To Pickle Pigeons

This recipe comes from the late 17th century, a period when pickling meats was a favored way to preserve and flavor foods before refrigeration. Gentlefolk's households and estate kitchens often prepared such piquant preserved dishes, serving them at cold collation tables, picnics, and for travel. Pickled pigeons, in particular, were valued for their delicate flavor and longevity when stored in tightly covered pots, keeping the pickled birds from spoilage and making them handy snacks or elaborate hors d’oeuvres. The fragrant mixture of fresh herbs and warm spices reflects the late Stuart fascination with elaborate seasoning, and the inclusion of white wine marks both refinement and status. The result is a tangy, spiced dish enjoyed cold, an elegant staple in upper-class English dining.

Historically, this dish would be prepared with a sharp boning knife, wooden chopping boards, linen or cotton string for tying, and a large copper or earthenware boiler for simmering the birds in brine. After pickling, the cooled pigeons would be stored in deep ceramic or stoneware pots, covered with a tight-fitting lid or waxed cloth to exclude air. The entire process took place on a wood- or coal-fired hearth, requiring careful regulation of heat—an expertise developed by cooks tasked with both preserving and serving such savory yet subtle foods.