Originally published February 15, 2018. Updated October 20, 2025 with expanded historical notes, new images, and improved formatting.
In the Middle Ages, Lent wasn’t merely a season of self-denial — it was an entire culinary calendar. Between Lent, Advent, Ember Days, and weekly “fish days” on Wednesdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, nearly one-third of the medieval year was devoted to fasting. During those times, meat, eggs, butter, and cheese were forbidden, yet cooks were expected to provide flavorful, nourishing meals that upheld both piety and hospitality. This collection explores five authentic Lenten recipes from Harleian MS. 279 and related manuscripts, revealing how creative and satisfying medieval fasting fare could be.
Rather than bland penitence, medieval Lenten cookery celebrated ingenuity. Almond milk stood in for dairy, oil and wine replaced animal fats, and fish of every sort — fresh, dried, salted, or pickled — became the centerpiece of elegant banquets. Even humble ingredients like peas or leeks were transformed through spice, color, and texture into dishes worthy of nobles and abbots alike.
Bruet of Almayne (Spiced Wine Broth) — Harleian MS 279 (c. 1430)
Detail from the Banquet du Paon (Chroniques de Hainaut, c. 1447–48) — feasts like these inspired Russell’s Dynere of Flesche.
In John Russell’s Dynere of Flesche, a “pottage of spice and wine” appears beside Herbelade as part of the first course. The closest surviving analogue is Bruet of Almayne from Harleian MS 279 (c. 1430): a smooth, aromatic broth of wine, almond milk, and warming spice. Where Herbelade is cool and green, this dish is rich and golden — together balancing the table in taste and humor.
What “Bruet” means: from Old French bruir, “to boil” or “brew.” In medieval English cookery, a bruet was a seasoned sauce or broth — rich, spiced, and served as an early-course pottage or accompaniment to meats.
Why “of Almayne”?Almayne = Germany. Late-medieval English kitchens borrowed Central European taste for wine-forward, spice-laden sauces. This “German-style” bruet showcases almond milk, white wine, and warming spices (ginger, galingale, cinnamon, cloves, mace), yielding a golden, aromatic pottage.
Spice Note – Galingale vs. Ginger:Galingale (or galangal) was a favorite medieval spice imported from the East Indies, resembling ginger but sharper and more peppery.
English cooks often paired the two — ginger for warmth, galingale for brightness — in “Almayne” and “Lombard” dishes influenced by continental taste.
In modern kitchens, you can substitute extra ginger or a touch of cardamom for a similar aromatic lift.
Original Text — Harleian MS 279 (EETS 1888 p. 23)
Bruet of Almayne. Take Almonde mylke and Wyne, and drawe it with powder of Gyngere, of Galyngale, of Canelle, of Clowys, and of Maces, and let hit boyle; and take brawne of Capoun or Hennys, and small cutte, and cast therto; and when hit is boyled, then serve hit forth.
Modern English Rendering
Take almond milk and wine, and blend it with powders of ginger, galingale, cinnamon, cloves, and mace. Bring it to a boil. Add diced cooked capon or chicken, simmer briefly, and serve hot.
Modern Recipe (Tested Redaction)
Yield: 6–8 servings • Time: ~25 min
2 cups almond milk
1 cup white wine
1 ½ cups cooked chicken or capon, diced small (optional for pottage)
¼ tsp each ground ginger, cinnamon, cloves, galingale (or nutmeg), and mace
Pinch saffron (optional for color)
1–2 tsp sugar (optional, period-accurate)
Salt to taste
Heat almond milk and wine together over gentle flame.
Add spices, saffron, and sugar; stir well.
Add diced chicken if using; simmer 10–15 minutes until fragrant.
Season with salt and serve warm as a lightly thickened broth.
Flavor profile: warm, spiced, subtly sweet — the golden mirror to Herbelade’s green herb pottage.
Herbelade (Herb Pottage) — Harleian MS 4016 (c. 1450) & Forme of Curye (1390)
Detail from the Banquet du Paon (Chroniques de Hainaut, c. 1447–48) — the kind of noble feast where Herbelade might open the first course.
John Russell’s Boke of Nurture lists a “pottage of herbs, spice, and wine” in the first course of his Dynere of Flesche. See the full reconstructed menu here: A Dynere of Flesche — John Russell’s 15th-Century Menu. .
