Recipe Manuscript

To Preserve Walnuts

Name: To Preserve Walnuts
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 30
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 kg young green walnuts (harvested before shells harden); 1.25 kg white granulated sugar (to substitute 'double refined sugar'); Water (enough to cover walnuts; for syrup, just enough to dissolve sugar); A few drops ambergris tincture (or substitute with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract); 100 g candied citron, cut into thin slivers

1709

From the treasured pages of Cook-book of Margaret Turner

Written by Margaret Eyre

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert 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 Preserve Walnuts

"Take yr walnuts before ye shells be hard, but a pin will goe through them, pare them tell you com to the whit as you par them put them into watter byling then set them on the fire to boyle tell thay be tenderish then make a surrup of duble refined shuger & put them in & boyle them a litle, then set them by for a day or 2 then set them on yr fire & boyle them, tell yr sowernes be out of them you may if you pleas put a drop or 2 of tintur of amber greace & through every wallnut with a bodking draw a litle bit of candied sittron, one pound of walnuts to a pound & a quarter of shuger"

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe uses a flowing, conversational style—typical of early modern manuscripts—with minimal punctuation and inconsistent spelling ('boyle tell thay be tenderish'). Quantities are often proportional and approximate, suited to cooks experienced at judging by eye and taste rather than exact measures. Words like 'pare' mean to peel, and 'surrup' is syrup. The recipe places trust in the cook’s own knowledge for such tasks as boiling 'tell your sowernes be out of them', leaving timing to taste and experience.

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 the early 18th-century recipe collection of Margaret Eyre, dating to around 1709. The practice of preserving green walnuts was popular in both English and continental kitchens. Such preserves were considered luxurious, as walnuts and refined sugar were both costly and signified a household with means. Ambergris, a rare and aromatic substance derived from sperm whales, was a prized and fashionable flavoring in high-status kitchens, though today it's often replaced with vanilla or citrus notes for similar aromatic floral complexity.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historical cooks would have used a brass or copper preserving pan over an open fire or hearth for boiling. A sharp small knife and bodkin (a pointed skewer or needle) would be employed to peel and pierce the walnuts, and to thread the citron. Fine sieves and porcelain or earthenware bowls were used for holding and cooling the fruit, and glass jars or stoneware pots for final storage of the preserve.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

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

2.2 lbs young green walnuts (harvested before shells harden)
2.75 lbs white granulated sugar (to substitute 'double refined sugar')
Water (enough to cover walnuts; for syrup, just enough to dissolve sugar)
A few drops ambergris tincture (or substitute with 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
3.5 oz candied citron, cut into thin slivers

Instructions

Begin by selecting young, green walnuts, picking them while the shells are still soft enough to easily pierce with a needle.
Peel off the outer skins gently until you reach the pale flesh beneath.
As you prepare each walnut, place them into boiling water to prevent discoloration.
Once all are prepared, simmer the walnuts until they are just tender.
Meanwhile, prepare a sugar syrup using 2.75 lbs of double refined sugar for every 2.2 lbs of walnuts.
Add enough water to just cover the sugar and heat until dissolved.
Add the drained, boiled walnuts and bring briefly to a simmer.
Remove from heat and let the walnuts sit in the syrup for a day or two.
After this resting period, bring the walnuts and syrup back to a gentle boil and cook until the 'sourness' or vegetal sharpness of the walnuts has dissipated.
If you wish, add a drop or two of ambergris tincture (or, as a modern substitute, use vanilla extract for aroma).
For an elegant finishing touch, thread a sliver of candied citron through each walnut.
Store the preserved walnuts in sterilized jars.

Estimated Calories

100 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Peeling and preparing the walnuts takes time, as does both rounds of simmering and multiple resting periods. You’ll spend about 45 minutes preparing the walnuts, about 1 hour in total for cooking and simmering, and an additional 24 hours resting in syrup. Each walnut is sweet and rich due to the sugar, so the calorie estimate is for a single walnut. This recipe makes around 30 preserved walnuts.

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.