Recipe Manuscript

To Make Aquamarabillus

Name: To Make Aquamarabillus
Prep time: PTPT1H
Cook time: PTPT6H
Yield: 70
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1.1 liters juice of fresh green celandine (Chelidonium majus; substitute: fresh parsley juice as a last resort); 570 ml juice of spearmint; 570 ml juice of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis); 570 ml juice of angelica (Angelica archangelica); 340 g sun-dried raisins (golden sultanas as substitute); 340 g fine white sugar; 2 lemons, sliced; 3 oranges, sliced; 2 liters French brandy; 4 liters filtered water; 10 g dried galingale root (use fresh ginger as substitute); 10 g dried bistort root (or dock/gentian root); 10 g dried orris root; 10 g cardamom pods; 10 g dried cubebs (substitute with equal mix black pepper and allspice); 10 g calamus root (Acorus calamus; can omit if unavailable due to safety concerns); 10 g mace blades; 10 g whole cloves; 10 g cinnamon stick; 10 g whole nutmeg, crushed; 7 g dried violet flowers; 7 g dried mullein flowers; 7 g dried damask or red rose petals; 4 liters French brandy (for infusion); 1.35 kg white sugar (for syrup); 120 ml rosewater

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Advanced Drink

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Make Aquamarabillus

"take a large quarte of the iuce of green sallindine a large pint of the iuce of sparemint a large pint of the iuce of balm a large pint of the iuce of angellico 3 quarters of a pound of raysons in the sun bruised 3 quarters of a pound of glister suger and take 2 lemons and 3 oringes slised you must put all these together into your still and with them put in 2 quartes of french Brandy and 4 quartes of fair water to saive your still draw of 6 quartes altogether then you need not put in any water when you still your drugs then take gallingall bistord orice root Cardimum Cubibes Callimusarimaticus Mace Cloues Cenimon Nutmegs & flowers Violet flowers Mellenen Roses damask or Red of each of these a quarter and halfe quarter of an ounce the flowers must be dry. bruise the drugs in a Morter. infuse the flowers and drugs a day and a night in a gallon of french brandy more. then add to that still the 6 quartes as you drawd off with your juices and then draw of 6 quartes of strong and one quart of small by it selfe to make your surop of: when you make you surop you must take 3 pound of suger and a quarter of a pint of rosewater if you think your water will be so strong put in all your quart of small let it be a thine surop let it must boyle and then scum it and put it hot to your water then strane it throw 4 or 5 flanell bags 3 or 4 times when it is Cold filter it through paper you must not be so long after your water is stilld befor you sweetin it because the small water won't keep when you still it keep a gentle fier and let your water in your worm tub be allwajes Cold Coole"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in continuous prose with little punctuation, typical of early 18th-century manuscript instructions. Quantities are given using contemporary measures (quarts, pints, pounds), and spellings vary: 'iuce' for 'juice', 'suerop' for 'syrup', 'boyle' for 'boil', and so on. Synchronic variations like 'glister suger' (refined white sugar) and 'Callimusarimaticus' (calamus aromaticus) reflect both orthographic freedom and a focus on practical kitchen knowledge over precise taxonomy. Directions often assume familiarity with equipment and procedures, expecting the reader to understand, for example, how to regulate 'a gentle fier' under the still, or how to 'scum' a syrup. The recipe also weaves together several processes: juicing, infusing, distilling, and syrup-making, presuming a skilled cook or distiller.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1700)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into the kitchens of the early 18th century, this historic culinary manuscript promises a feast of recipes, remedies, and perhaps a pinch of mystery. Expect both practical fare and elegant inspiration for the curious cook.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from the early 18th century British manuscript tradition. 'Aquamarabillus' is a kind of herbal distillate or cordial, combining elements of medicinal 'waters' and fashionable flavored spirits of the period. Recipes like these reflect both the domestic pharmacopoeia and the pleasures of the table: they were used for both health and conviviality, sometimes sipped as tonics, sometimes enjoyed as luxurious liqueurs. The recipe demonstrates the 1700s fascination with complex botanical concoctions, blending herbal, floral, and spicy notes to create elaborate beverages. It reflects the overlap between kitchen and stillroom, where housewives or apothecaries practiced both household medicine and fine drinking traditions.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in 1700, this recipe would be made in the household 'stillroom' using a copper or glazed earthenware alembic still, designed for extracting aromatic waters and spirits. The process called for a mortar and pestle for bruising roots and spices, muslin or flannel for straining, and sometimes paper cones for the final filtering. Water supplies were drawn from wells or rainwater cisterns and carefully filtered. A gentle coal or wood fire would regulate the temperature, and cool water was circulated around the worm-tub (the condenser) of the still to ensure proper condensation of spirits. The tools would have been both robust and handmade, requiring skill and experience to operate.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