Among surviving 15th-century recipes, the Herbelade from Harleian MS 4016 (c. 1450) matches that description exactly — a delicate, green, wine-scented broth thickened with bread and perfumed with gentle spice.
What “pottage” means here: a smooth herb-based soup or light stew served early in the meal — modestly thickened with bread or almond milk, spiced with ginger and saffron, and occasionally enriched with wine.
Original Text — Harleian MS 4016 (EETS 1888 p. 89)
Herbelade. Take persel, sawge, ysope, saveray, and tansey, and other gode herbys that ye may gete, and do hem in a potte; sethe hem; take brede y-grated, and temper it with broth, and do thereto, and sethe it, and serue it forth.
Modern English Rendering
Take parsley, sage, hyssop, savory, tansy, and any other good herbs you can find, and put them in a pot; boil them. Mix grated bread with broth (or wine), add it to the herbs, and simmer; then serve it forth.
2 cups vegetable or chicken broth – replace up to 1 cup with white wine
½ cup breadcrumbs (or 2 Tbsp ground almonds for richer version)
Pinch ginger, few threads saffron, and a little sugar (optional)
Salt to taste
Blanch herbs 30 sec, chop fine.
Heat broth + wine; add herbs.
Stir in breadcrumbs (or almond flour) to thicken.
Season with ginger, saffron, pinch sugar, and salt.
Simmer 5–10 min until lightly thickened. Serve hot.
Flavor profile: fresh herbal green, gently spiced, and light on the palate — ideal first-course fare.
About Tansy:Tansy (Tanacetum vulgare) was a common medieval herb with a strong, aromatic, slightly bitter flavor.
Though best known for Lenten or Easter “tansy” dishes, it also appeared in savory contexts like Herbelade, valued for its warming, cleansing properties.
Medieval herbalists classed it as “hot and dry,” balancing the “cold and moist” nature of green herbs, and believed it aided digestion after rich meats.
Flavor: Bitter–spiced, similar to a cross of rosemary and sage; use sparingly in modern redactions.
Availability: A hardy perennial, typically dried for winter use.
Modern caution: Tansy contains thujone, a volatile compound that is both neurotoxic and abortifacient in high doses. Historically, tansy was used medicinally to induce menstruation or miscarriage — so it’s absolutely contraindicated during pregnancy. and should be omitted entirely, or used in the smallest of quantities; mild substitutes include thyme or a pinch of rosemary.
Brawn of Swyne / Brawn with Mustard — Harleian MS 279 vs. Forme of Cury vs. Good Huswife’s Jewel
Period-inspired brawn served cold with sharp mustard — a fifteenth-century English favorite.
Brawn of Swyne / Brawn with Mustard
Last updated: October 10, 2025
This post compares the medieval dish Brawn of Swyne across three sources:
Harleian MS 279 (c.1430), Forme of Cury (c.1390), and the late-Tudor The Good Huswife’s Jewel (1585/1596). You’ll find original texts, plain-English renderings, a contrast table, an authenticity explainer for new cooks, and a concise Harleian-leaning modern redaction.
TL;DR: All three sources agree: brawn (boar/pork) is served cold with strong mustard.
Harleian 279 uniquely adds a brief wine soak. Forme of Cury is earlier but near-identical.
Dawson’s Good Huswife’s Jewel shows the same dish living on in the 16th century.
1) Harleian MS 279 (c.1430) — “Brawn of Swyne”
Middle English:
Brawn of Swyne. Take Brawn of Swyne, and seþe hit; and whan hit is y-sothe, pare hit and lay hit in wyne, and serue hit forth with mustard.
Modern rendering: Boil the pork brawn; when cooked, slice/trim it and lay it in wine; serve with mustard.
Distinctive feature: the quick wine soak before service.
Mustard with wine/vinegar; later sugar appears in print culture
What “brawn” really means — and how it was prepared
In period, brawn was cured pork or boar—typically shoulder, neck, or head—put up in salt during autumn for winter feasts.
When Harleian says “Take brawn of swyne, and seþe hit,” it assumes the meat is already salted. Boiling softens and reheats the preserved meat for slicing; the wine soak perfumes it; mustard completes the service.
