Tortelletti d’herba alla Lombarda - Herb tortellini in the Lombard Style - Scappi

Tortelletti d’herba alla Lombarda

Herb-Filled Pasta in the Lombard Style — Scappi’s Comforting Winter Classic

This delicate and fragrant dish of tortellini stuffed with sautéed greens, herbs, cheese, and sweet spices originates from Opera dell’Arte del Cucinare (1570), the monumental cookbook by Bartolomeo Scappi. Best known as the personal chef to Pope Pius V, Scappi was a master of both elaborate banquets and refined simplicity — and this recipe, nestled in Chapter 179 of his Secondo Libro, showcases the Lombard love of herbs, butter, and subtly sweet notes.

Scappi and the Rise of Pasta in the Renaissance Kitchen

Bartolomeo Scappi’s Opera (1570) offers one of the most complete windows into the elite cuisine of late Renaissance Italy — and pasta plays a surprisingly prominent role. While modern perceptions associate early Italian cuisine with bread and stews, Scappi details dozens of pasta forms: tortelletti, tagliatelle, lasagne, gnocchi, and more. He provides both fast-day (Lenten) and meat-day variations, often using rich fillings, egg-based doughs, and flavored broths.

Beyond Pasta: Scappi’s Influence on Italian Cuisine

While Scappi is celebrated for cataloging pasta, his legacy goes well beyond noodles. He formalized kitchen hierarchy, seasonal menu planning, and equipment standards that echoed into the 18th century and beyond. His work documents early uses of parchment paper for baking, cooking with a bain-marie, and even proto-refrigeration techniques using snow. He preserved the culinary knowledge of late medieval traditions while also introducing innovations that bridged the gap to modernity. Scappi’s recipes emphasized not only taste but also visual elegance, hygiene, and timing — principles that continue to shape Italian fine dining today.

His chapter on pasta (including Cap. 177–179) reflects the growing popularity of filled pasta in elite households — a sign of culinary sophistication. Doughs were often perfumed with rose water or sugar, and pasta was sometimes served in sweetened broths or dusted with sugar and cinnamon. These dishes bridged the gap between savory and sweet, medicine and indulgence, humble vegetables, and luxurious presentation.

In the Spirit of Romoli: Doctrine and Daily Table

Domenico Romoli’s La Singolare Dottrina (“The Singular Doctrine”) outlines not only how to cook but also how to organize and serve elaborate banquets across the seasons. His January banquet — which inspired this feast — features carefully curated combinations of hot and cold, dry and moist, light and heavy, always with an eye toward harmony and digestion. Pasta dishes like tortelletti fit perfectly into this philosophy: gentle on the stomach, warming in the winter months, and suitable for both Lenten and meatless preparations, depending on the broth and sauce.

Romoli, like Scappi, reflects the culinary doctrine of the sixteenth-century Italian elite, where food was viewed as an art, a science, and a means to health, all served in silver.

The Lombard Legacy: Herbs, Pasta, and Humoral Balance

Lombardy, located in northern Italy, was renowned throughout the Renaissance for its refined cuisine and affinity for dairy, herbs, and egg-rich dishes. Dishes like tortelletti d’herba reflect the region’s agricultural abundance and the influence of monastic gardens and courtly kitchens. These small-filled portions of pasta, cousins to ravioli and agnolotti, were considered both elegant and nourishing — ideal for feast days or Lenten fare when meat might be restricted, but the richness was not.

The inclusion of sweet spices like cinnamon and cloves, along with sugar and currants, reveals a broader Renaissance fascination with balancing flavors and creating contrasts on the palate — often underpinned by humoral theory. Warm spices helped balance the “cold” qualities of greens, while cheese and egg yolks added “moist” richness. In this way, tortelletti d’herba were more than delicious — they were medicinally appropriate.

Did You Know?
Common greens used in Renaissance kitchens included bietole (Swiss chard or beet tops), spinaci (spinach), and cavolo nero. Herbs like parsley, mint, marjoram, and savory were prized not just for flavor but for their role in digestive and humoral health.

What Herbs and Greens Were Used in Renaissance Tortelletti?

The phrase herba alla Lombarda in Scappi's recipe refers to a familiar blend of leafy greens and aromatic herbs popular in northern Italy during the Renaissance. Common greens included bietole (chard or beet greens), spinaci (spinach), and sometimes cavolo nero (black cabbage). These were often combined with soft herbs like parsley, marjoram, mint, and savory — herbs prized for their digestive and warming properties, aligning with humoral dietary practices of the time. Regional cooks might adjust the balance of herbs depending on season and occasion: more mint and marjoram in summer, more parsley and chard in winter.

We featured this dish as part of the Arrosto course at our 12th Night 2024 feast, where it was served alongside roast beef, sweet mustard sauce, Turkish squash, and jewel-like Renaissance jelly bites. Helewyse de Birkestad adapted the recipe used in her event, Feste di San Martino, and offers a beautifully balanced winter pasta that pairs greens with Parmesan, currants, and spices.

🦚 Curious about the full feast?
Explore the complete menu from the Flaming Gryphon 12th Night Feast 2024 to see all the dishes and historical inspirations behind this event.

