To Make Rice Pancakes

This recipe hails from a 1672 household manuscript attributed to Constance Hall. The late 17th century in England was a period when rice, imported from overseas, was gaining popularity in elite kitchens. Milk, eggs, and butter were all fresh farm staples of the era, and wheat flour was increasingly used in refined cookery. Recipes like this one reflect an experimental interest in blending native and imported ingredients to create novel textures and flavors—here combining rice with egg-rich batter for a delicate pancake, likely enjoyed in a well-to-do household as a treat.

In the 17th century, cooks would have used a large iron pot or pan to boil the rice over an open hearth, mashing it with a wooden spoon or pestle. A large ceramic or pewter bowl would be used for mixing, and hand-whisks or forks (or simply vigorous beating by hand) for combining the eggs, flour, and batter. Pancakes were fried in a heavy iron skillet or frying pan, greased with butter or lard, over a fire—a far cry from today’s non-stick pans. Sugar was often in loaf form and grated as needed, while lemons would be juiced by hand.