Plain coarse salt (sometimes a little saltpetre) for a week or more, then gentle boiling and a brief wine soak before service.
2) Aromatic “luxury” cures
Noble kitchens sometimes added peppercorns, cloves, mace, sage, or bay, mirroring salted fish/venison methods:
“To Salt Fresh Salmon” and
“To Salt Venison” (Harleian MS 279).
3) Preparing brawn today
If using cured meat: start with unsmoked salt pork, salt-cured ham, or brined shoulder; soak overnight to reduce salt before simmering gently.
If using fresh pork: a simple brine for 3–5 days under refrigeration (per quart water: 1/4 cup coarse salt, a few peppercorns, 2–3 cloves, 1–2 bay leaves, splash of white wine or vinegar). Rinse, then simmer gently.
To serve: slice thin, lay briefly in wine (Harleian), and serve cold with sharp mustard.
🕯️ “Lord’s Salt” (optional, elite cure): Some noble households kept a perfumed preserving mix called Lord’s Salt (sal domini): fine salt blended with a little saltpetre and warming spices (pepper, cloves, mace), sometimes with sage or bay. It yields rosy, aromatic brawn for display tables. Ordinary kitchens used plain salt.
References: EETS intro (sal domini), Household Ordinances, Liber Cure Cocorum, Boke of Kervynge (1508).
Modern Redaction (Harleian-leaning)
Serves 10–12 as slices with mustard.
3–4 lb boneless pork shoulder (or unsmoked salt pork / salt-cured ham; see notes)
Dry white wine (about 1 bottle; divided: 1 cup for simmering, remainder for brief soak)
A few whole peppercorns or a pinch of powdour fort; a little salt to taste
Mustard (period-style): 3 Tbsp mustard seed (coarsely ground), 2–3 Tbsp wine or wine vinegar, pinch of salt
If using fresh pork: brine 3–5 days (see explainer). Rinse before cooking.
Simmer: Cover meat with water and add 1 cup wine, pepper, and a little salt. Simmer gently until very tender (about 2–3 hours for shoulder; less for cured ham).
Chill: Cool and chill under light weight for neat slicing.
Slice & soak: Slice thin; lay in a shallow dish with enough wine to scent (10–20 minutes). Drain well.
Mustard: Grind mustard seed; wet with wine or vinegar and salt to a thick paste. (For a 16th-c. profile, whisk in a little sugar.)
Serve cold with mustard alongside.
🥕 Dietary notes: Naturally gluten-free if mustard ingredients are GF. Contains pork. Substitutions: cured ham or salted beef (period-plausible).
Humoral & Menu Placement
In meat-day first courses (like Russell’s), brawn is a hot & dry food offset by moist wine and mustard.
It signals winter plenty and often appears at Christmas or Twelfth Night.
Balloke Brothe – Medieval Eel Broth (Harleian MS. 279, ab. 1430)
Eel from the 13th-century Ashmole Bestiary
Source: Harleian MS. 279, ab. 1430, recipe xxv.
📜 Original Recipe
xxv - Balloke Brothe. Take Elys and fle hem, an kytte hem in gobouns, an caste hem in-to a fayre potte with fayre water; than take Percely and Oynonys, an schrede hem to-gederys nowt to smal; take Clowes, Maces, an powder Pepyr, an caste ther-to a gode porcyon of wyne; then take 3est of New ale an caste ther-to, an let boyle: an when the Elys byn wyl y-boylid, take fayre stokfysshe, an do a-way the skyn, an caste ther-to, an let boyle a whyle; then take Safroun and Salt, an a lytil Venegre, an caste ther-to, an serue forth.
Almonds were the medieval cook’s “milk” on fast days—drawn with water, sugar-water, broth, or even wine.
Almond Milk in Period Sources — How Medieval Cooks Made It (and Variations)
Originally published 1/2/2015 / updated 10/1/2025
For roughly a third of the medieval calendar—Lent and other fast days—cooks avoided meat, dairy, and eggs. Far from the stereotype of endless roasts, elite kitchens leaned on almond milk as a flexible stand-in for dairy: it could be drawn “thick” or “thin,” seasoned sweet or savory, and tailored to the dish at hand.