Historical Recipe: Per far minestra di tortelletti d’herba alla Lombarda

Scappi, Opera (1570), Cap. CLXXIX, Secondo Libro

Take beet (chard) and spinach, chop very finely, wash in several waters, and wring dry. Fry them gently in fresh butter, and add a handful of odiferous herbs. Boil briefly, then drain and combine the mixture in a glazed earthen or tinned copper pot. Add grated Parmesan and soft cheese, with pepper, cinnamon, cloves, saffron, currants, and enough raw egg to bind. If too soft, add breadcrumbs; if too firm, more butter. Make pasta as described in Chapter 177, shape small or large tortelletti, boil in meat broth, and serve with cheese, sugar, and cinnamon on top.

Modern Redaction (Adapted by Helewyse de Birkestad)

Pasta Dough

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp rosewater
• ~1¼ cups warm water (as needed)

Filling

• 1 bunch Swiss chard
• 1 bunch spinach
• Small handful each: parsley, mint, marjoram
• 15 oz ricotta
• 6 oz Parmesan (grated)
• 1–2 eggs
• 1 oz currants
• Salt, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, and saffron to taste

Instructions

1. Make the Dough: Combine flour, salt, sugar, melted butter, and rosewater. Mix with warm water to form a smooth dough. Knead well, then rest covered for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare the Filling: Wash and chop the greens and herbs. Sauté in butter until wilted. Let cool, then pulse in a food processor with cheeses, eggs, spices, and currants until a firm but scoopable filling forms.
3. Shape the Tortelletti: Roll pasta thin (second-to-last setting on a hand-cranked machine). Cut into squares or circles. Place small scoops of filling, fold and seal. Shape into tortelletti.
4. Cook: Boil in salted water (or broth) until they float — about 5 minutes. Drain and serve hot.
5. To Serve: Top with a light dusting of grated cheese, cinnamon, and sugar for an authentic Renaissance finish.

Regional Variations Across Italy

Though Scappi’s version is firmly rooted in Lombardy, filled herb pastas appear across Italy with regional twists. In Emilia‑Romagna, tortelli di erbette are filled with greens and ricotta, often served with sage‑butter. Tuscany offers tortelli maremmani, sometimes incorporating wild greens and nutmeg. Liguria features pansoti made with preboggion (a traditional wild herb mix) and walnut sauce. Each variant celebrates local herbs and fillings while preserving the form’s essential comfort and seasonality.

Notes from the Feast Table

At 12th Night 2024, these tortelletti were part of the Arrosto course with:

• Spit-roasted beef (brisket)
• Turkish squash dishes
• Sweet mustard sauce
• Gelo in bocconcini di più colori (jelly in small bites)

Want More from This Feast?

This recipe is just one part of our 12th Night 2024 Renaissance Feast, inspired by Scappi, Romoli, and the lavish January banquets of Renaissance Italy.

To see the full event menu and explore additional recipes as they’re released, visit the official feast page:

Flaming Gryphon 12th Night 2024 Feast Menu.

Looking for printable cards or a bundled feast pack? Support the project on Ko-fi and stay tuned for downloads!

Revisiting Quince: A Medieval Fruit with Modern Flavor

 

Revisiting Quince: History, Recipes, and Rediscovery

What it is, why it matters, and how to cook with it today—plus links to historical quince recipes!

I. Introduction

In 2014, we explored quince for the first time on this blog. The Kitchen Adventures - Working with Quince, was one of the first articles I published.  Now, with years of experimentation behind us and a growing archive of recipes, we're returning to this fragrant fruit to dig deeper into its history, flavor, and role in historical cuisine.

Quince is a fruit both ancient and enigmatic—celebrated in antiquity, prized in the medieval kitchen, and curiously underused today. Its transformation through cooking is nothing short of alchemy: from rock-hard and mouth-puckering to melting, fragrant, and complex. This article revives quince in all its golden glory—offering techniques, tips, and historical insight to make it relevant for your table again.

II. What Is Quince?

Quince (Cydonia oblonga) is a member of the Rosaceae family, which includes apples, pears, and roses. Though too astringent to eat raw, quince undergoes a remarkable transformation when cooked—its firm flesh softens, its pale color deepens into a rosy amber, and its aroma fills the kitchen with a delicate perfume. Often considered the forgotten cousin of the apple, quince is nuanced, elegant, and quietly captivating.

III. A Long History of Love

Quince has charmed cultures for centuries. Dioscorides praised it in the first century, and it appeared frequently in medieval and Renaissance manuscripts in various forms: poached in honey, preserved with vinegar and spices, or simmered into thick, rich pastes. Known to the Greeks as the "Cydonian apple," quince was later featured in English recipes as chardequynce or quynade—early iterations of modern fruit jellies and marmalades.

Quince in Classical Medicine and Lore

Quinces were praised by herbalists and physicians across antiquity and the Middle Ages. Dioscorides recommended placing peeled quinces in a jar filled with honey, where they would soften into a medicinal treat over the course of a year—this method, called melomeli, was said to settle the stomach.

The Greeks called them kythoni, and Roman authors like Galen categorized quinces as cold and dry in nature. In medieval herbals like Henry Lyte’s 1578 translation of A Nievve Herball, quinces were described in detail: they could "stop the laske," soothe dysentery, prevent headaches from "vapors," and even ensure wise children if eaten during pregnancy.

