Originally published: Sep 18, 2022
I was fortunate to discover Volker Bach's "Culina Vetus" website after he posted about an Easter Feast that he created in 2021. Several of the ideas for Appolonia's Vigil can be directly attributed to him. This is one of them. It sounded so intriguing I had to make it for myself.
You can see it in the blue bowl behind the strawberries. It was delicious with the fruit dipped into it, or drizzled upon the bread. This is one of two kinds of cheese I made for this vigil. Both were well received.
Original Recipe
lxxvj. So nimb ein guͦte milch/ die new gemolcken sey/ vnd setz das warm steht/ vnd baiß mit einer baiß da man kaͤß mit baißt/ als groß zu eim viertel milch als ein bon/ oder darnach die baiß guͦt ist/ So es nun gestehet/ so muͦß mans schoͤn her auß haben mit eim faimloͤffel auff ein decken/ die da mit stro gemacht/ stürtz die decken fein zusamen/ vnd schwers/ so sitzt das wasser fein daruon/ vnnd stürtz auff ein blat/ nimbs an orten mit einem ab/ das fein eben vnd viereckecht auff dem blat lig/ wie ein Lezelten/ see zucker darauff.
Interpretation
lxxvi Then take good milk that is newly milked and set it so that it stands warm (in a warm place) and curdle (baiß) it with a medium that you curdle cheese with, as much to a quarter of milk as a bean or as the quality of the material dictates. When it curdles, you must lift it out carefully with a slotted spoon onto a coverlet made of straw. Fold over the coverlet and press it, then the water runs off it nicely. And turn it out onto a platter, take off the edges with a knife so that it is nice and even and square on the platter like gingerbread, and strew sugar on it.
Ingredients
1 Gallon Milk
1/2 cup Vinegar or Lemon Juice
Pinch of Salt
Sugar
Instructions
Place into a pot on the stove, and heat until just below boiling. You will see steam rising from the milk and tiny bubbles forming all along the edge of the pot.
Reduce heat to low and add lemon juice, and add a pinch of salt. You should see the cheese and whey begin to separate. If it does not add a little bit more vinegar.
Once the curds begin to form, turn off the heat and allow the cheese to form on the stovetop until it is room temperature.
Strain off the whey by pouring the cheese into a cloth-lined strainer. Allow it to continue to drain overnight. You want a firmer curd so that it can be molded.
Mold the cheese into any shape you wish, and sprinkle with sugar before serving. If you wish, you can add some sugar to the cheese before you mold it.
Note: If the curds are too dry to shape into your mold, add a little bit of cream to it until it can be molded.
Sources
An Easter Feast In 2021, Part I | Culina Vetus ". Culina-Vetus.De, 2022, https://www.culina-vetus.de/2022/04/06/an-easter-feast-in-2021-part-i/. Accessed 18 Sept 2022.
Ein Sehr Künstlichs Und Nutzlichs Kochbuch' - Digitalisat | MDZ". Digitale-Sammlungen.De, 2022, https://www.digitale-sammlungen.de/de/view/bsb10990136?page=13. Accessed 18 Sept 2022.
WDB - Ein Sehr Künstlichs Und Nutzlichs Kochbuch". Diglib.Hab.De, 2022, http://diglib.hab.de/content.php?dir=edoc/ed000241&distype=optional&metsID=edoc_ed000241_trans&xml=tei-transcript.xml&xsl=tei-transcript.xsl#lxxvj. Accessed 18 Sept 2022.