Because every trained cook knew how to make it, many manuscripts don’t bother giving a basic recipe. When they do spell it out, we learn that medieval almond milk could be drawn with plain water, sugar-water (white or “black”/brownish sugar), or tempered with honey—and in practice, cooks also drew it with broth for savory dishes, or wine for rich Lenten fare and sweets. Below are period texts with clean translations, followed by kitchen-ready modern methods for each variant.
xj. Froyde almoundys. Take blake sugre, an cold water, an do hem to in a fayre potte, an let hem boyle to-gedere, an salt it an skeme it clene, an let it kele; j^an take almaundys, an blawnche hem clene, an stampe hem, an draw hem, with fe sugre water thikke y-now, in-to a fayre vessel: an [yf] fe mylke be nojt swete y-now, take whyte sugre an caste fer-to.
Modern English
11. Cold Almond Milk. Take black sugar and cold water and put them in a pot; let them boil together, salt and skim clean, and let it cool. Then take almonds, blanch them, and grind them; draw them with the sugar-water thick enough into a fair vessel. If the milk is not sweet enough, add white sugar.
Source: Austin, Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books, Harl. MS 279.
Harleian MS 4016 (c. 1450) — “Froyte de almondes” (Cold Almond Milk, sugar-water)
Original
Froyte de almondes. Take blak sugur and cold water, and caste the sugur and þe water in a potte; and lete hem boile togidre, and salt, and skeme hem clene, and let hit kele; And þen take Almoundes, and blanche hem clene, and stampe hem in a morter al smal, and drawe hem thik ynowe thorgh a streyner with sugur water… And serue hit forth in maner of potage, And namely in lenton tyme.
Modern English
Cold Almond Milk. Boil black sugar with water, salt and skim clean, let cool. Blanch and grind almonds very fine; draw them thick enough through a strainer with the sugar-water… Serve it as a kind of pottage, particularly in Lent.
Source: Austin, Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books, Harl. MS 4016.
MS Pepys 1047 — “To make gode almondys mylke” (Honey-tempered)
Original
Take brokyn sugure or for fawte ther of take claryfied hony and put hit into fayre water And set hit on the fyre and boyle hit and skymme hit clene and set hit be syde the fyre and let hit cole and then blanche thy almondys cast them yn a morter and bray them small temper hem up with þe same water.
Modern English
Take crushed sugar—or, if lacking that, clarified honey—and put it in fair water. Set it on the fire, boil and skim clean; set aside and let cool. Then blanch almonds and grind them small; temper them with the same water.
Source: MS Pepys 1047 (transcription at OldCookery.com).
Notes: These texts show the core technique (blanch → grind → draw/strain) and clearly attest to sugar-water and honey-water variants. In practice, medieval recipes also direct cooks to “draw with broth” for savory pottages and sauces, or with wine for certain feast dishes and sweets. “Thick” vs. “thin” is a matter of almond-to-liquid ratio.
Ground almonds mixed with water – the basis of almond milk, a medieval staple.
Almond Milk in the Middle Ages — History, Humors & Uses
Originally Published 11/10/2015 / Updated 10/1/2025
“The more things change, the more they remain the same.” That phrase feels especially true when we look at almond milk. Today, we reach for it as a dairy-free alternative in lattes or smoothies. In the Middle Ages, cooks turned to it for many of the same reasons: dietary restrictions, health, and versatility.
Almond milk appears in nearly every major medieval cookbook — from the English Forme of Cury (c. 1390) to French texts like Le Viandier. Whether thickened into custards, stirred into pottages, or sweetened for desserts, it was a foundational ingredient in European kitchens from the 13th–15th centuries. Understanding almond milk helps unlock a whole category of medieval recipes.
Origins & Spread of Almonds
The almond tree (Prunus dulcis) is native to the regions of modern-day Iran and Central Asia. Cultivation spread westward along trade networks into Persia and the Mediterranean by the first millennium BCE. The Greeks and Romans knew almonds well — Roman authors like Pliny the Elder mention them, and they were commonly served at banquets.
Through Roman expansion and later Arab influence in Spain and Sicily, almonds became established throughout southern Europe. By the 9th–10th centuries, almond-based dishes appear in Arabic medical and culinary texts, praised both for flavor and for their gentle, “cooling” effect in humoral medicine.
