To Make Cowslip

This recipe hails from the mid-18th century, attributed to Elizabeth Langley in 1757. During this era, home winemaking was a common activity, often utilizing local flora such as cowslips, known for their delicate floral aroma and availability in the English countryside. Recipes such as this would circulate in family manuscripts or household books, shared among ladies of the gentry as part of genteel domestic management. Cowslip wine was enjoyed both for pleasure and as a health tonic, and recipes reflected a blend of precise measurement (such as weights, which were more accessible due to improved domestic scales) and practical, process-driven instructions for fermenting and bottling.

Back in the 18th century, large copper or iron kettles would have been used to boil water and sugar. Skimming tools, like flat ladles, were essential to remove scum from boiling syrup. Fermentation took place in large, clean wooden barrels or earthenware tubs, covered with cloth to keep dust and pests at bay. Wooden paddles or spoons would be used for stirring. Bottling required glass bottles (likely reused wine bottles) and corks, with wax or string to secure the seal.