Recipe Manuscript

Pour Faire Vne Chandelle Qui Ne Sestraindra Iamais Au Fouffler

Name: Pour Faire Vne Chandelle Qui Ne Sestraindra Iamais Au Fouffler
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 1
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 candle wick (15 cm, hemp or cotton); 10 g powdered sulfur (sulfur flowers, available as garden sulfur); 1 piece of fine linen (about 15x5 cm); 50-70 g beeswax

"To Make A Candle That Will Never Be Extinguished By Blowing"

1541

From the treasured pages of Bastiment de receptes

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Other

Pour Faire Vne Chandelle Qui Ne Sestraindra Iamais Au Fouffler

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 Vne Chandelle Qui Ne Sestraindra Iamais Au Fouffler

"Prens vne chandelle ou vne meiche de chanvre & du soufre vif en pouldre, & envelloppe tresbien ladicte meiche dens icelle pouldre, & ayes vng morceau de linge delye, lequel envelloppe autour de la meiche, puys couvre le tout de cyre, & en fais forme de chandelle, allume la tu verras que pour fouffler ne sestraindra iamais."

English Translation

"To make a candle that will never be extinguished by blowing. Take a candle or a hemp wick and some brimstone (sulfur) in powder, and wrap the said wick very well in this powder. Also, have a piece of fine cloth, which you wrap around the wick, then cover everything with wax and shape it into a candle. Light it and you will see that no matter how much you blow, it will never be extinguished."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in Middle French, with archaic spellings (e.g. 'sestraindra' for 's'éteindra'—meaning 'will not go out') and a direct, no-frills style. The instructions assume the reader is familiar with the handling of raw materials like sulfur and beeswax. The text cautions the maker in veiled terms—sulfur was known to have pungent fumes and was used both for magic and practical jokes. The playful, semi-mystical tone was popular in 'books of secrets,' appealing to both curiosity and household utility.

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 comes from the mid-16th century French book 'Bastiment de receptes,' published in Lyon in 1541 by the Frellon printers. At that time, 'books of secrets' offered practical household recipes, from perfumes to medicines, to all manner of curious tricks. This particular recipe fell into the realm of experimental 'fire tricks': a magical candle seemingly unextinguishable by ordinary breath, delighting and startling the audience of the Renaissance home.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the 16th century, this recipe would have been made using basic household tools—a mortar and pestle to powder the sulfur, linen scraps cut with shears, a small pot or pan to melt beeswax over a hearth, tongs to handle the hot materials, and perhaps a simple form or hands to shape the candle. Work would be done by the kitchen fire or a workshop table.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 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

1 candle wick (6 inches, hemp or cotton)
0.35 oz powdered sulfur (sulfur flowers, available as garden sulfur)
1 piece of fine linen (about 6x2 inches)
1.75-2.5 oz beeswax

Instructions

To make a candle that will never go out, start by taking a standard candle wick made of hemp or cotton, approximately 6 inches long.
Coat the wick thoroughly in powdered sulfur (about 0.35 ounces should suffice for one candle).
Then wrap this powdered wick tightly in a thin linen cloth so it forms a neat bundle.
Melt approximately 1.75-2.5 ounces of beeswax and cover the wrapped wick completely, shaping the whole into a typical candle form.
Allow the wax to set.
Once ready, light the candle—the recipe promises no amount of blowing will extinguish it (though, please note, the candle will emit strong fumes and should only be lit outdoors or in a well-ventilated area).

Cooking Estimates

You will spend a few minutes preparing the wick and wrapping it in linen, then melting and pouring the beeswax. The wax will need time to cool and set before your candle is ready. This recipe makes one special candle and is not intended for eating, so there are no calories.

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.