How To Keep Any Plumes For Tarts All The Yeare
From the treasured pages of Cookery book of Lettice Pudsey, Seisdon, Staffordshire
Written by Lettice Pudsey
How To Keep Any Plumes For Tarts All The Yeare
"Take your plumbs when they bee ripe & boyle as much faire water as you see will cover them, when it tis boyled putt in your plumbs, let them lye in the watter till the breake the skin, then runn them throwe a sive, sett the watter by till it bee cold & the plumbs cold, then putt them up in a earthen pott, with that watter, then take some sweet mutton or beeffe suett, & melte it & pouer it upon the plumbs, when the suett is cold upon them, tie a paper on it."
Note on the Original Text
Written in the informal, practical prose typical of manuscript recipes in the late 17th century, the instructions are addressed to a fellow homemaker who was assumed to have working knowledge of boiling, preserving, and sealing techniques. Spellings such as 'plumbs' for plums and 'boyle' for boil reflect the lack of standardized English spelling at the time. The recipe is non-specific about quantities, characteristic of early modern cooking, and relies on visual and sensory cues (like the skins breaking) rather than strict timing. The technique of sealing with suet is an early anaerobic preservation method, used before the advent of canning or refrigeration.
Title
Cookery book of Lettice Pudsey, Seisdon, Staffordshire (1675)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Lettice Pudsey
Era
1675
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the 17th-century kitchen with Lettice Pudsey's delightful collection of recipes, where flavors, creativity, and tradition mingle to create a feast fit for Restoration-era tables. Expect a medley of hearty English fare, intriguing ingredient combinations, and a pinch of culinary wisdom from a bygone age.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes to us from a mid-17th century English household manuscript associated with Lettice Pudsey. During this period, before the widespread adoption of canning or artificial preservatives, home cooks developed ingenious ways to capture the essence of summer fruits for winter feasting. Plums were particularly valued not just for their taste, but for their roles in festive tarts and pies during leaner months. The use of boiling, straining, and setting a fat cap points to a culinary vocabulary already rich with preservation know-how, blending practical necessity with an appreciation for sweets and desserts even in colder seasons.
The cook would have used an open hearth or stove with a sturdy iron or brass kettle for boiling water, along with wooden spoons or ladles for handling the fruit. A fine sieve or perhaps a piece of muslin would strain the water. The plums would be transferred to an earthenware preserving pot or jar for storage. Suet would be rendered in a small pan over the fire and then poured directly over the fruit. Finally, paper (sometimes parchment or cloth) and string would seal the pot tight, keeping out pests and air.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings
8
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 2.2 lbs ripe plums (any variety suited for cooking)
- 4 1/4 cups filtered water (enough to cover fruit)
- 3.5 ounces beef suet or mutton suet (rendered and strained)
- Baking paper (for covering the pot)
- Kitchen twine (for tying the cover)
Instructions
- Begin by selecting ripe plums, around 2.2 lbs, and bring enough filtered water (about 4 1/4 cups) to a boil to completely cover the fruit.
- Once the water is at a rolling boil, gently immerse the plums.
- Allow them to simmer just until the skins begin to brake, then remove the plums and strain them through a fine seive.
- Reserve both the cooled plums and strained water.
- Place the cooled plums in a clean, sterilized ceramic or glass jar, pouring the reserved cooking liquid over until the fruit is fully submerged.
- Meanwhile, gently melt 3.5 ounces of suet (beef or mutton) in a small saucepan, and once just liquefied, pour a thin layer over the surface of the plums and liquid to seal.
- When the suet cools and solidifies, cover the jar with baking paper and tie securely with kitchen twine.
- This method allows you to preserve the plums for several months, to enjoy in tarts throughout the year.
Estimated Calories
80 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and workspace, and about 20 minutes to cook the plums and prepare the suet. This recipe makes about 8 servings. Each serving has around 80 calories.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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