6 hrs

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 1/3 pints juice of fresh green celandine (Chelidonium majus; substitute: fresh parsley juice as a last resort)
1 pint juice of spearmint
1 pint juice of lemon balm (Melissa officinalis)
1 pint juice of angelica (Angelica archangelica)
12 oz sun-dried raisins (golden sultanas as substitute)
12 oz fine white sugar
2 lemons, sliced
3 oranges, sliced
2 quarts French brandy
4 1/4 quarts filtered water
1/3 oz dried galingale root (use fresh ginger as substitute)
1/3 oz dried bistort root (or dock/gentian root)
1/3 oz dried orris root
1/3 oz cardamom pods
1/3 oz dried cubebs (substitute with equal mix black pepper and allspice)
1/3 oz calamus root (Acorus calamus; can omit if unavailable due to safety concerns)
1/3 oz mace blades
1/3 oz whole cloves
1/3 oz cinnamon stick
1/3 oz whole nutmeg, crushed
1/4 oz dried violet flowers
1/4 oz dried mullein flowers
1/4 oz dried damask or red rose petals
4 quarts French brandy (for infusion)
3 lbs white sugar (for syrup)
1/2 cup rosewater

Instructions

Begin by juicing fresh green celandine (approx.
2 1/3 pints), spearmint (1 pint), lemon balm (1 pint), and angelica (1 pint).
Combine all these vibrant juices in a large pot.
To this, add 12 oz of sun-dried raisins (opt for golden sultanas as a close substitute if needed), and 12 oz of refined sugar.
Next, slice two lemons and three oranges and add them to the pot.
Pour in 2 quarts of good-quality French brandy and 4 1/4 quarts (1 gallon plus 1 pint) of clean, filtered water.
Place everything into a still or large covered pot (if improvising at home, a slow cooker on low heat or a sous-vide bath covered tightly works as a gentler heat source).
Distill, and collect about 1 1/2 gallons total of the aromatic distillate.
Now, take your dried roots and spices – galingale, bistort (use dock or gentian root if unavailable), orris root (from iris), cardamom, cubebs, calamus root, mace, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg – and a medley of dried flowers: violets, mullein, damask or red rose petals (about 1/3 oz each, except flowers at 1/4 oz each).
Gently crush these aromatics in a mortar.
Infuse with an additional 4 quarts of brandy for 24 hours.
Add the previously distilled liquid (1 1/2 gallons) to this aromatized brandy, and distill once again, collecting about 1 1/2 gallons of final spirit (reserve the last quart as a lighter 'small').
For the syrup, dissolve 3 lbs sugar plus 1/2 cup rosewater in the reserved 'small' quantity.
Boil, skim, and add hot to your final spirit.
Pass through layers of muslin or coffee filters multiple times for exceptional clarity.
Bottle only when fully cold and clear.

Estimated Calories

220 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about an hour to juice, chop, and mix the ingredients. Distillation and infusing the brandy with aromatics will take most of a day, plus some additional time for filtering and finishing. Each serving is about a standard shot, so you get around 70 servings, each about 100 ml. The calories come mostly from sugar, raisins, and alcohol.

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.