Recipe Manuscript

To Pickle Walnuts Green

Name: To Pickle Walnuts Green
Prep time: PTPT1H30M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 40
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 100 green (unripe) walnuts (approx. 1.2–1.5 kg); 500 g coarse sea salt; 2 liters white wine vinegar (plus 1 liter extra for mustard brine, 250 ml fresh vinegar for sharpening later); 30 g mace (whole or broken into pieces); 3–4 heads garlic (about 30 cloves, unpeeled, separated); 100 g freshly made mustard (smooth and strong); 1 large handful fresh dill (approx. 25 g)

1740

From the treasured pages of Mrs. Knight's receipt book

Written by Mrs. Knight

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1740

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

To Pickle Walnuts Green

"Take green walnut so soft that you may run a pin thro ym put ym into a kettle of water and set ym on ye fire let not ye water boil first scald ym but let not ye water boil. First you put ym in take ym out & put ym in an other & second water so that they may not touch one an other let ym not remain in ye water but just as they begin before ye be soft it is only to take out ye blacknes & they be soft take ym & wipe ym dry & when enough they be cold put ym into a pan laying at ye bottom a handfull of salt as many nuts as will lay on ye salt so do by all ye rest till ye pan be full & by of any 100 nuts put a pint of salt between ye nuts take white wine vinager to ye quantity of any 2 gallons put to it an ounce of mace & large heads of garlick between ye nuts take white wine vinager & new made mustard to fill ye pot 3 quarters of an 100 to a quart of vinager & a top of ye liquor a handfull of dill stop ye pot very close for 2 month before you eat ym put a quart of fresh vinager into ye liquor to make it more sharp & bittering"

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe uses early modern English with shortcuts, abbreviations ('ye' for 'the', 'ym' for 'them'), and a lack of punctuation, making it a charming linguistic artifact. Quantities and instructions are based more on experience than precise measures; you had to trust your eye and taste rather than written amounts. Spellings like 'vinager' for 'vinegar' and the liberal use of conjunctions are typical of 18th-century handwritten cookery books, where instructions were intended for household managers already familiar with basic kitchen processes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mrs. Knight's receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mrs. Knight's receipt book (1740)

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

Writer

Mrs. Knight

Era

1740

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the refined kitchens of 18th-century England with Mrs. Knight’s culinary collection, where time-honored recipes, hearty roasts, and elegant pastries await the enterprising cook.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from the 1740 manuscript of Mrs. Knight, a keen household manager living in mid-18th century Britain. Home pickling and food preservation were essential skills, especially for using up seasonal produce before the advent of refrigeration. Pickled green walnuts were a beloved delicacy, served alongside cold meats or cheeses, and were considered both a special treat and a health tonic. The elaborate preparation reflects both the abundance of seasonal harvests and the intricate methods of Georgian kitchen management.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in Mrs. Knight's time, this recipe would have required basic but sturdy kitchenware: a large copper or iron kettle for scalding the walnuts, several wooden or ceramic bowls for salting and layering, coarse linen cloths for wiping down the fruit, and airtight earthenware or stoneware jars for long-term pickling. A wooden spoon for stirring and possibly a mortar and pestle for grinding fresh mustard were also standard tools. Sharp knives and pins (for testing walnut softness) as well as basic kitchen scales or measured scoops for salt and vinegar completed the historical toolkit.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr 30 mins

Cook Time

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

100 green (unripe) walnuts (approx. 2.6–3.3 lb)
1 lb 2 oz coarse sea salt
2 quarts white wine vinegar (plus 1 quart extra for mustard brine, 1 cup fresh vinegar for sharpening later)
1 oz mace (whole or broken into pieces)
3–4 heads garlic (about 30 cloves, unpeeled, separated)
3 1/2 oz freshly made mustard (smooth and strong)
1 large handful fresh dill (approx. 7/8 oz)

Instructions

Start by selecting fresh, young green walnuts (about 100), soft enough that a pin can easily pierce them.
Place the walnuts in a large pot and cover with water.
Set over medium heat, but do not allow the water to boil; simply scald the nuts, then immediately remove them.
Repeat this process with fresh water, ensuring that the walnuts are not crowded together as they soak, to help remove their blackness.
Wipe the walnuts dry when they are cool.
In a wide, non-metallic dish or pan, sprinkle a generous layer of salt (about 1 lb 2 oz) at the base, then add a single layer of the prepared walnuts.
Continue layering salt and walnuts until all are arranged, ending with a layer of salt.
Use about 1 lb 2 oz total salt for 100 walnuts.
Allow the walnuts to sit in the salt for several days.
In the meantime, make a pickling liquid with 2 quarts of white wine vinegar, combining it with 1 oz mace and several whole garlic bulbs, separated into cloves but not peeled.
Pack the walnuts into sterilized jars, alternating walnuts, garlic, and the mace.
Make a mustard brine by mixing additional vinegar (about 1 quart) with freshly made mustard (3 1/2 oz).
Top up the jars with the mustard vinegar mix, ensuring walnuts are fully submerged.
Add a handful of fresh dill on top.
Seal the jars tightly and allow to mature for two months before consuming.
Before serving, you may refresh the pickling liquor by adding about 1 cup fresh vinegar to heighten the acidity and flavor.

Estimated Calories

25 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing pickled walnuts takes time: you need to wash, scald, dry, and salt the walnuts, then let them sit in salt for several days before pickling. Most of the time is hands-off, waiting for the salt and brine to work. Actual hands-on prep and cooking are quite short.

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.

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Recipe's Origin

Title

Mrs. Knight's receipt book (1740)

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

Writer

Mrs. Knight

Era

1740

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the refined kitchens of 18th-century England with Mrs. Knight’s culinary collection, where time-honored recipes, hearty roasts, and elegant pastries await the enterprising cook.