To Boyle A Dishe Of Pigeons

The recipe hails from an English manuscript attributed to Ann Goodenough, dating between 1700 and 1775—a rich era of domestic experimentation and culinary sophistication among the upper and middle classes. At that time, recipes were often shared among households as written notes, utilising both local herbs and imported spices to elevate everyday fare. Pigeons were much more common on the English table, kept for meat and eggs and considered a delicacy by many. The use of sorrel speaks to the popularity of tart, fresh greens in early modern English cookery, and the inclusion of wine and spices underscores both trading connections and a growing taste for complexity in dishes.

In Ann Goodenough’s kitchen, this dish would have summoned a few essentials: a sturdy, lidded stew pot or cauldron, probably of cast iron or copper, suspended above the open hearth or set within a brick oven. Simple kitchen knives for chopping, a wooden bowl or trencher for mixing the stuffing, and long wooden spoons for stirring and serving were all standard. For sippets, a toasting fork or gridiron held bread over the coals—no toasters back then! Presentation would have been important, too, with the dish ladled onto a trencher or shallow bowl lined with toasted sippets to soak up the rich sauce.