Recipe Manuscript

Pigeons

Name: Pigeons
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT0M
Yield: 12
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500g finely crushed pumice stone or substitute with grit/gravel; 500g clay-rich earth; 100-150ml water (to form a dough); 10g cumin seeds; 10g caraway seeds; 60g bay salt; 60g cumin seeds; 60g asafoetida (use sparingly, or substitute with garlic as needed); 4L barley or oat meal (pooge meal); 500ml sweet wort (unfermented beer) or fresh low-alcohol beer; 5-10ml oil of spike (lavender oil); 20g cumin seeds (for sprinkling)

1745

From the treasured pages of Receipt book, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire

Written by Stevens family; Warwick family

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Beginner Other

Original Recipe • 1745

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

Pigeons

"Take Pomice Bricks & mix it with Earth & a Little Juice & add Cummin seeds & Caraway seeds make it up into a Large Lump or Take of Bay Salt Cumminseed assa ffoetida each 2.oz. in a Gallon of. Pooge meal. kneed with Sweet Wort or ffresh Small Beer Cut it in Large Pieces & set it by them Keep the Holes clean & wash them with an infusion of Assafoetida, afterwards anoint the sides with Oil of Spike. Bruised Cummin seeds & Sprinkle among their corn."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is recorded in an informal, often fragmented prose typical of early 18th-century manuscript collections. Spelling is variable, with 'assa ffoetida' (asafoetida), 'Pooge meal' (probably coarse barley/oat meal), and 'Sweet Wort' (unfermented beer). The directions reflect a 'commonsense' approach, expecting the reader to know how much liquid to add and how thick to make the lump. Measurements are occasionally precise (ounces, gallons), but often left up to the householder's discretion, revealing trust in experiential knowledge common to domestic manuscripts.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire (1745)

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

Writer

Stevens family; Warwick family

Era

1745

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful collection of 18th-century culinary wisdom, this manuscript bridges generations of the Stevens and Warwick families. Brimming with time-honored recipes, household tips, and a dash of historical flavor, it’s a savory journey into the kitchens of Georgian England.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the Stevens and Warwick families circa 1704-1787, a period when householders were deeply invested in the health, wellbeing, and productivity of their dovecotes. These 'pigeon cures' were less about cooking and more about protecting pigeons from pests or illnesses, ensuring a secure supply of meat, eggs, and manure. In a time before synthetic pesticides, pungent ingredients like cumin, caraway, bay salt, and especially asafoetida were prized for their reputed ability to repel vermin and disinfect living quarters, reflective of practical domestic science in the Georgian era.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The recipe would have been made using large wooden or earthenware mixing bowls, stone or wooden pestles for bruising seeds, and hands for kneading the meal with wort or beer. Cutting the lump into large pieces might have involved simple kitchen knives or even breaking by hand. For cleaning and anointing the pigeon holes, cloths or sponges were used for washing and applying oil, and simple jars or bottles would store the infusions and oils.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

0 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 2 oz finely crushed pumice stone or substitute with grit/gravel
1 lb 2 oz clay-rich earth
3.5–5 fl oz water (to form a dough)
0.35 oz (2 tsp) cumin seeds
0.35 oz (2 tsp) caraway seeds
2 oz bay salt
2 oz cumin seeds
2 oz asafoetida (use sparingly, or substitute with garlic as needed)
1 gal barley or oat meal (pooge meal)
16.9 fl oz (2 cups + 0.9 fl oz) sweet wort (unfermented beer) or fresh low-alcohol beer
1–2 tsp oil of spike (lavender oil)
0.7 oz (about 2 tbsp) cumin seeds (for sprinkling)

Instructions

To recreate this historical recipe, mix approximately 1 lb 2 oz (18 oz) of finely crushed pumice stone (or substitute with grit or fine gravel) with 1 lb 2 oz (18 oz) of clay-rich earth and enough water (about 3.5-5 fl oz) to make a pliable dough.
Stir in 0.35 oz (2 tsp) each of cumin and caraway seeds, then shape this mixture into a large lump.
Alternatively, combine 2 oz bay salt, 2 oz cumin seeds, and 2 oz asafoetida in 1 gal (8.5 US pints) of barley meal (or oat/husked grain meal if pooge meal is unavailable).
Knead the mix with about 16.9 fl oz (2 cups + 0.9 fl oz) of sweet wort (unfermented beer) or fresh, low-alcohol beer.
Cut into large pieces and place near the pigeons.
Keep the birds' holes (nests) clean, washing them with a water infusion of about 0.35 oz (2 tsp) asafoetida steeped in 17 fl oz (2 cups + 1 fl oz) of water, then rubbing the sides with a few drops (1-2 tsp) of oil of spike (lavender oil).
Lastly, bruise an additional handful (0.7 oz / about 2 tbsp) of cumin seeds and sprinkle them among the pigeons' regular grain.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and mixing the ingredients takes about 30 minutes because there is no actual cooking required. Calorie count is only estimated for the grain-based dough, as the clay and gravel mixture is not meant for human consumption. The recipe makes about 12 large pieces to place near the pigeons.

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.