Recipe Manuscript

To Preserve Gooseberrys

Name: To Preserve Gooseberrys
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 340 grams gooseberries (fresh, green varieties preferred); 540 grams white granulated sugar; 90 ml cold water

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 Preserve Gooseberrys

"To 3 quarters of a pound of gooseberrys, take 19 ounces of sugar. plit them & stonns them, and cut of their heads, leaving but short stalkes uppon them, put them into cold water as you stonne them, then beat ye sugar very fine. strew some of the sugar in the bottom of ye skillet, and then lay in the gooseberrys one by one with their plitt sides downe-wards, & strew in more sugar uppon them and put in halfe a dozsn spoonfulls of water, when ye sugar be dissolved, then sett them uppon the fire, give it a very quick one, and lett it boyle up to the top of the skillet then take it of the fire, and strew in more of the sugar that was left out, then carry it up close to a plate, and lett it stand a small tyme, till the boyling sugar be fallin downe, then sett it uppon the fire againe as you did before and boyle it up againe, thus doe severall tymes, strewing them on againe till they be of the fire make exsperiment of but one quarter of gooseberrys and sugar by portionable at one tyme"

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is structured as direct, sequential instructions, reflecting the oral traditions of the day—the author expects the reader to have some experience in the kitchen. Spelling is variable and phonetic ('boyle', 'stonns', 'plit'), a typical feature before standardized English. No timings or exact temperatures are given, as cooks relied on observation and intuition. The use of archaic measurements (quarters of a pound, spoonfuls) and the iterative method of boiling and resting mark this as a hands-on, experiential process. Notably, the recipe ends by suggesting a small experimental batch for first-timers—a sign that even then, cooks were encouraged to test unfamiliar methods on a modest scale.

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 hails from early 17th-century England, attributed to Sarah Longe (flourished around 1610). During this period, sugar was both prized and expensive, used not only for sweetening but also as a means of preserving precious fruits for the winter months. Preserved fruits such as gooseberries were not just everyday fare—they carried status and were often served as delicacies at banquets. In Longe’s time, preservation techniques were an important part of household management. Recipes like this one reveal both the ingenuity and the hands-on traditions of early modern English kitchens, where every stage of preparation was observed with care.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original cook would have used a brass or copper skillet placed over an open fire, relying on skillful manual control to judge heat levels. Gooseberries were split with a small knife, and the seeds laboriously removed by hand. Sugar would be pounded fine with a mortar and pestle. Water would be fetched fresh, and the mixture stirred or gently agitated with a wooden spoon or spatula. A plate was used to cover the pan, a practical tool for forcing the sugar syrup back down around the fruit as it cooled between boils.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

30 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

12 ounces gooseberries (fresh, green varieties preferred)
19 ounces white granulated sugar
3 fluid ounces cold water

Instructions

To make preserved gooseberries as per this early 17th-century recipe, begin with 12 ounces of fresh gooseberries.
Carefully split the berries, remove their seeds, and trim off just the tip of the stalk, leaving a short piece attached on each fruit for character.
Place the prepared berries in a bowl of cold water to stop browning.
Meanwhile, measure 19 ounces of white granulated sugar and grind or blitz it to a fine powder.
Scatter a thin layer of sugar in the bottom of a wide, heavy-based saucepan.
Lay the gooseberries in, cut side down, in a single layer.
Sprinkle with additional sugar and add 6 tablespoons (about 3 fluid ounces) of cold water.
Slowly heat until the sugar dissolves, then increase the heat and bring quickly to a full boil until the mixture foams up.
Remove from the heat, sprinkle in more sugar, and cover with a plate to force the syrup back down.
Let stand briefly, then repeat the boiling process several times, adding more sugar on each turn, until the berries are glazed and the syrup is thick.
Let cool before storing.
For best results, try a quarter batch first to perfect the method.

Estimated Calories

260 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes some time to remove seeds from gooseberries and trim them, since they are small fruits. Cooking involves several rounds of boiling and cooling, so allow extra time for that. The recipe makes about 4 servings, and each serving is fairly high in sugar, so the calorie count reflects that.

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.