Almonds on the Move: From Orchard to Feast Table
Italy & France: Almonds were cultivated in Mediterranean orchards and imported inland. French and Italian manuscripts from the 13th–14th centuries make frequent use of almond milk in sauces, custards, and pottages.
England & Germany: By the late Middle Ages, almonds were arriving in northern ports like London, Lübeck, and Hamburg. They were expensive imports, sometimes listed alongside spices and sugar in customs rolls. Their cost gave them a dual role: practical (for fast days) but also a marker of wealth and status when used lavishly in feasts.
Monastic & noble kitchens: Monasteries, bound by fasting rules, relied heavily on almond milk. Nobles embraced it for both practical and prestigious reasons, often specifying “thick” almond milk in their cookery books.
In this way, the humble almond traveled thousands of miles — from Asian orchards to English feasting halls — and almond milk became one of the most common “dairy substitutes” in medieval Europe.
Why Almond Milk Was Essential
Religious fasting: Animal milk was prohibited on fast days. Almond milk allowed cooks to create “dairy-like” dishes during Lent and other observances.
Shelf life: Fresh cow’s milk spoiled quickly. Almonds, stored dry, could be turned into fresh milk on demand.
Status & luxury: Almonds were imported and costly, signaling refinement at noble tables.
Versatility: Used in both savory and sweet contexts — soups, sauces, blancmange, custards, even beverages.
Almonds & Humoral Theory
In Galenic medicine, almonds were considered “hot and moist.” Almond milk, tempered with water, was thought gentler on the stomach than cow’s milk and was prescribed for the sick or those with delicate digestion. This idea echoes modern perceptions of almond milk as “lighter” and easier to digest.
How It Was Made
Medieval almond milk was made almost exactly as we do today:
Soak whole almonds, then grind them to a paste with a mortar and pestle.
Mix with warm water, wine, or broth depending on the recipe.
Strain through cloth to produce a smooth liquid.
The ratio determined the thickness. Recipes often call for “thick” almond milk when a rich base was needed, or a thinner version for soups and sauces. Sweetening with sugar, honey, or rosewater was common, while savory versions might use broth or even wine.
Uses in Medieval Cookery
Savory: In sauces like Rapeye, in fish pottages, or as the base for meatless soups.
Sweet: In blancmange, rice puddings, and custards.
Feasts: Almond milk was prepared in large quantities ahead of service — much like we buy cartons today.
Egredouncye (Harleian MS. 279, c. 1430) — A Tangy Medieval “Sewe” & Comparison with Beef y-Stywyd
Egredouncye — A Tangy Medieval “Sewe” (Harleian MS. 279, c. 1430)
Egredouncye served over a trencher, broth “running,” fresh parsley bright on top.
Slice, broil, mince “like venison,” then stew with broth, herbs, saffron, and a tart splash of vinegar or wine. This dish is served forth rennyng—its broth pourable, its herbs fresh.
This dish represents the “sewe” family of medieval stews — broth-forward, brightened with herbs and spice, thinner than gravies and brewets.
Original Text & Translation
Original (Middle English)
.Cxl. Egredouncye.—Take Porke or Beef, wheþer þe lykey, & leche it þinne þwerte; þen broyle it broun̛ a litel, & þen mynce it lyke Venyson; choppe it in sewe, þen caste it in a potte & do þer-to Freyssh brothe; take Erbis, Oynonys, Percely & Sawge, & oþer gode erbis, þen lye it vppe with Brede; take Pepir & Safroun, pouder Canel, Vynegre, or Eysel Wyne, Broþe an Salt, & let ȝet boyle to-gederys, tylle þey ben y-now, & þan serue it forth rennyng.
Modern Translation
Take pork or beef, slice thin across the grain; broil until lightly browned, then mince like venison. Stew it in fresh broth with herbs, onions, parsley, and sage. Thicken lightly with bread crumbs. Season with pepper, saffron, cinnamon, and vinegar or eisel wine, plus broth and salt. Boil until done, then serve “running” — as a loose, pourable stew.
Rose conserve — my original 2017 photo, refreshed here with updated notes and historical context.