Dodoens noted two varieties—apple and pear quinces—with the pear-shaped being larger. He described the scent as so fragrant that once the downy skin was removed, they appeared “as yellow as gold.”

Preservation Through Time: From Melomeli to Marmalade

Long before the term “marmalade” came to mean citrus jam, preserved quince was the original treat. Various names and techniques survive in recipes from the 1st to 16th centuries:

• Melomeli: Quince aged in honey for a year, per Dioscorides (1st c.).
• Cidonitum: A Roman and Byzantine jelly with vinegar, honey, ginger, and pepper.
• Chardequynce: A late medieval spiced paste of quince, honey, and ginger—eventually giving way to early marmalades and membrillo.

How to Make Chardequynce (Medieval Quince Paste)

Chardequynce was once served alongside cheese, meats, or at the close of a feast. It's made from cooked quince purée, honey, and warming spices—sometimes including eringo root (sea holly), considered an aphrodisiac in humoral medicine.

Teaser recipe: Simmer peeled, quartered quince until soft. Mash, strain, and cook with honey until thick enough to hold a furrow when stirred. Add ground ginger and (optionally) eringo. Spread into pans to dry. For full instructions, see: Of Quince, Its Nature and Virtues.

📜 Printable Recipe: Chardequynce (Medieval Quince Paste)

Yield: 1 tray of sliced quince paste (stores indefinitely)

Ingredients:

• 1 lb quince – peeled, quartered, seeds removed
• 12 oz honey (or sugar)
• 2¼ tsp chopped ginger
• 1½ tbsp ground ginger
• ¼ lb eringo root powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Place quince pieces in a pot with just enough water to cover. Simmer until soft.
2. Strain and mash or purée fruit. (Save cooking water, seeds, and peels for jelly.)
3. Return pulp to pot. Stir in honey and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until thickened—about 45 minutes.
4. Optional: Stir off heat until the paste lightens in color.
5. Mix in chopped ginger, ground ginger, and optional eringo root powder.
6. Spread onto a parchment-lined tray or pan and allow to dry in a cool place for 3–4 weeks.
7. Slice and serve with cheese or as part of a final course.

Note: If you can't find eringo root, substitute with an additional teaspoon of fresh ginger or a few teaspoons of chopped candied angelica or fennel for a similar effect. Or simply omit—it will still taste delicious.

Historical Note: Based on 16th c. English and earlier Greek/Byzantine quince paste traditions. Traditionally stored in wooden boxes or wrapped in oiled paper.

Enhancing and Using Quince in Modern Cooking

Quince is a fragrant, complex fruit that transforms dramatically when cooked. Though it's traditionally used in jams and pastes, quince can shine in a wide variety of savory and sweet applications—when treated with the proper techniques.

Best Cooking Techniques to Enhance Quince Flavor

1. Poaching (Slow Simmering)
   Simmer peeled, sliced quince in water, sugar, and optional aromatics for 1–2 hours.
   Result: Tender, floral, honeyed slices of fruit with a silky texture.
2. Roasting
   Slice and roast quince with honey or butter at 375°F (190°C) for 45–60 minutes.
   Result: Caramelized, aromatic fruit perfect for savory pairings.
3. Braising
   Add to braised meat dishes during the final hour.
   Result: Quince soaks up savory juices and lends fragrance to the dish.
4. Pickling
   Briefly simmer in vinegar brine; chill before using.
   Result: Tart, firm quince for salads or cheese boards.

Modern Applications Beyond Sweets

• Cheese Boards: Pair membrillo with Manchego or blue cheese.
• Glazes & Sauces: Reduce quince poaching syrup for pork or duck.
• Salads & Slaws: Use pickled quince in bitter greens and mustard dressings.
• Grain Bowls: Mix roasted quince into farro, lentils, or barley with herbs.
• Tagines: Add quince to North African stews with lamb, saffron, and cinnamon.

Excellent Pairings to Showcase Quince's Unique Flavor

• Cheese: Manchego, Comté, Gorgonzola, Goat Cheese
• Meat: Duck, Pork, Lamb, Game Meats
• Spices: Cardamom, Cinnamon, Ginger, Star Anise, Saffron
• Fruits/Veg: Apples, Pears, Citrus, Beets, Carrots

Want to make your own?
You can download and print our free recipe card for Chardequynce—a spiced quince paste from the 16th century. Made with honey, ginger, and (optionally) eringo root, it keeps beautifully and pairs with cheese or roasted meats.

More Historic Quince Recipes:

• Quince-Infused Marzipan
• Apples Stewed with Quince and Pignoli Nuts
• Quynade (almond milk cheese flavored with quince)
• Quidinia (Quince Jelly)
• Of Quince: Its Nature and Virtues

Resources & Historical Notes

Primary Sources

• Dioscorides – De Materia Medica
• Harleian MS. 279
• Rembert Dodoens – A Nievve Herball (1578, trans. Henry Lyte)

Reference Texts

• Hieatt, C.B. – The Culinary Recipes of Medieval England
• Wilson, C. – The Book of Marmalade
• Austin, T. – Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books

Want More?

