Recipe Manuscript

Momortica- Oder Balsam-Aepffel-Oel

Name: Momortica- Oder Balsam-Aepffel-Oel
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT0M
Yield: 67
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 liter neutral oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil); 24 Momordica fruits (bitter melon/balsam apple) (substitute: fresh ripe bitter melon or, if unavailable, small gourd fruits with vivid red arils); Clean cloth for covering wounds

"Momordica Or Balsam-Apple Oil"

1699

From the treasured pages of Freywillig-auffgesprungener Granat-Apffel, Deß Christlichen Samaritans

Written by Eleonora Maria Rosalia

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Other

Original Recipe • 1699

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Momortica- Oder Balsam-Aepffel-Oel

"Nimb auff 1. Seitl Oel / 24. Momortica-Aepffel / thue die Kern darvon auffheben / die rothen Häutlein und March legt man in das Oel/ demnach grab ein tieffes Loch auß in die Erden/ und setz das Glaß wol vermachter darein/ und wieder mit Erden verschütt / laß 2. Monath stehen/ wann solche vorüber / nimbt man das Glaß herauß / und setzt es an die Sonnen. Wann sich ein Mensch hacken thut / oder ein Vieh ein Horn abstost/ so giest man das Oel in das Horn / und setzt es auffs alte Orth / binds mit einem Tuch wol ein / so heylets wieder / deßgleichen heylet es die geschädigte Wunden."

English Translation

"Take 1 pint of oil, 24 Momordica apples; set aside the seeds from them; the red skins and pulp are placed in the oil. Then dig a deep hole in the ground, set the tightly sealed glass container inside, cover it again with earth, and leave it for 2 months. When this time has passed, take out the glass and place it in the sun. If a person cuts themselves or an animal loses a horn, pour the oil into the horn and put it back in its place, bind it tightly with a cloth, and it will heal. In the same way, it heals damaged wounds."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in highly abbreviated, early modern German with many phonetic spellings and elisions, as was common in household manuscripts and recipe books of the time. Words like 'Aepffel' (apples) refer here to the Balm or Balsam Apple, not the common apple. Instructions rely heavily on practical, tactile knowledge rather than precise measurements, assuming that readers would adapt directions to the scale and needs of their own kitchens. The text is almost formulaic, blending apothecarial and culinary language in one sweeping breath.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Freywillig-auffgesprungener Granat-Apffel, Deß Christlichen Samaritans - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Freywillig-auffgesprungener Granat-Apffel, Deß Christlichen Samaritans (1699)

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

Writer

Eleonora Maria Rosalia

Era

1699

Publisher

Leopold Voigt

Background

This delightful tome by Duchess Eleonora Maria Rosalia is a treasure trove of culinary wisdom from 17th-century Vienna. Interwoven with remedies and secrets for well-being, it features a charming section described as a 'ganz neues und nutzbahres Koch-Buch'—an entirely new and useful cookbook—offering tried-and-true recipes, kitchen secrets, and practical tips to nourish both body and soul.

Kindly made available by

Wien Bibliothek

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe dates from 1699, included in 'Freywillig-auffgesprungener Granat-Apffel, Des Christlichen Samaritans', a compendium of medicinal and culinary secrets compiled by Duchess Eleonora Maria Rosalia of Troppau and Jägerndorf in Vienna. It reflects a time when domestic medicine and household remedy books often blended practical pharmacy, folklore, and culinary guidance. Remedies were keenly observed, shaped by tradition and by the European interest in exotic fruits and botanical imports during the Baroque era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

A glass jar with a tight-fitting lid, a sharp knife for preparing the fruit, a shovel for digging and burying the jar, and clean cloths for applying the remedy. Sunlight and the earth itself were used as natural tools for infusing and preserving medicinal oils, supporting slow extraction of beneficial compounds from fruits.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

0 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

1 quart neutral oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil)
24 Momordica fruits (bitter melon/balsam apple) (substitute: fresh ripe bitter melon or, if unavailable, small gourd fruits with vivid red arils)
Clean cloth for covering wounds

Instructions

Take 1 quart of neutral oil (such as sunflower or light olive oil) and add the flesh and red pulp (arils and pericarp) of 24 ripe Momordica fruits (commonly known today as bitter melon or balsam apple).
Remove and discard the seeds, carefully peeling out the vivid red skins and juicy flesh from each fruit.
Place these into a clean, sealable glass jar and pour the oil over them.
Bury the tightly closed jar in a deep hole in the soil, cover with earth, and leave undisturbed for 2 months to allow gentle, earth-moderated infusion.
After 2 months, carefully excavate the jar and bring it into sunlight for further gentle warming and infusion.
This oil, once strained, is to be poured into hollow wounds (in animals, a broken horn; for humans, onto cuts), then covered with a clean cloth to promote healing.
In modern practice, to emulate the earth's steady cool dark infusion, the sealed jar can be stored in a cool, dark cupboard instead, and then brought into sunlight for the final infusion phase.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It will take about 30 minutes to prepare the fruits and combine them with the oil. There is no active cooking time, but the oil must infuse for 2 months in a cool place, then a few hours in sunlight. The recipe makes about 1 liter of infused oil, and each serving is one tablespoon used for treating a wound. Each serving has around 120 calories because it is mainly oil.

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.