Wallnut Catchup
From the treasured pages of Cookbook 1700 - 1775
Unknown Author
Wallnut Catchup
"3 quarts of Juice 6 pounds of anchovies six ounces of Shallot boild till the anchovies are disolved strain it add an ounce and half of Mace Ditto. Cloves Ditto Jamaica pepper, 3 pints of white Wine Vinegar, boil it a qr of an hour when Cold Bottle it. This produces 9 pints. One hundred and qr of six score to the hundred, makes one quart."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe, like many from the early 1700s, is scant on details—measurements are inconsistent and rarely standardized, with 'quarts' and 'pints' referring to old imperial units (1 quart ≈ 0.94 liters). Spelling is idiosyncratic: 'wallnut catchup' for 'walnut ketchup', 'Ditto.' for 'the same amount again'. Instructions assume familiarity, offering little guidance on technique ('boil'd till dissolv'd', 'strain it'). Ingredient preparation (juicing walnuts, dissolving anchovies) would be well-known to an 18th-century cook. The recipe’s enigmatic ending, 'One hundred and qr of six score to the hundred, makes one quart.', is likely a note to assist with conversion or scaling for household use.
Title
Cookbook 1700 - 1775 (1738)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1738
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step back into the savory world of the early 18th century with this enchanting culinary manuscript, brimming with recipes, household hints, and the elegant flavors that defined an era of rich dining and refined taste.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe is an early English example of 'ketchup', a sauce far removed from the tomato condiment familiar today. Produced between 1700 and 1775, English walnut ketchup took its inspiration from Asian fermented fish sauces ('kecap'). The result was a deeply savory, fragrant condiment prized for its umami punch—used to enliven meats, stews, and sauces in Georgian cuisine. The ingredients—anchovies, shallots, walnuts, aromatic spices, and vinegar—were expensive and time-consuming to process, reflecting both the adventurous palates and the affluence of early modern British households. Such condiments were often homemade in country houses, bottled for keeping, and deployed in small quantities to flavor a host of dishes.
Cooks of the 18th century would use large earthenware or copper pots for boiling, wooden or metal spoons for stirring, and fine cloths or sieves to strain the sauce. Glass bottles or stoneware jars, often sealed with cork or wax, preserved the finished ketchup. In the absence of modern stoves, all cooking was done over open hearth fires or on iron ranges, requiring careful management of heat.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings
17
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
- 3 quarts walnut juice (from green unripe walnuts, or use a mix of roasted nut juices as substitute)
- 6 pounds salted anchovies (filleted, rinsed if too salty)
- 6 ounces shallots (finely minced)
- 1.5 ounces mace (whole or broken blades)
- 1.5 ounces cloves (whole)
- 1.5 ounces allspice (Jamaica pepper, whole)
- 1.8 quarts white wine vinegar
Instructions
- To make a historical walnut ketchup, begin by boiling together 3 quarts walnut juice with 6 pounds of anchovies and 6 ounces of minced shallots until the anchovies dissolve completely.
- Strain the mixture thoroughly to remove solids.
- Return the strained liquor to the pot and add 1.5 ounces each of mace, cloves, and allspice (Jamaica pepper).
- Stir in 1.8 quarts of white wine vinegar.
- Boil this mixture gently for about 15 minutes.
- Allow it to cool before bottling in sterilized containers.
- This method should yield about 4.5 quarts of ketchup.
- If walnuts are unavailable, substitute with a blend of roasted nuts or use unripe walnuts preserved in brine, as was historically common.
Estimated Calories
100 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing the walnut ketchup takes about 30 minutes to mince the shallots, fillet and rinse the anchovies, and get all the ingredients ready. The cooking step is split into two: first, boiling the walnuts, anchovies, and shallots together until the anchovies dissolve (about 30 minutes), then boiling the strained mixture with spices and vinegar for another 15 minutes. This recipe produces about 4.25 liters, or 17 servings of 250 ml each. Each serving has around 100 calories, mostly from the nuts, anchovies, 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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