Explore more historical recipes and culinary lore under these tags:
Fruit | Confections and Dessert | Jellies and Gelatin

Potash: The Ashes That Raised a Nation

Potash: The Ashes That Raised a Nation

Long before baking powder revolutionized home kitchens, early American bakers demonstrated their ingenuity by using potash—an alkaline residue from wood ash—as a leavening agent. Extracted from hearth ashes, potash enabled cooks to prepare lighter breads and cakes, showcasing their resourcefulness before the advent of commercial yeast or baking soda.

This article builds on our previous piece ‘From Ashes to Antlers’ , which explored the historical use of various natural materials in early American kitchens. Let's take a closer look at potash's role in early American kitchens.

What Is Potash?

Early American cooks made potash (potassium carbonate) by soaking hardwood ashes in water to create lye, then boiling the liquid until it yielded a solid alkaline salt. The name "potash" comes from this process of boiling ashes in pots.

Lye Safety and Myths

• Is lye dangerous? In concentrated form, yes. Historical potash lye was milder but still required care.
• Safe to eat? Yes, when neutralized adequately with acid. The reaction produces water and carbon dioxide.
• Make it today? It's possible, but use gloves and eye protection.
• Myth: "Lye is poison." → Truth: It was a standard kitchen tool for soap, pretzels, and baking.

The Chemistry of Potash Leavening

Potash requires an acid (such as molasses or sour milk) to create carbon dioxide, which helps lift the dough. This simple reaction laid the foundation for early quick breads.

• Source: Hardwood ash
• Type: Potassium carbonate
• Reaction: Potash + Acid → CO₂ → Rise

What Is Pearl Ash?

Pearl ash is refined potash. Makers dissolved potash in water, filtered it, and evaporated the solution to create a whiter, cleaner salt ideal for baking delicate cakes.

• Potash: Crude wood ash residue
• Pearl Ash: Refined, purified potash
• Used in: Gingerbread, sponge cake, biscuits

Historic Use in Recipes

Amelia Simmons’ American Cookery (1796) frequently used pearl ash with acidic ingredients. Below is a modern version of her gingerbread recipe.

Gingerbread with Pearl Ash

• 1 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk
• 1 tsp pearl ash (or baking soda)
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 2.5–3 cups flour

Instructions: Mix pearl ash with sour cream. Stir in molasses and ginger. Add flour gradually. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.

Other Recipes Using Potash

Beyond gingerbread, early American bakers showcased the versatility of potash in a variety of recipes where mild sweetness and dense structure were welcome. Typical dishes included molasses cakes, Johnnycakes (cornmeal flatbreads), spice biscuits, and hoecakes. These recipes often relied on potash for rise when eggs were scarce or sour milk was abundant. Amelia Simmons and other early cookbooks also mention "loaf cakes" and "crackers" leavened with potash or pearl ash, highlighting its wide range of uses.

From Hearth to Pantry: How Baking Powder Changed Everything

The introduction of baking powder in the mid-19th century marked a significant turning point in the history of baking. Potash-leavened goods tend to have a slightly soapy or alkaline note if not carefully balanced with acid. The texture was often denser, with a subtle chewiness, especially in quick breads and cakes. Baking powder, by contrast, offered a more neutral flavor and consistently resulted in a lighter crumb. It allowed bakers to move away from strong molasses and buttermilk flavors used to balance potash, resulting in the sweeter, fluffier cakes familiar today.

Regional Variations in Potash Use

The use of potash varied across the colonies. In the Northeast and Appalachian regions, where hardwood forests were abundant and molasses was a common sweetener, potash remained in use longer—especially among rural homesteads. In German- and Dutch-influenced areas like Pennsylvania, cooks developed refined versions of traditional baked goods (such as honey cakes and lebkuchen) using pearl ash. Southern cooks were more likely to switch earlier to baking soda and sour milk once commercial supply chains improved.

Comparison of Leaveners

Leavener	Source	Needs Acid?	Use	Flavor	Consistency
Potash	Wood ash	Yes	Breads	Alkaline	Unrefined
Pearl Ash	Refined potash	Yes	Cakes	Mild	Reliable
Baking Powder	Commercial blend	No	All baking	Neutral	Very consistent

Griddle Cakes Before Johnnycakes: A Historical Comparison

Medieval Flat Cakes (14th–15th c.)

Source: Le Ménagier de Paris (1393)
Typical Ingredients: Wheat flour, milk or water, egg (optional)
Cooking Method: Griddled on a flat iron, stone, or in a pan with fat

“Make a paste with white flour and warm water... roll thin and bake on the iron.”

These cakes were simple and unleavened, sometimes brushed with fat or sprinkled with sugar. Texture would be dense and chewy. A modern interpretation uses wheat flour and warm water to form a thick dough, rolled or patted thin, then cooked on a dry or greased skillet.

Early Modern Pancakes (16th c.)

Source: A Proper Newe Booke of Cokerye (c. 1557)
Typical Ingredients: White flour, eggs, milk or ale/wine, spices
Cooking Method: Fried on a griddle or pan with butter/lard

“To make pancakes. Take two or three eggs, a dish of flour, and half a pint of milk. Beat them together and fry them in butter.”

