Recipe Manuscript

To Preserve Cucumbers

Name: To Preserve Cucumbers
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT1H30M
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500 g small cucumbers (8–10 cm long); 500 g granulated sugar (plus more for second syrup); 500 ml water (approximate; enough to make a syrup); Juice of 1 lemon; 1/4 tsp food-safe ambergris substitute (such as a little vanilla or musk, optional); Muslin or cheesecloth (for spice bag)

1703

From the treasured pages of The Lady Cravens Receipt Book

Written by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1703

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

To Preserve Cucumbers

"Take them small about a fingers lenght, & wipe them, then scald them in hot watter not too tender, & when you take them up make a whole through them with a small bodkin (the lenght way) then pare them very thinn & put them in ye same watter again to green them, then make a thin syrrup with their weight in sugar, & lett them boyle a little while in it, then sett them by for 3 or 4 days, then make an other syrrup & squees in the Juice of a lemond, & then let your Cucumbers boyle in it till they are very clear, then put in a little bag of amber-greece & sett them by for a day or 2_ then give them an other boyle, then take them up & boyle the syrrup till it be pretty thick, so glass them & put ye syrrup to them ~"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe was written in straightforward, colloquial 18th-century English with little standardization—quantities are vague, proportions are referenced to the weight of the main ingredient, and instructions are given in a narrative format. Spelling reflects the fluidity of English at the time ('syrrup', 'boyle', 'lemon'), and punctuation is sparse, requiring the reader to interpret where steps begin and end. Directions assume basic culinary proficiency and understanding of domestic routines.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Lady Cravens Receipt Book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The Lady Cravens Receipt Book (1703)

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

Writer

Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Era

1703

Publisher

Coome Abbey

Background

A delectable manuscript brimming with 18th-century English delights, Lady Craven's receipt book whisks readers from luscious cakes and puddings to savory feasts and creamy cheeses. Elegantly organized and sprinkled with recipes from an illustrious social circle, this culinary collection offers a sumptuous taste of aristocratic home economics.

Kindly made available by

Penn State University

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from the early 18th-century manuscript 'The Lady Cravens receipt-booke,' compiled by Elizabeth, Baroness Craven, between 1702 and 1704 in England. At the time, preserving fruits and vegetables in sugar syrup was both a practical method against spoilage and a marker of elite status, since sugar was expensive. Lady Craven and her peers recorded such recipes to manage large households and show culinary sophistication. This specific preserve blends preservation with luxury, as indicated by the optional addition of ambergris, an exotic and rare ingredient.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Originally, this preserve would have been made using basic copper or iron pots over a hearth or open fire. Cucumbers were pierced with fine metal bodkins or skewers, and skins peeled with small sharp knives. The syrup would be simmered in heavy-bottomed pans and poured into ceramic or glass jars. Muslin or fine linen bags held aromatic spices or ambergris. Cooling and storage were managed in a cool larder or pantry.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 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 lb small cucumbers (3–4 inches long)
1 lb granulated sugar (plus more for second syrup)
2 cups water (approximate; enough to make a syrup)
Juice of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp food-safe ambergris substitute (such as a little vanilla or musk, optional)
Muslin or cheesecloth (for spice bag)

Instructions

Select small, slender cucumbers, ideally about the size of your finger (about 3–4 inches long).
Gently wipe them clean.
Bring a large pot of water almost to a boil, and blanch the cucumbers briefly—just until they start to soften but are still firm (about 2–3 minutes).
Remove the cucumbers and, while still warm, use a thin skewer to make a lengthwise hole through each one.
Carefully pare the skins very thinly, then return the cucumbers to the same hot water to help them turn a brighter green (about 1–2 minutes).
Weigh your cucumbers and prepare a syrup using an equal weight of sugar and enough water (about 1 cup water per 14 oz sugar) to make a light syrup.
Simmer the cucumbers gently in this syrup for 3–5 minutes, then remove from the heat and let them sit, covered, for 3–4 days in a cool spot.
After this resting period, prepare a fresh batch of syrup (again, equal weight sugar to cucumber).
Add the juice of one lemon per 1 lb of cucumbers, then simmer the cucumbers in this new syrup until they become translucent and clear (about 30–60 minutes).
Wrap 1/4 tsp of food-grade ambergris substitute (optional) in a muslin bag and add it to the syrup.
Let the cucumbers sit in the syrup for 1–2 days more.
Give the cucumbers another brief boil (5–10 minutes), remove them from the syrup, and boil the syrup further until it thickens to a glazing consistency.
Pour the thickened syrup over the cucumbers in sterilized jars and seal.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and cooking the cucumbers takes about 1 hour total hands-on time, with several days of waiting in between steps. Each serving has about 120 calories. This recipe makes about 10 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.