Condiments Walnut Catchup

walnut catchup
(from The Kentucky Housewife, by Lettice Bryan, 1839)

Ingredients:

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young tender walnuts​

boiling salt water​

good vinegar​

1 oz. black pepper​

1 oz. pounded ginger​

1/2 oz. allspice​

1/2 oz. mace​

1/4 oz. cloves​

​

Instructions:

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The walnuts should be gathered while very young and tender, so that you may pierce them through with a needle. Put them into a stone jar, pour enough boiling water on them, that is strongly impregnated with salt, to cover them well; tie a cloth over them, and set them by for four days: then take them from the liquor, mash them fine, put them into a jar, and pour over enough good vinegar to cover them entirely. Close the jar, and let them stand for two days, stirring them well once a day: after which put them with the vinegar into a linen bag; press through all the juice you can, mix it with the other liquor, and to each quart add one ounce of black pepper, one ounce of pounded ginger, half an ounce of allspice, half an ounce of mace, and a quarter of an ounce of cloves. Boil it in a closely covered vessel for twenty minutes, skimming it well, and when cold bottle it for use.​