These pancakes were thinner, lighter, and crispier—thanks to the addition of eggs and sometimes alcohol. A modern version might whisk 2 eggs, 1 cup flour, and ½ cup ale or milk, then fry in a buttered pan until golden.

Colonial Johnnycakes (17th–18th c.)

Source: Indigenous North American cooking, adapted by colonists
Typical Ingredients: Cornmeal, water or milk, salt, fat or molasses
Optional Leavening: Potash or pearl ash
Cooking Method: Griddled, stone-baked, or pan-fried

“Indian meal, scalded, mixed with salt, milk, or cream, and baked on a griddle or board.” — Amelia Simmons, 1796

Colonial johnnycakes often used hot water to soften cornmeal, sometimes with milk or sweeteners. When leavened with potash, they developed a slightly fluffy interior with a crisp outer crust.

Summary: Griddle Cake Evolution

Period	Dish	Grain Base	Leavening	Fat Used	Texture	Region
14th c.	Iron cakes / wafers	Wheat	None	None or lard	Dense, flat	France, England
16th c.	Pancakes	Wheat	Eggs	Butter/lard	Thin, crisp	England
17th–18th c.	Johnnycakes	Cornmeal	None or potash	Drippings or none	Crisp outside, tender inside	Colonial America

Timeline of Leavening

• Pre-1600s: Natural fermentation
• 1600s–1700s: Potash use in breads
• 1796: Pearl ash in American Cookery
• 1830s: Hartshorn for cookies
• 1850s: Commercial baking powders introduced
• 1880s+: Double-acting powders dominate

Where to Find Historical Leaveners Today

If you're interested in experimenting with historic recipes, you can still obtain several early leavening agents with care. Be sure to use only food-grade versions, and always follow recipes that include appropriate acidic ingredients when working with alkaline leaveners like potash or pearl ash.

Reputable Sources

• Pearl Ash (Food-grade Potassium Carbonate):
  - Lehman's: Carries pearl ash suitable for reenactment or heritage baking
  - Amazon: Search for “potassium carbonate, food-grade” (check vendor reviews)
• Hartshorn (Ammonium Carbonate):
  - King Arthur Baking: Sold as “Baker’s Ammonia”
  - Amazon: Look for “Baker’s Ammonia” or “Hartshorn” (food-grade only)
• Potash (Historical or DIY):
  - True culinary-grade historical potash is rare. For educational or reenactment use, you can try making it at home from hardwood ashes.
  - Permies Forum Guide: Practical advice on making your own potash safely

⚠️ Note: Commercial potash sold for fertilizer or soapmaking is not food-safe. Always verify the product is labeled for culinary use before baking.

To explore more, read From Ashes to Antlers.

More Forgotten Leaveners

Discover hartshorn and other historic techniques in our full guide.

Browse all leavening articles here.

Potash & Pearl Ash: The Alkaline Origins of American Baking

Front cover and title page scans from Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796)

From Ash to Rise: Potash, Pearl Ash, and the First American Chemical Leaveners

Before commercial baking powder revolutionized the kitchen, early bakers reached for something far more rustic: ashes. Specifically, they utilized the lye-rich remnants of burned hardwood to produce potash and, later, its refined cousin, pearl ash. These alkaline salts, when combined with acidic ingredients, acted as the first chemical leaveners of early American and European baking.

What is Potash?

Potash, or potassium carbonate, is derived from the ashes of burned hardwood. Traditionally, early cooks would soak wood ash in water, extract the resulting lye, and boil off the liquid to concentrate the alkaline residue.  The name "pot ash" originates from the iron pots historically used during this production process. 

Pearl Ash: The Cleaner Leavener

Pearl ash is a purified form of potash.  The refinement process involved dissolving crude potash in water, allowing the insoluble sediment to settle, then filtering and gently evaporating the solution until white crystals formed. This process created a cleaner, more consistent leavening agent preferred for baking cakes and biscuits.

How Alkaline Leavening Works

Neither potash nor pearl ash works alone. They need an acidic partner to trigger a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms bubbles in batters and doughs, helping them rise and achieve a light texture. 

• Potash: Stronger, more caustic, less refined — best used with caution or in soapmaking.
• Pearl Ash: More purified, milder, and food safe —  suitable for cakes, biscuits, and cookies.

How Does It Compare to Hartshorn?

Hartshorn, or ammonium carbonate, differs in that it does not require an acid to activate.  It's ideal for crisp cookies like Springerle, where dryness is key.  In contrast, potash-based leaveners must be carefully balanced with acidic components, or the resulting bake may carry an unpleasant alkaline flavor.  Potash typically found its place in softer quick breads and early cakes. 

📚 Curious about hartshorn? Click here to explore how bakers used ammonium carbonate before baking soda became common.

Refining Potash into Pearl Ash

Pearl ash isn’t just cleaner potash—it’s the result of a deliberate purification process. Historically, makers dissolved crude potash in water, allowed insoluble impurities to settle out, then filtered and gently evaporated the liquid until white crystals formed. This recrystallized form offered better predictability and reduced off-flavors in baked goods.

