Recipe Manuscript

To Pickle Sparlings

Name: To Pickle Sparlings
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT2M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500g fresh small fish (whitebait or smelt, as a substitute for 'sparlings'); Several sprigs fresh fennel; 2 liters water or 1 liter white wine vinegar; 50g salt; 1 bay leaf; 1 tsp black peppercorns

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Beginner Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1720

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

To Pickle Sparlings

"Take your sparlings or gut them & take ye bellys out or wash them clean then put some fennell in ye bellys or turn their tails to their mouths or make them fast then take 2 quarts of water or one of vinnigar with some spice or a handfull of salt let it boil very well, then put in your sparlings or let them just boil take them out than they are could then put them to your pickle again till you use them"

Note on the Original Text

The language of this recipe is concise and assumes a great deal of kitchen know-how. Quantities are given by 'quarts' and 'handfulls,' and instructions are more suggestive than prescriptive—typical for the era when recipes were shared among accomplished cooks rather than absolute beginners. Spellings (like 'vinnigar' for vinegar and 'could' for cold) reflect the lack of standardization in early 18th-century English. Details like boiling 'just' and putting fish back in the pickle highlight the nuanced, experience-driven nature of historical cooking writing.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of 1720 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of 1720 (1720)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1720

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back to the early 18th century and discover a delightful treasury of recipes and culinary secrets, where traditional flavors meet timeless technique—a feast for curious cooks and history lovers alike.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from early 18th-century England, an era lively with the preservation and pickling of all manner of foods. The sparling, or small freshwater smelt, was once abundant in British rivers and was often pickled as a delicacy for use out of season or for transport. Recipes like this appear in household manuscripts, attesting to a culture of self-sufficiency and inventive flavorings in domestic cookery. Pickling fish with fennel and spice was both a practical and flavorful way to extend their shelf life.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

A cook in the 1720s would have used a sharp knife for gutting, a basin for washing the fish, and perhaps a dedicated pan for boiling the pickling liquor—usually made of copper or well-tinned iron. Securing the fish 'tail to mouth' could have been done with natural twine or small wooden skewers. Pickled fish were kept in glazed earthenware jars or wooden barrels, sealed tightly to preserve their freshness.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

2 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 fresh small fish (whitebait or smelt, as a substitute for 'sparlings')
Several sprigs fresh fennel
8 1/2 cups water or 4 1/4 cups white wine vinegar
1 3/4 oz salt
1 bay leaf
1 tsp black peppercorns

Instructions

Begin by cleaning small whitebait or smelt thoroughly, removing their guts and rinsing them well.
Insert a few sprigs of fresh fennel into the cavity of each fish, then bend each fish so its tail touches its mouth, securing with a toothpick if needed.
In a saucepan, bring 8 1/2 cups of water or 4 1/4 cups of vinegar (white wine vinegar works well) to a boil.
Add a generous handful (about 1 3/4 oz) of salt and spices like black peppercorns and a bay leaf.
Once boiling, add the prepared fish and boil briefly, just until the fish is opaque (about 1-2 minutes).
Carefully remove the fish and allow them to cool.
Once cool, return them to the cooled pickling liquor to marinate until ready to serve.

Estimated Calories

150 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to clean and prepare the fish with fennel. The cooking itself is very quick, just 2 minutes. Each serving gives you around 150 calories, and this recipe serves 4 people.

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.