Take two hundred of fresh cut asparagus, fully grown, take off the root
ends so high up as to leave the remaining parts tender, and wash the
green tops in cold water, slightly tasted with salt, then remove them
into fresh water, and let them remain in it for about two hours. Put
them next into a shallow pan with as much cold spring water as will
just cover them, and putting it on the fire, watch them closely, so
that the moment the water comes to the boiling point you will remove
it from the fire, and taking out the asparagus heads very carefully,
lest they break, lay them on a sieve to get cold, being covered over
with cloths. Place them now in jars and pour upon them a pickle made of
White pepper ½ oz.
Nutmeg 1½ oz.
Mace ½ oz.
Bay salt 1½ oz.
White-wine vinegar 4 quarts
boiled ten minutes or more, and well skimmed, to be used hot. Tie
leather over the jars, and let them remain for five or six days, when
you will boil the pickle again, and pour over hot. When cold make up
the jars securely with bungs and leather.