Common Acidic Pairings in Historical Recipes

• Buttermilk or clabbered milk
• Molasses (commonly used in gingerbreads)
• Vinegar or sour wine
• Apple cider or citrus juice

Historical Note: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash

The earliest American-published cookbook, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons (1796), includes several recipes calling for pearl ash as a leavening agent. One gingerbread variant reads:

“Gingerbread Cakes” – One quart of molasses, one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of shortening, one cup of sour milk, four teaspoons pearl ash, four tablespoons ginger, cinnamon and cloves to taste, and as much flour as will make it roll out.

— Amelia Simmons, American Cookery (1796)

Where to Find Potash or Pearl Ash Today

• Potash: You can make it at home from hardwood ashes, but for safety and consistency, it's best sourced as food-grade potassium carbonate from specialty chemical suppliers or soapmaking shops (e.g., Bulk Apothecary, The Lye Guy).
• Pearl Ash: Much harder to find today, but chemically similar results can be achieved with food-grade potassium carbonate or by using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in a modern adaptation.

Example: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash (1796)

Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796) features several gingerbread cookie recipes that call for pearl ash—a purified form of potash—dissolved in milk or water. This marks one of the earliest printed uses of a chemical leavener in American baking. 🧁

View the original 1796 scans, or check the Smithsonian & American Heritage notes on Simmons's innovations :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.

Historical Example: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash

Adapted from late 18th-century sources:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp pearl ash dissolved in 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Optional: cloves or nutmeg

1. Mix molasses, butter, and spices.
2. Add pearl ash mixture.
3. Stir in flour gradually to form a dough.
4. Drop by spoonful or roll and cut into rounds.
5. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

📜 Want to learn more about potash and pearl ash? Click here to explore how ashes became America’s first chemical leaveners.

The Rise of Baking Powder

The arrival of commercial baking powder made baking more accessible. Unlike potash or pearl ash, it included both alkaline and acidic components, eliminating the guesswork. Home cooks no longer needed to rely on tricky ratios or worry about acidic pairings—baking became easier, faster, and more reliable. This convenience marked the end of Pearl Ash’s reign in the kitchen.

Other Forgotten Leaveners

Before modern yeast and chemical leaveners, a variety of traditional techniques helped baked goods to rise 

• Ale barm: Foam from fermenting beer, used in breads and cakes before commercial yeast.
• Egg leavening: Beaten egg whites or whole eggs incorporated air, helping cakes and sponges rise naturally.
• Sack starters: Fermented mixtures using sack (fortified wine) and flour as makeshift yeast.

Quick Comparison: Forgotten Alkaline Leaveners

Leavener	Source	Needs Acid?	Best Used In
Potash	Boiled wood ash	Yes	Quick breads, early cakes
Pearl Ash	Purified potash	Yes	Gingerbread, sponge cake
Hartshorn	Distilled antlers or hooves	No	Crisp cookies, Springerle

Further Reading & Recipes to Explore

• Hartshorn in Historical Cookies
• Wikipedia: Potash
• Wikipedia: Pearl Ash
• Amelia Simmons’ American Cookery (1796)

🧾 Coming Soon: This post is part of the Forgotten Leaveners series. Watch for the downloadable bundle, including:

• Comparison chart of early leaveners
• Printable recipe cards
• Bonus bakes: potash cakes, Springerle, and more

💾 Follow me on Ko-fi to get updates when it's live!

From Ashes to Antlers: Forgotten Leaveners Before Baking Powder

A carved wooden mold used for Springerle or molded biscuits, depicting detailed figures from courtly and martial life. These molds were often handed down through generations and used to mark festivals, weddings, and holidays. (Public domain)

From Ashes to Antlers: Forgotten Leaveners Before Baking Powder

Before the age of Clabber Girl and little red cans of baking powder, bakers reached for far stranger tools to make their bread rise. In my earlier post on cooking with wood ashes and potash, we explored how alkaline salts from humble fireplace ash could be transformed into a serviceable leavening agent. Today, we’re venturing further into that smoky, pre-industrial world—where ashes weren’t the only thing getting burned.

Let’s talk about ammonium carbonate, also known as baker’s ammonia—or historically, hartshorn—a substance distilled from animal horn and bone that helped give rise (literally) to some of Europe’s lightest pastries long before baking soda came along.

What Is Hartshorn? A Leavening Agent Born of Bone and Heat

Before it was sold in tidy jars to German bakers, hartshorn was exactly what it sounds like: the calcined or distilled horn of a male deer (or other animal bones and hooves). By heating these organic materials in a sealed vessel, apothecaries could extract ammonium carbonate—a pungent, crystalline substance that reacts in heat to produce ammonia gas, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. When used properly, those gases create the same pocketed structure we look for in cookies and crackers today.

Historical cookbooks from the 17th and 18th centuries refer to hartshorn in recipes for fine cakes and wafers. Its main strength? Crispness. Unlike yeast or sourdough, which add chew, hartshorn creates dry, brittle textures perfect for molded cookies—like German Springerle—without leaving any aftertaste once baked. The term “hartshorn” itself refers to the original source: deer antler.

Used improperly, especially in moist batters, the ammonia smell lingers—and it’s not subtle. ChemistryViews offers an excellent breakdown of the gases involved and their effect on texture.

Can You Make Hartshorn at Home?

Yes—though it’s not for the faint of heart (or nose).

