Sixteenth Century French/Italian Recipe

Ingredients

gall nuts, rain water, German vitriol, gum, vinegar

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Take 1 ounce of crushed gall nuts, place in a cloth bag, and soak in 12 ounces of rain water for at least six days. Boil until the mixture is reduced to 8 ounces. Add 1 quart of ground German vitriol and 0.5 ounce of gum previously soaked in vinegar. Use only as much vinegar as necessary (p. 106).

Evidence

"Take one ounce of gall nuts crushed to pieces, then place them in a piece of cloth that you will tie not too tight; put the galls to soak in twelve ounces of rain water and let macerate at least six days"

Remarks

The reduction to 'eight beautiful and unctuous ounces' suggests a highly concentrated final product. The use of vinegar-soaked gum is a notable technical variation (p. 106).