Recipe Manuscript

To Make Gallintine

Name: To Make Gallintine
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 150g white bread crusts (day-old or lightly toasted); 120ml red wine vinegar; 60ml red wine (or verjuice as a historic substitute); 30g granulated sugar; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground ginger

1650

From the treasured pages of Certain profitable and well experienced collections for making conserve of fruits

Written by Nicholas Webster

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Beginner Other

Original Recipe • 1650

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make Gallintine

"Take crusts of white bread and steepe them in vineger and putto it a little wine then straine it and putto it suger, synamon and ginger, lett it boyle on a chafingdish and serve it."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe displays the concise, action-based style common to the 17th century: instructions are brief, relying on the cook's experience to fill in gaps. Spellings reflect period conventions—'steepe' for soak, 'vineger' for vinegar, and 'putto' for put to. Standardization of spelling, measurements, and punctuation was not yet universal, and quantities are typically absent or implied by context and custom. Such recipes were more aids to memory than prescriptive instructions. The language, though archaic, is lively and evocative of its era.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Certain profitable and well experienced collections for making conserve of fruits - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Certain profitable and well experienced collections for making conserve of fruits (1650)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Nicholas Webster

Era

1650

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back to the bustling kitchens of mid-17th century England with this flavorful collection by Nicholas Webster. Savory secrets, age-old recipes, and period culinary wisdom await in this masterfully penned volume—a true feast for culinary history enthusiasts.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

Gallintine hails from mid-17th century England, an era when sauces were often thickened with bread and flavored with the vibrant spices popularized by global trade. This recipe reflects both medieval culinary traditions—using bread as a thickener—and early modern preferences for sweet-and-sour flavors. Originally, Gallintine would have been served alongside poultry or other roasted meats, offering a tangy, spiced counterpoint to rich fare. The inclusion of wine and vinegar reveals both the enduring influence of medieval European cuisines and the increasing accessibility of exotic spices like cinnamon and ginger in 1650s England.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In its time, Gallintine would have been made on a chafing dish (a portable brazier or small stove), allowing for gentle simmering away from a main hearth. Bread would be steeped in a wide basin or bowl, then strained using a cloth or fine sieve—pressing through with a wooden spoon. Spices would usually be ground by hand, and all mixing done with wooden spoons. Sauces like this may also have been finished in serving dishes kept warm over embers for table-side service.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Servings

We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!

Ingredients

5.3 oz white bread crusts (day-old or lightly toasted)
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
1/4 cup red wine (or verjuice as a historic substitute)
1 oz granulated sugar
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger

Instructions

To make Gallintine, begin by taking about 5.3 ounces of crusts from a rustic white bread and soak them thoroughly in 1/2 cup of red wine vinegar.
Add 1/4 cup of red wine to the soaked bread.
Once the bread is well softened, press and strain the mixture through a fine sieve or cheesecloth to produce a smooth base.
Place the strained mixture in a small saucepan, then stir in 1 ounce of sugar, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground ginger.
Allow this to gently simmer over low heat until the sauce thickens slightly and is aromatic.
Serve warm, perhaps as an accompaniment to roast meats or poultry.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 10 minutes to prepare the bread and soak it, and another 15 minutes to simmer the sauce. This recipe makes about 4 servings, and each serving is about 120 calories.

As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.

We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.