For a deeper dive, see Chemeurope’s article on ammonium carbonate, or Wikipedia’s hartshorn entry, which describes its origins in apothecary science.

How Does It Compare to Potash and Pearl Ash?

Let’s revisit potash—an early kitchen chemistry staple. Made by boiling down lye extracted from wood ashes, potash (potassium carbonate) served as one of the earliest chemical leaveners. When cooks filtered and refined potash into a whiter, cleaner powder, they created pearl ash, which became a popular ingredient in 18th-century American baking.

Unlike hartshorn, which works on its own by releasing gases during baking, potash and pearl ash require acidic companions—such as sour milk, vinegar, or molasses—to trigger the reaction and create lift. These salts were especially useful in early dense cakes and quick breads.

Hartshorn, by contrast, excels in dry goods. Crisp biscuits, rolled wafers, and molded cookies benefit from its ability to evaporate cleanly in the oven, leaving behind a remarkably tender crumb without any aftertaste—if used properly.

🔎 Explore More Forgotten Leaveners:
• Curious about potash and pearl ash? Learn how America’s first chemical leaveners were made—and why they disappeared.
• Want to know more about hartshorn? Discover how this bone-based leavener helped early cookies rise with a snap.

Historical Uses in Recipes

Hartshorn appears in European recipes as early as the 17th century, especially in German, Dutch, and Scandinavian baking traditions. One of the oldest known examples is the intricately molded Springerle—a crisp, embossed cookie flavored with anise and left to dry before baking.

These cookies date back to at least the 14^th century, with museum collections preserving wooden cookie molds used alongside hartshorn salt. Modern Springerle recipes still call for baker’s ammonia today, a direct legacy of the original method.

Earlier English cookbooks like The Experienced English Housekeeper (Elizabeth Raffald, 1769) reference hartshorn powder in recipes for “light cakes” and “fine wafers.” The use of this leavener gradually faded as baking soda and powder became more widely available in the mid-19^th century.

Hartshorn wasn’t limited to baking—its powerful vapors also made it a key component in early smelling salts. See Britannica’s entry on smelling salts for more on its medical use as “salt of hartshorn.”

How to Use Hartshorn Today

Modern baker’s ammonia is chemically identical to historical hartshorn, but refined for safety and sold in powder form. You can find it online or at specialty baking stores—often listed as ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate.

To use it:

• Use only in dry, crisp cookies—like biscotti, springerle, or gingersnaps.
• Never use in cakes or moist baked goods—the ammonia scent won’t bake off completely.
• Substitute 1:1 with baking powder in old cookie recipes that call for it, unless otherwise noted.
• Store tightly sealed—exposure to air will cause it to degrade over time.

Tip: When baking with hartshorn, good ventilation is a must! The smell during baking is temporary but sharp—don’t panic, it won’t linger in the finished cookie.

Comparing Early Leavening Agents

Long before baking powder became a pantry staple, bakers worked with a surprising array of tools to give their dough a lift. Here's a side-by-side look at how some of history's earliest leaveners performed:

Leavener	Active Era	Made From	Best Used In	Notes
Potash / Pearl Ash	1600s–early 1800s	Boiled wood ash (alkaline salts)	Dense cakes, quick breads	Needs acid to activate (e.g. sour milk, vinegar)
Ammonium Carbonate (Hartshorn)	1600s–1800s	Distilled horn, bone, or hooves	Crisp cookies, wafers, molded biscuits	Releases ammonia during baking—use in dry goods only
Barm (Ale Foam)	Medieval–1700s	Fermenting ale scum	Breads, ale-based batters	Unreliable unless used fresh; replaced by commercial yeast
Wild Sourdough	Ancient–Present	Flour + water + wild yeast	Bread, pancakes, long ferments	Still widely used today for flavor and resilience

🧪 Historical Myth Busting:
Could medieval cooks have used lye or hartshorn as leaveners? Yes—but selectively and with skill. These weren’t household staples so much as specialty tools—managed by trained bakers or apothecaries. And while wood ash and animal horn might not sound delicious, their leavening chemistry is the ancestor of today’s baking soda and powder.

Curious to Experiment?

Historical baking is full of surprises—from ash water breads to horn-distilled cookie salts. If you’ve tried potash baking or used baker’s ammonia in a family recipe, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment below or tag @GiveItForth on social media.

Want to support more posts like this? Consider leaving a tip or grabbing a downloadable recipe card via Ko-fi. Every contribution helps me keep diving into dusty manuscripts and turning them into modern kitchen experiments.

The Oldest Hartshorn-Leavened Cookie: Springerle

One of the earliest known uses of hartshorn as a leavening agent is found in the intricately molded Springerle, a South German cookie dating back to at least the 14^th century. Surviving carved molds appear in museum collections, and period sources describe hartshorn salt (ammonium carbonate) as the leavening behind their delicate rise.

These pale, crisp cookies puff gently during baking—thanks to the release of carbon dioxide and ammonia—while retaining every detail of their embossed surface. Recipes calling for baker’s ammonia can be traced as far back as 1861, with traditions still passed down in families today.

