Recipe Manuscript

Pine-Apple Preserve

Name: Pine-Apple Preserve
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT40M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 medium pineapples (about 2 kg); 600–750 grams white granulated sugar (depending on sweetness and preference); 4–6 sticks cinnamon (or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon if unavailable); 6–8 fresh or dried bay leaves

1880

From the treasured pages of The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)Asian Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1880

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

Pine-Apple Preserve

"Take care that the pines are not green, nor yet quite ripe; remove the peel, cutting it deeply, and then all the seeds and eyes; cut each pine into six slices, lay them in a preserving-pan, and sprinkle over each layer a good quantity of sugar, a few sticks of cinnamon, and a few bay-leaves, covering the uppermost layer with a larger quantity of sugar; allow them to simmer over a tolerably brisk fire until the sugar has all melted; then reduce the fire, and continue to simmer until the pines have quite changed colour and become tender; remove them out of the syrup into a colander, and allow them to drain, but continue to boil the syrup with all that drops from the fruit until it has thickened; then return the fruit into the syrup and finish the boiling. Bottle when quite cool, but before corking them for good, ascertain the state of the syrup every two or three days; if it shows signs of fermentation, remove it from the fruit and reboil it; this operation must be continued until the syrup has ceased to ferment; the fruit is not to be reboiled, but only returned into the syrup when the boiling is about to be finished."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in a narrative, sequential style common to Victorian-era cookbooks, lacking measured timings and using qualitative cues instead—'simply until the pines have quite changed colour and become tender.' Amounts like 'a good quantity of sugar' leave room for interpretation, since ingredients then varied in availability and quality. Moreover, the instructions call for repeated checking and potential reboiling—reflective of the realities of pre-pasteurization preservation. The spelling 'pines' for pineapples was a colloquial abbreviation then, and terms like 'preserving-pan' refer to any large cooking vessel.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The Indian cookery book: a practical handbook to the kitchen in India (1880)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1880

Publisher

Thacker, Spink & Co.

Background

A delightful and practical guide to the vibrant culinary world of India, this handbook serves up classic recipes and kitchen wisdom tailored for the subcontinent’s kitchens in the late 19th century. Perfect for adventurous cooks eager to explore authentic Indic flavors.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from 'The Indian Cookery Book', published in Calcutta in 1880—a period when British and Indian culinary traditions were intermingling in colonial India. Pineapple, introduced from South America but flourishing in the tropics, quickly became a favored fruit among colonial households. Preserved fruits such as this were essential before reliable refrigeration, offering both indulgence and nourishment during fruitless seasons. The use of cinnamon and bay leaf reveals Indian culinary influences, while the sugar-heavy syrup speaks to preservation methods brought by Europeans. It captures a moment when home kitchens balanced local produce, imported flavors, and the practical needs of colonial life.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late 19th century, this preserve would have been made with simple but sturdy kitchen tools: a large, heavy copper or brass preserving pan over a charcoal or wood-fired stove for steady, even heat. A sharp paring knife would have been used for peeling and 'eyeing' the pineapples, and sturdy wooden or metal spoons for stirring. For bottling, glass jars with waxed paper covers, tightly tied with twine or corked stoppers, were standard. Colanders would be made from tin or ceramic, and spoons for skimming foam were essential to ensure a clear syrup.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

40 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

2 medium pineapples (about 4.4 lbs)
3 to 3 1/4 cups white granulated sugar (21–26.5 oz, depending on sweetness and preference)
4–6 sticks cinnamon (or 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon if unavailable)
6–8 fresh or dried bay leaves

Instructions

Begin by selecting pineapples that are just ripe—not green, but not overly soft.
Peel the fruit, removing all skin, 'eyes', and seeds, then slice each pineapple into six even pieces.
Arrange the pineapple slices in layers in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Sprinkle each layer with about 1/2 cup (3.5 oz) of white granulated sugar, a cinnamon stick (broken in half if needed), and a bay leaf or two.
The top layer should be covered with a generous heap of sugar (an extra 3/4 cup or about 5.3 oz).
Place the pan over medium-high heat to encourage the sugar to dissolve, simmering until the fruit releases juices and the sugar melts entirely.
Reduce to medium-low and gently cook, uncovered, until the pineapple softens and turns a translucent golden yellow—about 20–30 minutes.
Lift the pineapple slices with a slotted spoon and set them in a colander to drain.
Continue simmering the syrup to thicken, skimming off any foam, until it reaches a pourable, but slightly viscous, consistency (aim for 221°F on a sugar thermometer, if you have one).
Return the pineapple slices to the thickened syrup, and simmer together for a final 5 minutes.
Once cooled completely, bottle both fruit and syrup in sterilized jars.
For the next 1–2 weeks, check every few days for fermentation (bubbles or fizz); if present, remove the fruit, reboil the syrup, and return the fruit only when the syrup cools.
The fruit itself should not be reboiled.

Estimated Calories

210 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the pineapples and arranging them with sugar and spices takes about 20 minutes. Cooking the pineapple and syrup takes around 30 to 40 minutes. Each serving contains approximately 210 calories, based on dividing the full recipe into 8 servings.

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.