Recipe Manuscript

Orange Wine

Name: Orange Wine
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT45M
Yield: 30
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 22.7 liters spring water (filtered water may be used); 5.4 kg white granulated sugar (single refined sugar); 4 large egg whites, well beaten; 6 tablespoons (90 ml) fresh ale yeast (or brewer's yeast); 170 g lemon or citron syrup (substitute: lemon syrup if citron is unavailable); Juice of 24 kg sweet oranges (roughly 50 large oranges); Rind from half the oranges, peeled with all white pith removed; 562 ml (about 3/4 bottle) Rhenish (Rhine) white wine

1725

From the treasured pages of Cookery book of Lettis Vesey

Written by Lettis Vesey

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced Drink

Original Recipe • 1725

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

Orange Wine

"Take 6 Gallons of Spring Water and 12 pound of Singell Refined Sugor and the Whites of 4 Eggs well Beaten and put them in the Water and Sugor Cold then let them boyle 3 quarters of an hour and Scume it as long as aney Scume will Rise take it of and put in 6 Spoonfulls of the Best Ale yest and 6 ounces of Syrup of Cittorn and if you cant Gitt Syrup of Cittorn Syrup of Lemone must Do then take the Juice of 50 weight sweet oranges Shave half of them cleane from the whites So let these stand together 2 Days and nights and put in 3 quarters of Rhenish Wine So Run it through a close flannel and put it in a Vessell that will Just hould it. After 14 Days then Bottle it Corke it Doune at new Corkes and it will keep a yeare."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is a shining example of early modern English culinary notation: it is written as a single, flowing sentence with little punctuation, listing steps in the order they should be completed. Quantities are given in historical measures—gallons, pounds, and 'spoonfuls.' Spelling reflects the lack of standardization typical of the early 18th century: 'Sugor' for sugar, 'boyle' for boil, and 'Scume' for scum. Directions are practical, assuming prior experience; for instance, it omits specifying exactly how to ferment or clarify, likely because such techniques were deemed common household knowledge.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookery book of Lettis Vesey - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookery book of Lettis Vesey (1725)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Lettis Vesey

Era

1725

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the culinary world of the early 18th century with Lettis Vesey’s delightful collection. This historical cookbook offers a charming glimpse into the recipes, flavors, and kitchen wisdom of ca. 1725, blending elegance with hearty tradition for curious cooks and gastronomes alike.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This delightful orange wine recipe hails from early 18th-century England, attributed to Lettis Vesey around 1725. At this time, the English gentry and upper-middle classes enjoyed experimenting with home-brewed fruit wines, drawing on both domestic fruits and exotic imports that reflected expanding trade networks of the early modern era. Citrus was a symbol of prosperity and innovation, and making wine from oranges embodied the culinary curiosity and resourcefulness of its time. The addition of Rhenish wine—an imported German white—typifies the fashionable European connections and cosmopolitan tastes of the wealthy. Recipes like this would often be handed down through manuscript collections, each reflecting the predilections and ingenuity of their authors and families.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In 1725, this wine would be crafted using large earthenware pots or copper kettles for boiling the syrup. Egg whites were beaten by hand with whisks. Scum was skimmed off with shallow ladles or large spoons. The juice was most likely extracted using manual citrus presses or hand-juiced. Straining and clarifying were done with fine linen cloths or flannels, and fermentation took place in wooden barrels or stoneware jars, corked and stored in cool cellars. Bottling required thick glass bottles and new corks, which were hammered in and sealed with wax or pitch.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

45 mins

Servings

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

6 gallons spring water (filtered water may be used)
12 lbs white granulated sugar (single refined sugar)
4 large egg whites, well beaten
6 tablespoons (6 fl oz) fresh ale yeast (or brewer's yeast)
6 oz lemon or citron syrup (substitute: lemon syrup if citron is unavailable)
Juice of 53 lbs sweet oranges (roughly 50 large oranges)
Rind from half the oranges, peeled with all white pith removed
1 pint and 3 fl oz (about 3/4 bottle) Rhenish (Rhine) white wine

Instructions

To make Orange Wine in a modern kitchen, begin by combining 6 gallons of spring water (or filtered water) with 12 pounds of white granulated sugar and the whites from 4 large eggs, well beaten.
Mix these ingredients thoroughly, then gently bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about 45 minutes.
Throughout, skim away any foam that rises.
Remove from the heat.
Next, stir in 6 tablespoons (about 6 fluid ounces) of fresh ale yeast and 6 ounces of lemon or citrus syrup (either lemon or citron syrup).
Squeeze the juice from approximately 53 pounds of sweet oranges.
From half the oranges, be sure to peel off all the white pith beneath the zest, to avoid bitterness.
Combine the cooled sugar-water mixture with the citrus syrup and orange juice.
Let this sit in a covered, non-reactive container (a large fermenter or barrel) for 2 days and nights.
After this, add 1 pint and 3 fluid ounces of Rhenish (Rhine) wine.
Filter the mixture through a fine, clean cloth or strainer, then transfer to a suitable fermentation vessel, filling it fully to minimize air exposure.
After 14 days, bottle the orange wine, sealing with new corks.
Store in a cool place, and it will keep well for up to one year.

Estimated Calories

250 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 1 hour to prepare and cook the ingredients before fermentation. You will need around 30 minutes to prep the oranges, eggs, and other items, then about 45 minutes to simmer the sugar-water mixture. Each serving of this orange wine has about 250 calories. This recipe makes about 30 servings, each around 750 ml (one wine bottle) per serving.

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.