To Preserve Apricocks

This recipe hails from the Cromwell family manuscript, dated to the 1600s—a period renowned for the flourishing of domestic manuscript recipe books in England. Such recipes were generally handwritten by women of the landed gentry, acting as compendiums for household management, medicine, and culinary skill. Preserving fruit in sugar syrup was a way to enjoy summer produce year-round, long before the advent of refrigeration. The method reflects both the luxury of sugar—then a costly ingredient—and the ingenuity of early modern cooks, who prized vibrant color and flavor in their conserves.

Seventeenth-century cooks would have used a brass or copper preserving pan suspended over a wood or coal fire for gentle simmering. Fruit would be prepared with small, sharp paring knives, and stones removed by hand. Once cooked, apricots and syrup would be transferred to glazed earthenware jars or glass pots, then sealed with parchment and tied with string for storage. Modern equivalents include heavy-bottomed stainless steel or enameled pots, digital scales, and glass storage jars with tight lids.