Springerle Recipe (Historical Style with Hartshorn)

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ½ tsp baker’s ammonia (ammonium carbonate), dissolved in 1 tbsp warm milk
• 1 tbsp anise seed
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs until frothy (about 10 minutes), then gradually add sugar and continue beating until thick.
2. Stir in the dissolved hartshorn and anise seed.
3. Gradually add flour to form a tacky but moldable dough.
4. Roll dough to ¼ inch thick on a floured surface. Press with springerle molds or emboss with carved cutters, then cut into shapes.
5. Place on parchment-lined trays and let dry uncovered at room temperature for 12–24 hours.
6. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 10–15 minutes until puffed but pale. Bottoms should remain light with only a hint of golden color.

Modern Baking Note: Baker’s ammonia works beautifully in dry cookies like Springerle but should never be used in moist batters. If you’re unsure about ventilation, consider baking with a fan or opening a window—the ammonia smell during baking is strong but will not remain in the finished cookies.

The Oldest Hartshorn-Leavened Cookie: Springerle

One of the earliest known uses of hartshorn as a leavening agent is found in the intricately molded Springerle, a South German cookie dating back to at least the 14^th century. Surviving carved molds appear in museum collections, and period sources describe hartshorn salt (ammonium carbonate) as the leavening behind their delicate rise.

These pale, crisp cookies puff gently during baking—thanks to the release of carbon dioxide and ammonia—while retaining every detail of their embossed surface. Recipes calling for baker’s ammonia can be traced as far back as 1861, with traditions still passed down in families today.

Note: Springerle develop best when aged. Store in an airtight tin for 1–2 weeks before serving.

Echoes in English Cookery

Though Springerle is German in origin, English cookery caught on quickly. A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen (1647) contains some of the earliest printed recipes that likely used hartshorn as a leavening agent. Two standout candidates for “Good Cookye” include:

• Prince Bisket Bread – a light, egg-based sponge flavored with anise and muscadine.
• Usual Bisket at Comfitmakers – a double-baked biscuit using ale yeast, sliced and re-sugared.

Explore the source here:
🔗 EEBO Full Text – A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen

Not all “biskets” were light. One elegant variation, Biskatello, was made from sugar, starch, musk, and gum tragacanth—baked gently on a wafer and gilded. It’s a reminder that early modern cookies weren’t just snacks—they were edible art.

A Note on James Matterer & Gode Cookery

Much of our modern understanding of historical Springerle comes thanks to James Matterer, founder of Gode Cookery. Though his original write-up is no longer available online, his meticulous work reviving traditional techniques—mold carving, drying methods, and hartshorn chemistry—remains legendary.

James emphasized:

• Beating eggs and sugar for 30+ minutes for aeration
• Roasted anise, cherry schnapps, and hartshorn as key ingredients
• Letting cookies dry 24 hours to develop the signature "feet"
• Baking gently on parchment to keep cookies pale and crisp

This post—and the Leavener Bundle to follow—are a tribute to his legacy.

Period-Inspired Hartshorn Crisp Cookie (Gode Cookery Style)

Inspired by the minimalist elegance of early biskets:

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp baker’s ammonia (hartshorn), dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water
• 2 eggs
• 3 oz fine sugar (~6 tbsp)
• 8 oz flour (~1⅔ cups)
• ½ tsp caraway or coriander seed (optional)
• A splash of rosewater or sack (optional)

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs, then mix in sugar.
2. Stir in hartshorn and flavorings.
3. Add flour gradually to form stiff dough.
4. Roll thin (⅛ inch or less), cut or mold.
5. Let rest uncovered several hours or overnight.
6. Bake at 300°F for 10–12 minutes until pale and dry.

Like many historical wafers or ship’s biscuits, these improve after a few days’ aging.

DIY: Making Hartshorn the Old-School Way

If you're tempted by true historical authenticity, manuals from the 17th and 18th centuries show a method for creating hartshorn via dry distillation of deer horn or other nitrogen-rich animal parts:

1. Gather clean, dry deer antlers (harts' horn), bones, or hooves.
2. Place them in a tightly sealed clay or cast-iron container with a small steam escape hole.
3. Heat steadily to induce the release of “oil of hartshorn” (ammonia-laden vapors).
4. Collect and cool the condensed vapors—it crystallizes into ammonium carbonate (“salt of hartshorn”).
5. Dry and store in an airtight jar.

This labor-intensive process is documented in several sources, including Wikipedia's Hartshorn article and explained by food historians like those at Atlas Obscura:

“After the hunt, cooks would have to heat and pulverize the horns (and often animal bones as well) … Once ground, the hartshorn could be added to baked goods…”

Further Reading

• Wikipedia: Ammonium Carbonate – History, chemistry, uses
• Wikipedia: Hartshorn – Origin from deer antlers
• ChemistryViews – Hartshorn Salt Chemistry – Composition & interaction with potash
• Britannica – Smelling Salts – Dual culinary & medical background
• Chemeurope – Ammonium Carbonate – Production methods historically & industrially

🧾 Coming Soon: Want more? The Forgotten Leaveners Bundle is on its way! Premium Ko-fi members will get it free.

The bundle includes:

• Printable Leavener Comparison Chart
• Rare period leaveners like ale barm & sack starters
• Bonus recipes: Springerle, Good Cookye, potash cake & more
• Downloadable recipe cards

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