Recipe Manuscript

Pour Faire Sauon Girofflat

Name: Pour Faire Sauon Girofflat
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT10M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 450 grams unscented soap (Castile or other pure soap, grated or chopped); 250 ml rosewater (or as needed, plus additional for boiling); 45 grams whole cloves (ground finely); 5 ml benzoin tincture (optional, or substitute with vanilla extract for gentle scent)

"To Make Clove Soap"

1541

From the treasured pages of Bastiment de receptes

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Other

Original Recipe • 1541

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Pour Faire Sauon Girofflat

"Prens vne liure de sauon metz la trem per en eau rose au soleil p trois iours, & quant tu vouldras faire ton sauo, aye vne once & demye de clou bien battu, & la moytie dudict clou mettras dens ton sauon, en meslant bien diligemmet: de laul tre moytie faiz ce qui sensuyt. ayes vng pe tit pot auec eau rose, & le faiz boullir au feu, & quant commencera a bouillir, metz le reste de ta poul dre de giroffle dedens, & oste le pot du feu, & le couure tresbien, ius que a ce que le boillon soit cesse & que leaue soit attyedic, puis remue le auec vne buchet te, & ainsi en remuant, mesle auec ton sauo. Et si tu y veulx adiouster vng peu de ben iuyn tu le peulx faire, ainsy tu mettras ton sa uon dedens la boette & il prendra forme & odeur bien bonne."

English Translation

"Take a pound of soap and soak it in rose water in the sun for three days, and when you want to make your soap, have one and a half ounces of well-ground cloves, and put half of the cloves into your soap, mixing diligently. With the other half, do as follows. Take a small pot with rose water, and bring it to a boil on the fire, and when it begins to boil, put in the rest of your clove powder, and remove the pot from the fire, and cover it very well, until the boiling has stopped and the water has cooled. Then stir it with a little stick, and as you stir, mix it with your soap. And if you wish to add a little benzoin, you may do so; then you will put your soap into the box, and it will take a very good shape and scent."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in early modern French, with irregular spelling and orthography reflecting the 16th-century vernacular and printing conventions. Instructions were direct, descriptive, and lacked precise measurements by today’s standards—weights such as 'liure' (pound) and 'once' (ounce) are used, but methods assume considerable household knowledge. Abbreviations and contractions, as well as outdated spellings ('clou' for clove, 'sauon' for soap, 'iau' or 'eau' for water), are typical. Recipes were transmitted in prose, emphasizing sequential actions rather than distinct ingredient lists or times, and often suggested ingredient variations for personalization.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Bastiment de receptes - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Bastiment de receptes (1541)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1541

Publisher

A Lescu de Coloigne

Background

Step into the culinary secrets of Renaissance France! 'Bastiment de receptes' is a delectable compendium newly translated from Italian, brimming with recipes, curious odors, and medicinal tidbits designed to both delight the palate and preserve health.

Kindly made available by

Library of Congress

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from early Renaissance Lyon, France, printed in 1541 in a compendium collecting Italian recipes presented for a French audience. The book was part of a wave of 'secrets' literature that circulated practical and luxurious household formulae among the elite and aspiring classes. Such perfumed soaps exemplified both the technological sophistication and sensory tastes of the period, prized for personal hygiene and the conveyance of refinement and wealth through fragrance. Clove was a luxurious spice imported from the East Indies, while rosewater was widely used in European cosmetics and cookery. Benzoin, if used, was another aromatic imported resin often found in apothecaries' shops and perfumery. Soap-making itself was a specialized trade, but affluent homes and early pharmacies delighted in customizing plain soap with precious essences.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original makers would have used glazed pottery or copper pots for boiling liquids on a hearth or brazier, wooden spatulas or sturdy whisks for stirring, and hand-carved wooden molds or small lidded boxes to shape and store the finished soap. Mortars and pestles were essential for grinding whole spices to a fine powder. Soap was usually softened or grated by hand, then carefully perfumed in small batches.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 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

16 ounces unscented soap (Castile or other pure soap, grated or chopped)
1 cup rosewater (or as needed, plus additional for boiling)
1.5 ounces whole cloves (ground finely)
1 teaspoon benzoin tincture (optional, or substitute with vanilla extract for gentle scent)

Instructions

To make clove-scented soap, begin by taking 16 ounces (about 1 lb) of unscented soap and soak it in enough rosewater to cover, then leave it in the sunlight for three days.
When ready to perfume your soap, finely grind 1.5 ounces (about 43 grams) of whole cloves, and mix half (about 0.75 ounces) thoroughly into the softened soap.
Reserve the other half.
Take a small pot and add enough rosewater to allow the cloves to steep.
Bring the rosewater to a gentle boil, then add the remaining ground cloves.
Remove from heat immediately, cover, and allow to infuse until the liquid is cool and fragrant.
Stir well with a whisk or spoon, then blend this clove-rosewater into the soap mixture, mixing until evenly combined.
Optionally, add a splash (about 1 teaspoon) of benzoin resin tincture for extra scent and preservative power.
Mold the soap into your desired containers and allow to set, so it takes on a firm texture and richly spiced aroma.

Cooking Estimates

This soap recipe takes about 15 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook, but you will need to let the soap soak in rosewater in the sun for 3 days. The soap does not have significant calories as it is not for eating. This recipe yields about 8 bars of soap.

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.