N° 19. Sulz Von Capaun Zur Brust- Und Lungensucht / Die Auch Zu Dem Cathårz Nutzlich

This recipe is drawn from a 1699 Austrian publication compiled by Duchess Eleonora Maria Rosalia of Troppau and Jägerndorf. The book is a fascinating blend of culinary, medical, and household wisdom intended for the well-heeled households of early modern Europe. This particular recipe reflects the baroque fascination with restorative broths and medicinal cookery—often combining luxury ingredients (like crayfish and capon) and folk medicinal staples (such as snails and roots) to create tonics against respiratory complaints and catarrh. Such remedies were rooted in humoral theory, prescribing different ingredients to balance bodily fluids. The high value placed on protein-rich, strengthening broths made from capon, crayfish, and snails reveals both the medical theories and the culinary tastes of the time.

The preparation called for a sturdy mortar and pestle (for crushing crayfish), a large kitchen knife, and a chopping block. All ingredients were packed into a tinned metal flask or bottle, which was carefully sealed. The crucial technique is slow cooking in a water bath—placing the flask in a lidded pot half-filled with hot water on a hearth, and simmering for hours (here, 6 hours) to gently extract nutrients and flavors without boiling over. After cooking, the mixture was strained through a cloth (often linen) and pressed to extract every drop of the nourishing broth.