Recipe Manuscript

How To Make Gooseberry Past

Name: How To Make Gooseberry Past
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT45M
Yield: 12
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 3.5 kg gooseberries; 675 g white sugar (preferably superfine or caster); 180 ml water (approx.); 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) red fruit liqueur, raspberry juice, or rosewater (substitute for Southinocho water); A handful (about 150 g) green plums (optional, for green color and flavor); 2–3 tbsp (30–45 ml) fresh spinach juice; Extra water for boiling gooseberries

1707

From the treasured pages of Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707

Written by Rachel Kirk

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1707

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

How To Make Gooseberry Past

"Take half a peck of Gooseberries and coddle them till they bee soft but not to break and pulp them through a hair sieve then divide your pulp into three equall parts then take a pound and a half of loaf Sugar or double refined and knock and scarse it and dry your sugar and lett it bee very hot then divide your sugar into three parts then sett on a pan and putt in one part for the white and putt to it three or four spoonfulls of water and lett itt boyle a quarter of an hour then heat one part of your sugar very hott and mix it to it and lett itt heat over the fire till all your sugar be disolved and when itt is pretty thick take it of and lett it stand till it bee pretty cold then glass it upp and fill nott your cake glasses too full. Then for the red take another part and putt a little Southinocho water as you think will make it a good colour but not too thin then boyle it a quarter of an hour then heat your sugar very hott and mix to your pulp and lett it heat over the fire till all your sugar be disolved and when it is pretty thick take it of and lett it stand till it bee cold and glass it upp but nott so full. if you please you may putt some green plunes amongst your goosberries pulp. you may beat your plumes till they bee tender and take all the Soft from the stone and pulp it thorougly. then for the green take the other part and putt to it the Juice of Spinage that will make it a good colour then heat your sugar very hott and putt it to your plum pulpe to your gooseberry pulp but not soe you can as it may taste of gooseberries and boyle it up and heat your glasses."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the typical freeform, narrative style of early eighteenth-century kitchen manuscripts, where amounts, methods, and timing rely on the reader’s knowledge and intuition. Spelling is highly variable ('lett', 'bee', 'boyle', 'glasses') and sentences run together with little punctuation. Words like 'coddle' (to gently simmer), 'scarse' (to sift or purify), and 'glass it upp' (spoon into glasses for serving) reflect period terminology and spelling conventions. The instructions assume a familiarity with preserving techniques and an ability to judge doneness by sight and touch, hallmarks of historical recipes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 (1707)

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

Writer

Rachel Kirk

Era

1707

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A remarkable collection of early 18th-century recipes, Rachel Kirk's work invites readers into the kitchens of the past where classic culinary traditions and timeless flavors come alive. Expect a charming medley of savory feasts and sweet treats reflective of the era's sophisticated palate.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe originates from early 18th-century England, specifically 1707, credited to Rachel Kirk. During this era, preserving fruit in sugary pastes and jellies was both a culinary art and a method of extending seasonal produce. Such recipes would be found in the private kitchens of the well-to-do, where bright, jewel-colored confections elegantly adorned banqueting tables and were prized for both flavor and visual appeal. Gooseberry pastes were part of a larger tradition of preserving fruits in syrup and sugar, a luxury made possible by the growing availability of refined sugar during this period.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Original methods would have relied on brass or copper preserving pans for boiling the fruit and sugar mixtures over a hearth or open fire. Pulping would be done with a large wooden spoon or pestle and a hair sieve (a fine-meshed sieve made of horsehair). The 'cake glasses' mentioned were small glass cups or ramekins, used both for displaying the vivid colors and for easy serving. Sugar would be broken up with a sugar hammer or mallet, and drying was accomplished by setting the sugar near the fire or in a very low oven.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

45 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

7.7 lb gooseberries
24 oz white sugar (preferably superfine or caster)
3/4 cup water (approx.)
2–3 tbsp red fruit liqueur, raspberry juice, or rosewater (substitute for Southinocho water)
A handful (about 5.3 oz) green plums (optional, for green color and flavor)
2–3 tbsp fresh spinach juice
Extra water for boiling gooseberries

Instructions

Begin with approximately 7.7 lb of fresh gooseberries (half a peck), ensuring they are ripe but still firm.
Gently simmer the gooseberries in water just until softened but not falling apart.
Pass the cooked fruit through a fine sieve to remove skins and seeds, creating a smooth pulp.
Divide this pulp equally into three bowls.
For each portion, you will use around 8 oz of sugar (one-third of a total 24 oz).
For the first (white past), combine the pulp with hot sugar and a few tablespoons (about 1/4 cup) of water, then cook this mixture over moderate heat for 15 minutes.
Once thickened, allow it to cool before spooning into small serving glasses, leaving headspace.
For the red past, add a splash of red fruit liqueur or rosewater (to mimic Southinocho water, about 2–3 tbsp/2–3 tbsp) to color and flavor your pulp.
Repeat the sugar-heating and cooking steps, and again pour into glasses, filling less than before.
For the green past, stir in a few tablespoons (2–3 tbsp) of spinach juice for color.
Optionally, include puréed green plums for added flavor.
Cook with the last portion of heated sugar, then finish as with the previous colors.
Leave all preparations to set and cool, either uncovered or lightly covered until ready to serve.

Estimated Calories

140 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing these gooseberry pastes takes about 20 minutes to get your ingredients and tools ready. The actual cooking time for each color layer is about 15 minutes, so cooking all three layers takes about 45 minutes. Each serving has about 140 calories. You'll have about 12 small servings from this recipe.

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.