To Make Fish Sauce
From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Elizabeth Smith
Written by Elizabeth Smith
To Make Fish Sauce
".. Take one pound of Anchovies halfe an ounce of Cloves & Mace 2 Rase of Ginger sliced a qtr lb. black Pepper a piece of Horse Radish some Lemon peel one Little Lemon a punch of Tagone & goud savony to all thee put one Pint of Red or White Wine & half a pint of Vinega let them stew over a slow fire half an houre then strain them thro a Sieve take all the spice out & put it into the Bottle."
Note on the Original Text
The original recipe is written in a compact, continuous style typical of 18th-century cookery books, lacking measurements that match modern precision and skipping step-by-step instructions. Quantities are often in pounds and pints, and some terms—like 'Rase of Ginger'—refer to pieces or slices. Spelling such as 'halfe' for 'half', 'punch' for 'bunch', and 'Tagone & goud savony' for 'tarragon and good savory' reflect phonetic spelling and historical orthography. The recipe assumes a knowledgeable cook and a flexible hand, a far cry from today’s technical exactitude.
Title
Receipt book of Elizabeth Smith (1775)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Elizabeth Smith
Era
1775
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step into the refined kitchens of the late 18th century with Elizabeth Smith, whose culinary wisdom offers a charming taste of Georgian elegance and time-honored recipes to delight any palate.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from Elizabeth Smith, a home cook working sometime between 1749 and 1800, a period when English kitchens were exploring flavors from across Europe and beyond. Fish sauces infused with spices were immensely popular for adding complexity and depth to dishes, serving as ancestors to today’s Worcestershire sauce and other savory condiments. Anchovies were imported in barrels and prized for their rich umami punch, while spices such as cloves, mace, and ginger showcased Britain’s connections to global trade.
Back in the 18th century, the cook would have used a heavy iron or copper saucepan over a hearth or slow fire, a wooden spoon for stirring, and a simple steel or porcelain grater for the lemon peel. After simmering, the mixture would be pushed through a linen cloth or a coarse sieve (strainer) to clarify. Storage would be in glass bottles, sealed with corks or wax.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
30 mins
Servings
10
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
- 1 lb salted anchovies
- 0.5 oz whole cloves
- 0.5 oz whole mace (or substitute with 0.25 oz ground mace if whole is unavailable)
- 0.7 oz fresh ginger root, sliced (about 2 knobs, ~2 inches each)
- 4 oz whole black peppercorns
- 2-inch piece of horseradish root, peeled and sliced
- 1 lemon (zest and 3 tbsp juice)
- A small handful fresh tarragon
- A small handful fresh savory (substitute with half handful fresh thyme if unavailable)
- 2 cups dry red or white wine
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
Instructions
- To make this 18th-century fish sauce, begin by combining 1 pound of salted anchovies, 0.5 ounce each of whole cloves and mace, 2 knobs (about 0.35 ounce each) of fresh ginger sliced, 4 ounces of whole black peppercorns, a piece (about 2 inches) of horseradish root (peeled and sliced), and the zest of one lemon along with the juice of one small lemon (about 3 tablespoons juice).
- Add a small handful each of fresh tarragon and savory (if savory is unavailable, substitute with a half handful of thyme).
- Pour over 2 cups of dry red or white wine and 1 cup of white wine vinegar.
- Simmer everything together gently over a low heat for 30 minutes.
- Strain thoroughly through a fine mesh sieve, pressing to extract the liquid.
- Remove all the spices and aromatics, and decant the spiced liquid into a clean bottle for storage.
Estimated Calories
20 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 15 minutes to get all your spices, herbs, and vegetables ready, and 30 minutes to simmer everything together. This recipe makes a strong, flavorful sauce, with about 10 servings per batch. Each serving has around 20 calories because most of the flavor comes from spices and anchovies, not fat or sugar.
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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