Recipe Manuscript

Olive Greens

Name: Olive Greens
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 1
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 100g wool fabric (or silk, linen—pale or muted color); 10g potassium aluminum sulfate (alum); Water, as needed; 10g weld (Reseda luteola) or 5g turmeric (as yellow dye source); 50ml household ammonia solution (as substitute for urine); Optional: additional vessels for rinsing

1670

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Other

Original Recipe • 1670

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Olive Greens

"Olive greens must be of lighter or sadder hewes; and allum'd, then yellowed to be green; thereafter give it water lesse or more, as you would have it a reddish or greenish olive: so give it two pots full of pisse while it is yet hot; and then syndge it in water."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is communicated in very plain, direct language—a feature of many practical manuscripts of the 17th century. Spelling is phonetic: 'allum'd' means mordanted with alum, 'syndge' is an early form of 'singe' or rinse, and 'hewes' means hues. Proportions are vague; such directions assumed the reader had hands-on experience with dyeing techniques. The recipe combines brief instructions, color theory, and technical shortcuts typical of the era’s craft instructions.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1670)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1670

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful voyage through 17th-century kitchens, this manuscript tempts the senses with timeless recipes, forgotten flavors, and the intrigue of historical culinary craft. Savory secrets and sweet indulgences await within its well-worn pages.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from an English manuscript book dating approximately to the 1660s–1680s—a time when natural dyes were the only way to bring color to your clothing and household textiles. The recipe reflects not a food preparation but a colorist’s art: fabric dyeing. 'Olive greens' were fashionable and prized for their subdued yet complex tones, perfect for the somber and elegant attire of the Restoration era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back then, this recipe would have required a large cauldron or dye pot, a sturdy stirring stick (often wood), smaller pots for preparing the mordant and dye solutions, and tongs or poles for moving the hot, wet fabric. Water would be heated over an open fire. The use of urine (collected in chamber pots) as a source of ammonia was common in dyeing workshops. The final rinse would be done in a separate tub or basin.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

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

3.5 oz wool fabric (or silk, linen—pale or muted color)
0.35 oz potassium aluminum sulfate (alum)
Water, as needed
0.35 oz weld (Reseda luteola) or 0.18 oz turmeric (as yellow dye source)
1.7 fl oz household ammonia solution (as substitute for urine)
Optional: additional vessels for rinsing

Instructions

To recreate this historical dye recipe for 'olive greens' with modern equivalents, begin by selecting wool or fabric that is either a pale (light) or dull (muted) shade.
Mordant the fabric by soaking it in a solution of alum (potassium aluminum sulfate) to help the dye adhere.
Next, dye the fabric yellow using a yellow dye such as weld or turmeric.
To achieve an olive green color, adjust the ratio of water in the dye bath—the less water, the more reddish-olive the hue; the more water, the greener the olive will be.
In the 17th century, 'pisse' (urine) was used as a source of ammonia to help set and adjust the color.
Today, you may substitute this with household ammonia solution.
Once your fabric has taken on the desired color, rinse it thoroughly in water to finish the process.

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 10 minutes to gather your materials and set up your workspace. The dyeing and setting process will take about 1 hour. This recipe is for dyeing one 100g piece of fabric. There are no calories in this recipe since it is not food.

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.