A man from Binfield Heath, near Henley, is on a mission to resurrect a nearly 200-year-old table sauce that vanished from the shelves long ago.
Richard Hill discovered an advert for Henley Sauce in a 1838 travellers’ guidebook to the Oxfordshire town, sparking his curiosity to recreate the iconic condiment.
The advert describes Henley Sauce as a versatile accompaniment, containing “essence of anchovies” and suitable for a variety of dishes including “fish, steaks, game, and gravies.”
This enticing description, despite the lack of a specific recipe, has led Hill to embark on an ambitious quest to bring the sauce back to life in a form that would appeal to modern-day consumers.
Hill stumbled upon the vintage advert while flipping through A Guide To Henley Upon Thames and Its Vicinity, a book published in May 1838. He was intrigued by the mystery surrounding the sauce and its place in local culinary history.
Hill explained, “Like all great secrets of the kitchen, they didn’t actually say specifically what went into it. It may have been that, due to the difficulty in obtaining ingredients at the time, they simply used a bit of this, or a bit of that. Who knows, there may not have been a recipe at all.”
While the original sauce recipe remains elusive, Hill is determined to recreate the condiment in a way that stays true to its historical roots while appealing to contemporary tastes.
“I would love to bring it back. If someone would be able to help me to bring it back, it seems like such a lovely idea,” Hill remarked.
“Reimagining something that hasn’t been seen on the shelves for over 180 years is quite exciting. To have it end up on dining room tables across Oxfordshire would be wonderful.”
The resurgence of historical food products has been a growing trend in recent years, with several long-lost recipes being rediscovered and reinterpreted by modern chefs.
Hill’s project seeks to combine history, tradition, and innovation, bringing Henley Sauce into the 21st century while honoring its Victorian roots.
The lack of a known recipe is both a challenge and an opportunity for Hill, who is appealing for help from experts in food history and sauce production to help him crack the mystery. He hopes that with some assistance, Henley Sauce can once again become a staple in local kitchens.
For now, Hill remains optimistic about his quest, with hopes that his efforts will lead to the revitalization of a local culinary tradition and that Henley Sauce will once again be enjoyed by the people of Henley and beyond.
While the sauce may have disappeared for nearly two centuries, Hill’s passion to revive it reflects the growing interest in historical food traditions, offering a glimpse into the past while shaping the future of local gastronomy.
