To Make Vinegar Of Gooseberrys
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720 approximately
Unknown Author
To Make Vinegar Of Gooseberrys
"To a quart of Water, take a quart of ripe gooseberrys, crush them very well, let it work three or four days, then run it thro' a sive, tun it into the barrel, & to every gallon of liquor, put a pound of course Sugar, & half a pound of Mallago raisons, put the Stopper of the barrel loose in, & it stand in a room where there is a fire. three quarters of a year, before you use it."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe was written in a straightforward, practical manner, using the informal and variable spelling common in the early 18th century ('sive' for sieve, 'Mallago' for Malaga). Quantities were based on volume rather than weight—'quarts' and 'gallons'—reflecting the domestic scale of production. Instructions were brief and assumed the cook’s familiarity with basic fermentation practices, leaving much detail implied. The long period before use (three-quarters of a year) was typical for home-fermented drinks and vinegars, ensuring mellow flavor development and preservation.
Title
Cookbook of 1720 approximately (1720)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1720
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful window into early 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary tome brims with recipes, culinary wisdom, and the flavors of a bygone era—offering food enthusiasts a taste of both tradition and intrigue.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe hails from early 18th-century England, around 1720—a time when households routinely fermented their own vinegars and wines for culinary use and preservation. Fruits like gooseberries, abundant in English gardens, provided a tart, aromatic base for homemade vinegars. Malaga raisins, imported from Spain, were a luxury but added depth and sweetness. Recipes like this reflect both ingenuity and the resourcefulness of the English kitchen, allowing cooks to extend the life and uses of seasonal fruit. Vinegars flavored with fruit were essential for both preserving and flavoring dishes throughout the year.
In the early 1700s, cooks used wooden or earthenware bowls, stone or wooden mashers for crushing the gooseberries, a coarse sieve or muslin cloth for straining, and well-scrubbed wooden barrels or stoneware crocks as fermentation vessels. The containers would be covered with cloth or waxed stoppers, left loose to allow gases to escape. The process relied on ambient warmth—often from a kitchen fireplace—to promote fermentation over many months.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Servings
15
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 quart ripe gooseberries (fresh or frozen)
- 1 quart water
- 9 ounces coarse (or granulated) sugar
- 4.5 ounces Malaga raisins (or substitute with regular dark raisins)
Instructions
- To make Gooseberry Vinegar, take 1 quart of water and 1 quart of ripe gooseberries (fresh or frozen can be used).
- Crush the gooseberries thoroughly with a muddler or potato masher in a large bowl.
- Cover loosely and leave to ferment at room temperature for 3-4 days, stirring daily.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve or muslin to remove solids.
- Transfer the strained liquid to a fermentation vessel (a clean demijohn or food-safe bucket).
- For every 4 quarts of liquid, mix in 2.2 pounds of coarse sugar (or granulated sugar) and 1.1 pounds of Malaga (Malvasia) raisins or regular dark raisins as a substitute.
- Loosely fit the fermentation vessel with an airlock or cover with a lid, securing it so gases can escape.
- Place in a warm room, ideally with steady warmth (around 68-75°F), for 9 months before bottling and using.
Estimated Calories
160 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing and crushing the gooseberries and mixing the ingredients takes about 15 minutes. There is no cooking required. Most of the time is hands-off fermentation, which takes several days to months. Each serving is about 100 ml, and the calories per serving come from the sugar and raisins.
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.
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