To Pickle Colly Flowers
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1725
Unknown Author
To Pickle Colly Flowers
"Take the largest & whitest Colly flowers, & break them in Pieces & put them into Spring Water, & let them lye. for an Hour or two, then boil Salt Water. tile It wile bear an Egg. Then put your Colly flowers into a String, so pour on your Brine, & let It scald a Night or a Day, then take them out & let them stand to drain. Then take white Wine Vinegar & put them in with some Mace, whole Pepper, Cloves & Nutmeg."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is presented in continuous prose, without exacting measurements or clear separation of steps, typical of early 18th-century cookery writing. Instruction is woven through narrative, assuming practical kitchen know-how from the reader. Spelling is variable—'Colly flowers' for cauliflower, 'Scald a Night or a Day' meaning let sit in hot liquid overnight, and 'tile it will bear an egg' signifying a salt solution dense enough to buoy an egg. Such recipes were meant as prompts for experienced cooks, not precise formulas.
Title
Cookbook of 1725 (1725)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1725
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful window into 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary volume whisks readers away with its charming recipes and savory secrets from a bygone era.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe hails from early 18th-century England, around 1725, at a time when pickling was both a practical preservation method and a mark of sophistication in well-appointed households. Pickled 'colly flowers'—which we now spell 'cauliflower'—would grace tables as a tart, spiced accompaniment to roasts and cold meats, showcasing both culinary skill and access to imported spices and vinegar. The brining method, along with the use of aromatic spices such as mace, cloves, and nutmeg, reflects the English taste for bold, perfumed pickles in this period, at a time when international trade routes made such flavors possible for the upper middle classes.
Cooks in 1725 would have used ceramic or wooden bowls for soaking and brining, a large pot for boiling the brine, and linen or string for securing the cauliflower. The brined and drained florets would be packed into stoneware jars or glass bottles, then topped with vinegar and spices. All work was done by hand, and preservation relied on a cool larder or cellar. The 'egg test' for salinity is a charming period method that required only an egg and keen observation skills, no scale necessary.
Prep Time
25 mins
Cook Time
0 mins
Servings
8
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 large cauliflowers (about 2.2 lbs), broken into florets
- 1 quart cold filtered or spring water (for soaking)
- 5 1/3 oz salt (for brine)
- 1 quart water (for brine)
- 2 cups white wine vinegar (or enough to cover)
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 3-4 blades of mace
- 5-6 whole cloves
- A few slices of nutmeg
Instructions
- Begin by selecting 2 large, white cauliflowers (about 2.2 lbs total), break them into florets, and place them in a bowl of cold spring or filtered water for 1–2 hours to soak.
- In the meantime, prepare a brine by dissolving approximately 5 1/3 oz of salt in 1 quart of water—the brine is ready when a raw egg floats (the 'bears an egg' test).
- Remove the cauliflowers from the water and thread them onto string, or simply place them in a heatproof bowl.
- Pour the hot brine over the cauliflower and allow them to steep for 12–24 hours.
- Afterwards, remove and drain the florets thoroughly.
- Pack them into sterilized jars and cover with enough white wine vinegar to submerge.
- Add in spices: about 1 teaspoon of whole black peppercorns, 3-4 blades of mace, 5-6 whole cloves, and a few slices of nutmeg.
- Seal and store in a cool, dry place.
Estimated Calories
50 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You’ll need about 15 minutes to break up the cauliflower, soak it, and prepare the brine. The brine is poured over the cauliflower and left to steep for 12–24 hours, but this isn’t active work. After draining, you’ll spend around 10 minutes packing the jars and adding vinegar and spices. The recipe will yield about 8 servings, with about 50 calories in each serving because most is just cauliflower and vinegar.
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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