DIY History | Transcribe | Szathmary Culinary Manuscripts and Cookbooks | English cookbook, 1799

Transcribe
Translate

Page 115

To preserve Ripe Melons
Pare the melons from all the green peel, then cut them into quarters, put them into cold water four or 5 days, then wipe them with a soft cloth, put them into fresh water & scald them, then make a syrup with one pd of sugar, and one pint of water, to each pd of melon, put in the melon let it boil ten minutes, put it away till the next day, then boil the syrup every other day, put it on cold till the last time, then add more sugar with two ozs of powdered ginger, the juice and peel of 3 lemons to each pound of melon, put it into pots & it will cut like preserved ginger - The ginger must be put into a muslin bag. 
An Excellent Spunge Cake Mrs Shire
Take 14 Eggs (leaving out 4 of the whites) one pd & a 1/2 of lump sugar powdered fine, whisk them together for 25 minutes or 1/2 an hour, then put in the peel of one lemon grated and 3 quarters of a pound of flour mix them and at the instant of sending them to Bake put in the juice of a lemon and a glass of Rose water - approved. 
To Make a Plum Pudding Without Eggs
one pd of Raisins, 3 1/4 a pd of Beef suet, one pd of flour one large spoonful of Treacle, mix with nearly a pint of milk (or water) add to it a little ginger at most boil 4 hours - NB half the quantity will fill a moderat sized mould.

Saving...

To preserve Ripe Melons Pare the melons from all the green peel, then cut them into quarters, put them into cold water four or 5 days, then wipe them with a soft cloth, put them into fresh water & scald them, then make a syrup with one pd of sugar, and one pint of water, to each pd of melon, put in the melon let it boil ten minutes, put it away till the next day, then boil the syrup every other day, put it on cold till the last time, then add more sugar with two ozs of powdered ginger, the juice and peel of 3 lemons to each pound of melon, put it into pots & it will cut like preserved ginger - The ginger must be put into a muslin bag. An Excellent Spunge Cake Mrs Shire Take 14 Eggs (leaving out 4 of the whites) one pd & a 1/2 of lump sugar powdered fine, whisk them together for 25 minutes or 1/2 an hour, then put in the peel of one lemon grated and 3 quarters of a pound of flour mix them and at the instant of sending them to Bake put in the juice of a lemon and a glass of Rose water - approved. To Make a Plum Pudding Without Eggs one pd of Raisins, 3 1/4 a pd of Beef suet, one pd of flour one large spoonful of Treacle, mix with nearly a pint of milk (or water) add to it a little ginger at most boil 4 hours - NB half the quantity will fill a moderat sized mould.