Citronový Sulc
"Lemon Jelly"
From the treasured pages of Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči
Unknown Author
Citronový Sulc
"Na celú massu vezne sa dvanásť citrônov; štyry citrôny na cukre z ľahka obrúbať a nožom do nádoby šoškrabať; z ostatných citrônov kôrku na tenko srezať a dať do šálu. Zo 16 lôtov cukru urobí sa čistý sirup, vriaci sa vyleje na kôrky a nechá sa výstydnuť. Zo všetkých citrônov sa šťava z ľahka vytisne, citrôny sa omočia do čistej vody a ešte raz sa vytlačia, všetko sa spolu smieša a pridajú sa tri loty vizového mechúra, to sa prez servyt pár razi precedí na čisto, dá sa do formy v ľade zapravenej a nechá sa sulcovať."
English Translation
"For the whole mass, take twelve lemons; rub four lemons lightly over sugar and scrape them into a container with a knife; thinly peel the rinds from the remaining lemons and put the peels into a bowl. Make a clear syrup from 16 lots of sugar, pour it boiling over the peels, and let it cool. Gently squeeze the juice from all the lemons, dip the lemons in clean water and squeeze them again; mix everything together and add three lots of isinglass. Strain this several times through a napkin until clear, pour it into a mold prepared in ice, and let it set into jelly."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe is written in the straightforward, narrative-heavy style of 19th-century cookbooks, where measurements rely on period-specific units (such as 'lot'), and procedures assume the cook has basic knowledge of ingredient preparation. The spelling reflects contemporary Slovak, using terms like 'citrôny' (lemons) and 'vizový mechúr' (isinglass), which modern cooks may find archaic. Such prose favored compactness over detailed instructions, trusting the reader's kitchen intuition.
Title
Prvá kucharská kniha v slovenskej reči (1870)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1870
Publisher
Unknown
Background
An enchanting culinary treasure from the 19th century, this Slovak cookery book serves up a delightful array of recipes (recepty) to tempt the palate and inspire home chefs. A flavorful journey through time, it captures traditional tastes and kitchen wisdom with old-world charm.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe comes from an 1870 Slovak-language cookbook, revealing the tastes and culinary skills of Central European households in the late 19th century. At the time, lemon-based treats signified sophistication and access to luxury goods—lemons and refined sugar were treasured ingredients. The use of isinglass, derived from fish bladders, was common in fine jellied desserts before the widespread adoption of gelatin. Such recipes offer a glimpse into the techniques, resources, and palate of the era, balancing resourcefulness with indulgence. Lemon sulc (sulc meaning aspic or jelly) was likely served at festive tables or as a finale to elegant dinners.
Historic kitchens would have used a sharp paring knife for zesting and peeling, a sturdy citrus press or manual reamer for juice extraction, a large pot for syrup-making, and a fine sieve or cloth (like muslin or simple linen napkin) for straining. A special mold, often made of tin or ceramic, would receive the clarified liquid, and the setup would be chilled in or over ice, reflecting ingenious pre-refrigeration techniques.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings
8
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
- 12 lemons
- 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar
- 1 3/4 oz isinglass (substitute with approx. 1 1/4 oz powdered gelatin if unavailable)
- 2 cups water (approximate, for syrup and additional extraction)
- Extra sugar for rubbing lemons
Instructions
- To make this zesty Lemon Sulc (a type of lemon jelly), begin with twelve fresh lemons.
- Lightly rub four of them with sugar to collect the fragrant zest, then scrape off the outermost peel into a bowl.
- Peel the remaining eight lemons thinly and add those peels to the bowl as well.
- Meanwhile, dissolve about 1 1/3 cups granulated sugar in water and cook it into a clear syrup.
- Pour this hot syrup over all the collected lemon peels and allow it to cool completely.
- Squeeze all the lemons to extract their juice.
- For maximum juice extraction, dip the squeezed lemons briefly in clean water and press again.
- Combine this juice with the syrup and peels.
- Then, incorporate about 1 3/4 ounces isinglass (or use high-grade gelatin as a modern substitute).
- Strain the entire mixture several times through a clean cloth to ensure clarity.
- Pour the filtered liquid into a mold placed over ice, and let it set until firm, creating a refreshing lemon jelly.
Estimated Calories
160 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the lemons, zest, and syrup, and another 10 minutes to cook the syrup and dissolve the sugar. Chilling time for the jelly is not included here. Each serving has an estimated 160 calories, and the recipe makes 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.
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