Recipe Manuscript

To Pickle Mushrooms

Name: To Pickle Mushrooms
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500 g small button mushrooms; Water, as needed; 150 ml whole milk; 1-2 tsp fine sea salt; 500 ml white wine vinegar (or distilled white vinegar); 3-4 whole cloves; 1-2 blades mace (or 1/2 tsp ground mace as substitute); 1 small piece of fresh ginger (about 2 cm, sliced); 1-2 tbsp mild oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil)

1709

From the treasured pages of Cook-book of Margaret Turner

Written by Margaret Eyre

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1709

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

To Pickle Mushrooms

"Take litle Butter.n mushroms are best with a peace of clean flanell rub of ye out skin then through them into water after they have layd halfe an hower shift ym & so often till they doe not coller the water then put them in freswater & milk boyle them a quarter of an hower, & then train them from the water lay them on a clean cloth, & strow salt over amongst them when they are cold put them in a pickle made with viniger boyled with spice as mace cloves & ginger, when cold put them in be a litle oyle a top"

Note on the Original Text

Early modern English recipes rely on brief, almost shorthand-like instructions, assuming the reader's practical kitchen knowledge. Words like 'boyle' (boil), 'flanell' (flannel), and 'train' (drain) reflect 18th-century spelling and terminology, while the lack of precise measures or times expected the skilled housewife to use intuition. Punctuation is sparse, and sentences are long and flowing, much like the oral traditional of passing down cooking wisdom.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cook-book of Margaret Turner - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cook-book of Margaret Turner (1709)

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

Writer

Margaret Eyre

Era

1709

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the refined world of early 18th-century cookery with Margaret Eyre, where recipes are whispered secrets and culinary wonders await. From hearty roasts to delicate sweets, this charming tome serves up inspiration fit for the tables of historic England.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from Margaret Eyre's manuscript, dated circa 1709—a time when preserving food was essential, and recipes were frequently handwritten for household, not professional, use. Pickling mushrooms ensured they could be enjoyed out of season and spiced vinegars helped mask any mustiness from mushrooms, while the use of milk in boiling was thought to sweeten and whiten the fungi. Early 18th-century households prized such pickles for their flavor and as signs of domestic accomplishment. The recipe reflects a period just before the Industrial Revolution, with women of means carefully directing the preservation of garden produce.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, the cook used a piece of clean flannel to clean mushrooms, earthenware bowls for soaking, and an iron or copper pot for boiling. Mushrooms were drained on linen or a cloth, while the vinegar would have been boiled with spices in a small pan over a fire. Pickling was done in glazed ceramic or glass jars, and oil was sometimes poured from a small jug. No thermometers or standardized measurements—just practiced hands and sharp eyes.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 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

1 lb small button mushrooms
Water, as needed
2/3 cup whole milk
1/2–1 tsp fine sea salt
2 cups white wine vinegar (or distilled white vinegar)
3-4 whole cloves
1-2 blades mace (or 1/2 tsp ground mace as substitute)
1 small piece of fresh ginger (about 3/4 inch, sliced)
1-2 tbsp mild oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil)

Instructions

Begin with small button mushrooms, about 1 pound.
Using a clean cloth (flannel if you wish to feel authentic), gently rub off the outer skin from each mushroom.
Place the cleaned mushrooms into a bowl of water and let them soak for 30 minutes.
Change the water several times until the water remains clear, indicating all grit has been removed.
Fill a saucepan with fresh water and enough milk—about 1 1/4 cups water to 2/3 cup milk—to cover the mushrooms, and boil them gently for about 15 minutes.
Drain the mushrooms, spread them out on a clean towel, and sprinkle them lightly with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of salt.
Allow them to cool.
Meanwhile, make a pickling liquid: combine 2 cups white wine vinegar with a few whole cloves, several pieces of mace, and a small thumb of fresh ginger, sliced.
Bring this mixture to a boil, then let it cool completely.
Place the cooled mushrooms into sterilized jars, pour the cooled spiced vinegar over to cover, and finish with a thin layer of mild oil (such as sunflower oil) atop the vinegar to help preserve.
Seal tightly.
These pickled mushrooms are ready after a few days and should be refrigerated for modern food safety.

Estimated Calories

30 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about half an hour to prepare the mushrooms by cleaning, soaking, then draining them. Cooking the mushrooms takes about 15 minutes. Total prep and cook time is around 45 minutes. This recipe makes about 6 servings. Each serving has around 30 calories, as mushrooms and vinegar are both very low in 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.