Walnuts.
THERE are various methods of pickling walnuts, in
order to have them of different colours, the number of
which are four, namely, black, white, olive-colour, and
green; each of which we ſhall deſcribe in their pro-
per order.
To pickle walnuts black, you muſt gather them before
the ſhell gets too hard, which may be known by running
a pin into them, and always gather them when the ſun is
hot upon them. Put them into ſtrong ſalt and water for
nine days, and ſtir them twice a day, obſerving to change
the ſalt and water every three days. Then put them into
a hair ſieve, and let them ſtand in the air till they turn
black. Put them into ſtrong ſtone jars, and pour boiling
vinegar over them; cover them up, and let them ſtand
till they are cold. Then give the vinegar three more
boilings, pour it each time on the walnuts, and let it
ſtand till it is cold between every boiling. Then tie
them down with paper and a bladder over them, and let
them ſtand two months. When that time has elapſed,
take them out of the vinegar, and make a pickle for
them thus: To every two quarts of vinegar put half an
ounce of mace, and the ſame of cloves, of black pepper,
Jamaica pepper, long pepper, and ginger, an ounce
each, and two ounces of common ſalt. Boil it ten
minutes, then pour it hot on your walnuts, tie them cloſe
down, and cover them with paper and a bladder.
To pickle walnuts white, you muſt proceed thus:—
Having procured a ſufficient quantity of walnuts, of the
largeſt ſize, and taken the before-mentioned precaution
that the ſhells are not too hard, pare them very thin till
the white appears, and throw them into ſpring water and
a handful of ſalt as you do them. Let them lay in that
water ſix hours, and put a thin board upon them to keep
them under the water. Then ſet a ſtew-pan with ſome
clean ſpring water on a charcoal fire. Take your nuts
out
out of the water, put them into the ſtew-pan, and let
them ſimmer four or five minutes, but be careful they do
not boil. Then have ready a pan of ſpring water with a
handful of ſalt in it, and ſtir it till the ſalt is melted; then
take your nuts out of the ſtew-pan with a wooden ladle,
or ſpoon, and put them into the cold water and ſalt.
Let them ſtand a quarter of an hour, with the board lying
on them to keep them down as before; for if they are not
kept under the liquor they will turn black. Then lay
them on a cloth, and put them into your jar, with ſome
blades of mace and nutmeg ſliced thin. Mix your ſpice
between your nuts, and pour diſtilled vinegar over them.
When your jar is properly filled with nuts, pour mutton
fat over them, tie them down cloſe with a bladder and lea-
ther, and let them in a dry place.
Walnuts to be pickled of an olive colour, muſt be
managed thus: Having gathered your walnuts with the
ſame precautions as before directed, put them into ſtrong
ale allegar, and tie them down under a bladder and paper
to keep out the air. Let them ſtand twelve months,
then take them out of the allegar, and make for them a
pickle of ſtrong allegar. To every quart, put half an
ounce of Jamaica pepper, the ſame of long pepper, a
quarter of an ounce of mace, the ſame of cloves, a head
of garlick, and a little ſalt. Boil them all together five or
ſix minutes, and then pour it upon your walnuts. As it
gets cold, boil it again three times, and pour it on them.
Then tie them down with a bladder and paper over it;
and if your allegar is good, they will keep ſeveral years,
without either turning colour or growing ſoft. You may
make a very good catchup of the allegar that comes from
the walnuts, by adding a pound of anchovies, an ounce
of cloves, the ſame of long and black pepper, a head of
garlick, and half a pound of common ſalt, to every gallon
of allegar. Boil it till it is half reduced, and ſkim it well,
Then bottle it for uſe, and it will keep a great while.
To pickle walnuts green, proceed as follows: Make
choice of the large double or French walnuts, gathered
before the ſhells are hard. Wrap them ſingly in vine
leaves, put a few vine leaves in the bottom of your jar, and