Originally published: October 2, 2017 • Updated: September 19, 2025
Rose Conserve – A Medieval Confection of Petals & Sugar
Rose conserve — also called conserva rosarum — is a perfumed paste of fresh rose petals pounded with sugar. It sits right on the border of food and medicine: sweet enough for the banquet table, soothing enough to appear in apothecary lists. Cool, fragrant, and very old-fashioned in the best way.
Compost – Medieval Pickled Vegetables (The Forme of Cury, c. 1390)
A beautiful dish of Compost—a sweet-sour, mustard-kissed medley of pickled vegetables. Original adaptation courtesy of Daniel Myers at Medieval Cookery.
Originally published 10/21/2017. Updated 9/19/2025.
Compost is a vibrant “composition” of roots, cabbage, and pear, dressed with vinegar, wine, honey, and spices. Although the modern ear hears “garden compost,” in medieval cookery compost meant a mixture (from Latin componere—“to put together”). The recipe appears in The Forme of Cury (c. 1390), a royal English cookbook compiled by the cooks of King Richard II.
Historical & Cookbook Context
The Forme of Cury is among the earliest English culinary collections, written in Middle English for a professional court kitchen. Richard II’s table favored spice, color, and spectacle—dishes like Compost fit that world perfectly: bright, sweet-tart, and meant to awaken the appetite at the start of a course.
Etymology:Compost = “mixture/compote,” not soil. Cognates appear across Europe (composte in Italian/French) for sweet-sour preserves.
Preservation: Vinegar + honey + wine weren’t just flavors; they extended shelf life before refrigeration—ideal for travel, fasting days, and feasts.
🍽️ Menu Placement
Compost works beautifully in the first course with other cold dishes: sallets, pottages, and small bites. It’s a make-ahead dish that holds safely, scales easily, and offers welcome acidity between richer foods. Serve in shallow bowls with a draining spoon so guests can take vegetables without over-brine.
Humoral Theory (Balance & Digestion)
Medieval diners aimed to balance foods’ hot/cold and dry/moist qualities. Sharp pickling and mustard were considered “warming” and digestive; honey and currants added moist sweetness, while pear cooled and softened the heat of spice.
Ingredient
Humoral Tendency (period belief)
Balancing Note
Vinegar
Hot & dry
Stimulates appetite/digestion
Mustard
Hot & dry
Warming; use sparingly for choleric temperaments
Honey & currants
Warm & moist
Round out sharpness; “comforting”
Pear
Cool & moist
Tempers heat of spices and vinegar
Ingredient Notes & Modern Substitutions
Parsley root: Traditional but scarce in U.S. markets—sub parsnip or celery root.
Greek wine: The text specifies “wyne greke,” likely sweet. Good subs: Muscat, Marsala, or a sweet white. Dry white works in a pinch.
Powder douce: A mild sweet spice blend (often sugar + cinnamon + ginger). Use your house blend to match other Curia dishes.
Lombard (Lumbarde) mustard: Strong, sweetened mustard with spice—modern “sweet–hot” or honey mustard is close; add a pinch of ginger for warmth.
Currants: Zante currants (dried Corinth grapes), not fresh currants. Small raisins are a last-resort sub.
Saffron: Optional but period-correct for color and aroma. For budget or camping: a tiny pinch of turmeric for color only.
🥕 Dietary Notes
Vegetarian ✅
Vegan ✅ (swap honey for date syrup or agave)
Gluten-free ✅
Allergens: Mustard is common; omit or reduce, or sub a small pinch of prepared horseradish.
Camping/Feast friendly: Make 1–2 days ahead; keeps well chilled. Transport brine separately and dress on site for best texture.
Original Text — The Forme of Cury (c. 1390)
Take rote of parsel. pasternak of rasenns. scrape hem waisthe hem clene. take rapes & caboches ypared and icorne. take an erthen panne with clene water & set it on the fire. cast all þise þerinne. whan þey buth boiled cast þerto peeres & parboile hem wel. take þise thynges up & lat it kele on a fair cloth, do þerto salt whan it is colde in a vessel take vineger & powdour & safroun & do þerto. & lat alle þise thinges lye þerin al nyzt oþer al day, take wyne greke and hony clarified togider lumbarde mustard & raisouns corance al hool. & grynde powdour of canel powdour douce. & aneys hole. & fenell seed. take alle þise thynges & cast togyder in a pot of erthe. and take þerof whan þou wilt & serue forth.
