Recipe Manuscript

Selleri Sauce For Kogt Fugl Eller Kalkun

Name: Selleri Sauce For Kogt Fugl Eller Kalkun
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 16 grams all-purpose flour (about 2 tablespoons); 100 grams unsalted butter (about 1 standard teacup); 570 ml whole milk (about 1 British pint); 3 medium heads of celery; Water, for boiling celery

"Celery Sauce For Boiled Fowl Or Turkey"

1884

From the treasured pages of Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Beginner Dinner Lunch Other

Selleri Sauce For Kogt Fugl Eller Kalkun

Original Recipe • 1884

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

Selleri Sauce For Kogt Fugl Eller Kalkun

"To Spiseskeer Mel blandes med en Thekop fuld af Smør. 1 Pint kogende Mælk haves beredt; Melet og Smørret røres i Mælken. 3 Sellerihoveder skaarne i smaa Stykker koges i Vand, hvilket sies af; derpaa kommes Sellerierne i Mælken og det sættes over Ilden for 5 a 10 Minutter, idet man bestandig rører i det."

English Translation

"Celery Sauce for Boiled Fowl or Turkey. Two tablespoons of flour are mixed with a teacup full of butter. One pint of boiling milk is prepared; the flour and butter are stirred into the milk. Three heads of celery, cut into small pieces, are boiled in water, which is then strained off; then the celery is added to the milk and it is set over the fire for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written concisely, assuming the reader has a foundational knowledge of cookery. There are no timings for boiling celery—cooks would judge doneness by sight and feel. Quantities are imprecise (a 'teacup' of butter), reflecting period measures. Spelling reflects 19th-century Danish and a mix of capitalizations (e.g. 'Melet', 'Smørret')—standard for the time. The recipe flows in a continuous narrative rather than as step-by-step instructions, in keeping with the period’s cookbook style.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog (1884)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1884

Publisher

"Den Norskdanske boghandels" forlag

Background

A delightful journey through Danish culinary traditions as they flourished in Chicago at the end of the 19th century, this book offers a tasteful collection of recipes and practical cookery wisdom for both the adventurous and the nostalgic gourmand.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This deliciously creamy celery sauce appears in an 1884 Danish-language cookbook published in Chicago for the Norwegian-Danish immigrant community. These cooks balanced European traditions with what was available in America, giving us a glimpse into immigrant adaptation in the kitchen. Celery sauce, served here for boiled fowl or turkey, was a refined way to complement poultry with garden flavors, using everyday ingredients—milk, butter, flour, vegetables—found in any well-stocked late 19th-century kitchen.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks in the 1880s would have prepped this sauce using simple tools: a large pot or kettle for blanching celery, a saucepan for the sauce, wooden spoons for stirring, and a sieve or colander to drain the celery. Measuring was often done by teacup or tablespoon, relying on intuition and experience more than precision. Cooking would be carried out over a wood- or coal-fired stove, requiring careful attention to keep the sauce from scorching.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

20 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

0.56 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 tablespoons)
3.5 ounces unsalted butter (about 1 standard teacup)
20 fluid ounces whole milk (about 1.2 US pints or 1 British pint)
3 medium heads of celery
Water, for boiling celery

Instructions

To prepare Selleri Sauce for boiled chicken or turkey, start by blending 2 tablespoons (about 0.56 ounces) of all-purpose flour with a teacupful (roughly 3.5 ounces) of butter until smooth.
Meanwhile, have ready 1 pint (about 1.2 US pints or 20 fluid ounces) of boiling milk.
Gradually stir the flour and butter mixture into the hot milk.
Take 3 heads of celery, wash, trim, and slice them into small pieces.
Boil the celery in water until tender, then drain the water away.
Add the cooked celery pieces to your milk mixture, and return everything to the heat, stirring constantly for 5-10 minutes until thickened and incorporated.
Serve warm over boiled poultry.

Estimated Calories

185 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and cooking Selleri Sauce takes about 15 minutes for prep and 20 minutes to cook. The recipe serves 4 people, and each serving is about 185 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.