ruled parchment, soiled, small hole on upper board and spine; small defect at head of spine. Manuscript on paper. The text is in very good condition with just a small portion torn away from upper corner of first leaf (affecting only 2 letters, no loss of sense) and occasional blemishes. The paper (watermark Arms of Amsterdam with crown, lions rampant) is probably that used in a manuscript in the Folger (Phillipps MS 22288, date of use November 1703/4), but there is a discrepancy of a few millimeters between the measurements given in the Folger record (see foot of this description for URL) and the watermark in the recipe book. This manuscript includes 99 culinary recipes and medicinal preparations, the vast majority in the same early 18th c. hand. Among them are instructions for preserving raspberries and apricots; pickling cucumbers, mushrooms, walnuts, prickly pears, and French beans; making various puddings, the obligatory calf's head hash, jelly of calves' feet, stewed pigeons, fricassee of rabbit, and desserts: orange marmalade, almond cheesecake, and numerous cakes and gingerbread. There are a great number of recipes for libations, many of them alcoholic, some of which are medicinal (vide infra). These include various wines (cowslip, gooseberry, quince, orange, sage etc.), mead, apricot ratafia, almond caudle (mixed with bread and served hot), and "Usque-bath", also known as Irish Aqua Vitae (recipe below). Medicinal remedies include "Plague Water" (an alleged preventative), three "Waters good for Consumption", an extract of wormwood ("good for an ill stomach, or the Mother or Collick or Worms"), snail water (for consumption and coughs), brandy with gentian root ("For the Stomach"), "Jaundice Powder", artificial asses' milk made from spring water, eight contused snails, hartshorn-shavings, pearlbarley, and candied eryngo-root (used in the 18th c. for a wide variety of ailments), tincture of rhubarb (a laxative), and a lip salve that calls for spermaceti." Ordered from Liber Antiquus, D9609, 2022-09-06 email quote. Purchase made possible by [funding info goes here].

272589