Recipe Manuscript

Conserva De Chabacanos

Name: Conserva De Chabacanos
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 kg ripe, firm apricots (chabacanos); 1 tablespoon food-grade soda ash or 1 tablespoon baking soda (as substitute for flor de ceniza); 750 g white granulated sugar; 400 ml water; 1–2 tablespoons Catalán (substitute: sweet Muscatel wine, Spanish dessert wine, or a mild fruit liqueur); Extra water for blanching and cooling

"Apricot Preserve"

1890

From the treasured pages of La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6

Written by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

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

Original Recipe • 1890

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

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

Conserva De Chabacanos

"Los chavacanos para la conserva no han de estar verdes ni magullados ó machacados pues no tendría buen gusto el dulce; para quitarles el pellejo; se echan en una olla con agua hirviendo en que se habrá puesto una poca de flor de ceniza y se dejan moviéndolos de cuando en cuando hasta que se enfríe el agua, entonces se les quita el pellegito restregándolos con un lienzo grueso y se van echando en agua; limpia y fría ya se tendrá hecha la almibar clarificada y de medio punto y estando fría se echan los chavacanos y se ponen á hervir á fuego lento para que se conserven y no se deshagan, si sube mucho de punto el almibar antes de que estén conservados los chavacanos, se echa agua caliente y así que ya están se deja tome punto la almibar, poniéndole al dulce antes de separarlo de la lumbre una ó dos cucharadas de catalán que le dá muy buen gusto."

English Translation

"The apricots for the preserve should not be green nor bruised or smashed, as the sweet would not taste good; to remove their skin, place them in a pot with boiling water in which a little wood ash flower (flor de ceniza) has been put and leave them, stirring from time to time, until the water cools. Then remove the skin by rubbing them with a thick cloth and place them in clean, cold water. Meanwhile, prepare clarified syrup of medium thickness and, once cool, add the apricots and bring to a slow boil so that they are preserved and do not fall apart. If the syrup thickens too much before the apricots are preserved, add hot water. Once done, let the syrup reach the proper thickness, and before removing from the heat, add one or two spoonfuls of 'catalán' (a type of spirit), which gives the sweet a very good flavor."

Note on the Original Text

Recipe writing in the late 19th century was direct but assumed a foundational kitchen knowledge—proportions were often implied, and timing was gauged by observation rather than clock. Some old spellings appear: 'pellejito' (skin), 'chavacanos' (chabacanos, apricots), and 'almibar' (almíbar, syrup). The recipe gives priority to ingredient quality and practical knowledge, such as removing skins by blanching with 'flor de ceniza'—a leaching agent, here substituted with modern baking soda. Measurement was done by eye or with large kitchen spoons ('cucharadas').

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6 (1890)

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

Writer

Antonio Vanegas Arroyo

Era

1890

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful pocket-sized volume from the famed Cocina en el bolsillo series, offering an array of tempting recipes for every occasion—a true culinary companion for the creative home cook of yesteryear.

Kindly made available by

University of Texas at San Antonio

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from "La Cocina en el Bolsillo No. 6", published in 1890 by Antonio Vanegas Arroyo, a prolific printer famed for making cookery culture accessible to Mexican households. This series acted as a culinary companion for home cooks, democratizing recipes that would otherwise remain the domain of grand kitchens. At the crossroads of Mexican tradition and European confectionery practices, this preserve (conserva) speaks to 19th-century trends in preserving surplus fruit with sugar, a luxury that was increasingly within reach. Fortified wines such as Catalán added not only flavor but also a subtle sense of occasion to homemade sweets.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks of the 1890s would have used a large clay or metal olla (pot) for blanching the fruit and simmering the syrup, a wooden spoon for stirring, a coarse linen or hemp kitchen towel for rubbing off the skins, and glass jars (sometimes wax-sealed or tightly lidded) for storage. Water would be heated over a wood or charcoal stove, requiring careful temperature management. A sugar thermometer was rare, so cooks gauged syrup consistency by sight and touch: the classic 'thread stage' forming between moistened fingers. A ladle and an extra bowl for transferring fruit between hot and cold water were also essential.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 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

2.2 lbs ripe, firm apricots (chabacanos)
1 tablespoon food-grade soda ash or 1 tablespoon baking soda (as substitute for flor de ceniza)
3 3/4 cups white granulated sugar
1 2/3 cups water
1–2 tablespoons Catalán (substitute: sweet Muscatel wine, Spanish dessert wine, or a mild fruit liqueur)
Extra water for blanching and cooling

Instructions

Choose ripe but not overly soft apricots (about 2.2 lbs).
To peel them easily, bring a large pot of water to a boil.
Add 1 tablespoon of food-grade soda ash or baking soda (as a substitute for 'flor de ceniza') to the water.
Drop in the apricots for 1–2 minutes, stirring gently, then transfer them immediately to cold water to stop the cooking and help loosen the skins.
Rub off the skins gently with a clean kitchen towel.
Prepare a light syrup by dissolving 3 3/4 cups white granulated sugar in 1 2/3 cups water; boil until the syrup reaches thread stage (around 221°F).
Allow the syrup to cool slightly.
Add the peeled apricots to the cooled syrup, then gently simmer over low heat until the apricots are just tender and the syrup begins to thicken but is not caramelized (about 20–30 minutes).
If the syrup thickens too quickly, add hot water as needed, always being gentle to prevent the fruit from breaking apart.
When the apricots are ready, raise the heat to reach your preferred syrup consistency.
Just before removing from the heat, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of Catalán (sweet fortified wine such as Muscatel or a mild Spanish liqueur).
Let cool and store in sterilized jars.

Estimated Calories

220 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend some time peeling the apricots and preparing the syrup before cooking. The cooking itself takes about half an hour. Each serving includes sweetened apricots in syrup, and the calories reflect the sugar and fruit content.

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.