Recipe Manuscript

To Preserrve Walnutts

Name: To Preserrve Walnutts
Prep time: PTPT40M
Cook time: PTPT10M
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500g fresh green walnuts (soft, unripe); Water, as needed for soaking and blanching; 6-10 whole cloves (Syzygium aromaticum), or 1 per walnut divided into sixths; 300-400g granulated sugar (as needed for coating or making syrup)

1610

From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Sarah Longe

Written by Sarah Longe

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1610

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Preserrve Walnutts

"Take your Walnutts when they be greene, and pare all the greene of them; then prick 3 pricks in evry wallnutt; then - scald them as you do other things; when they be scalded, take them forth, and - lett them lye in water 2 or 3 day's; - and shift the water twice or 3 day's; then - take them forth, then take the 6th - part of a love and strick it in one End of Each wall nutt, sor put them in sugar, - and preserrve them as other fruite."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe's language is typical for the early 1600s, written in loose prose without exact measurements or times, relying on the cook's intuition. Spelling was fluid: 'preserrve' instead of 'preserve,' 'wallnutt' for 'walnut,' and 'love' likely referring to 'clove' (the spice). Instructions like 'scald them as you do other things' hint at assumed culinary knowledge—scrupulously left unelaborated.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book of Sarah Longe - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book of Sarah Longe (1610)

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

Writer

Sarah Longe

Era

1610

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into early 17th-century kitchens, this collection by Sarah Longe whisks readers through ancestral recipes, cooking tips, and the seasonings that graced the tables of Jacobean England. Prepare to savor the tastes and traditions of times gone by.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from Sarah Longe's manuscript, dated around 1610—a time when home preservation was essential for making the most of the harvest. Preserved walnuts were a delicacy, often enjoyed as sweetmeats or used to accompany meats and cheeses at the dining tables of the English gentry. Green (unripe) walnuts were a prized seasonal ingredient, and the method reflects both the necessity to preserve perishables before refrigeration and England's growing interest in sweet, spiced preserves influenced by global trade.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the early 17th century, the cook would have used a small, sharp knife for peeling, a fine needle or thin awl for pricking, and a large kettle or cauldron for boiling water. Earthenware or wooden bowls provided soaking containers. The preserved walnuts would have been stored in glazed ceramic jars or stoneware.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

40 mins

Cook Time

10 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

1 lb fresh green walnuts (soft, unripe)
Water, as needed for soaking and blanching
6-10 whole cloves (Syzygium aromaticum), or 1 per walnut divided into sixths
1 1/2 to 2 cups granulated sugar (as needed for coating or making syrup)

Instructions

Take fresh green walnuts, ideally when soft enough to pierce with a needle—usually harvested in late spring or early summer.
Using a vegetable peeler, remove all the green outer husk.
Prick each walnut three times with a sharp skewer or needle.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and blanch the walnuts for a few minutes, similar to scalding fruits before preserving.
Remove and submerge them in fresh cold water.
Leave the walnuts soaking for 2-3 days, changing the water twice a day to reduce bitterness.
When ready, remove the walnuts and dry them a bit.
Then, take about one-sixth of a clove (most likely clove spice) and stick one piece into the end of each walnut.
Place the walnuts in a preserving jar or container, cover with sugar (enough to coat or possibly a basic syrup to submerge), and preserve as you would candied fruit, allowing them to steep and absorb sweetness.

Estimated Calories

110 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing these candied green walnuts involves peeling, pricking, blanching, soaking, spicing, and packing them with sugar. Soaking takes the most time, but actual hands-on work is much shorter. Each walnut is considered one serving, and calories will depend on the amount of sugar used.

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.