Eisands with Oatmeal Groats — A Book of Cookrye (1591)
Eisands with Oatmeal Groats — A Book of Cookrye (1591)
Eisands of otemeal grotes is one of those recipes I knew I had to tackle the moment I found it while researching for a cook’s gathering in 2015. It reads like a bridge between early “puddings” (often meat-and-suet mixtures boiled in an animal casing) and the later sweet, bread- or grain-based boiled puddings that show up in the 17th century—think the ancestors of Christmas plum pudding. The question was how to cook it (bake, steam, boil?) and what exactly the “otemeale grotes” should be in a modern kitchen.
On the oats: “Groats” are hulled whole oat berries. Steel-cut oats (oat groats chopped into pieces) are the easiest modern stand-in and give the right “rice-like” bite. Rolled/quick oats are much later and behave differently; avoid them for authenticity and texture.
On the method: The surrounding recipes in A Book of Cookrye point to boiling the pudding in a cloth. When made this way, Eisands slices beautifully, travels well, and can be served warm or cold—perfect for a Curia Regis Brunch or feast service.
Original & Translation
Original (1591)
Modern Sense Translation
Eisands with Otemeale grotes. Take a pinte of Creame and seethe it, and when it is hot, put therto a pinte of Otemeale grotes, and let them soke in it all night, and put therto viii. yolks of egs, and a little Pepper, Cloves, mace, and saffron, and a good deale of Suet of beefe, and small Raisins and Dates, and a little Sugar.
Eisands of Oatmeal Groats. Heat a pint of cream; when hot, add a pint of oatmeal groats and let them soak in it overnight. Mix in eight egg yolks; season with a little pepper, cloves, mace, and saffron. Add a good amount of beef suet, along with small raisins and dates, and a little sugar.
Funges – Medieval Mushroom & Leek Pottage (The Forme of Cury, c. 1390)
Originally published 2017 — updated September 2025
🥕 Dietary Notes: Vegan • Vegetarian • Gluten-Free
Funges – a saffron-tinted pottage of mushrooms and leeks from The Forme of Cury, c. 1390.
Humoral Theory: Mushrooms and leeks were considered cold and moist. Saffron, pepper, ginger, and clove were hot and dry correctives, making the dish balanced and easy to digest in the morning.
Menu Placement: Funges works as an early pottage course, served with bread or trenchers, to prepare the stomach before heavier meats and roasts.
Funges is a warming dish of mushrooms and leeks simmered in broth, brightened with saffron and finished with Powder Fort. It’s fast, fragrant, and feast-friendly—perfect for Curia brunch as a gentle starter. If you love leek dishes, see also Canabenys with Lekys.
This dish highlights the medieval love of mushrooms, leeks, and saffron. It is meatless, making it suitable for fast days and Lenten feasts, while still rich and satisfying. Its bright saffron hue and spicy warmth balance the humoral system—warming and drying against damp, cool mornings. Served with bread, it offers both nourishment and elegance, reminding us how medieval cooks turned humble ingredients into royal fare.
Original Recipe
Funges (The Forme of Cury, c. 1390)
Take Funges and pare hem clere and dyce hem. take leke and shred him smal and do him to seeþ in gode broth color yt wȝt safron and do þer inne pouder fort and serve hit forth.
Canabeys/Canabens in Harleian MS. 279 refers to cooked beans, most often the broad/fava beans familiar to medieval cooks, prepared plainly in broth or enriched with dairy and sometimes served with bacon. Combined with lekys (leeks), you get a humble, comforting pottage that fits beautifully on a fifteenth-century table—and on ours.
🥕 Dietary badge: Vegetarian as written; easily vegan. Gluten-free.
Sometimes a recipe resists easy interpretation, and this one has long puzzled cooks. “A Potage” from Harleian MS. 279 begins with an unusual step: cooking eggs in red wine before straining them with almond milk. At first glance, it might resemble wine clarification, but comparisons to similar recipes in Le Ménagier de Paris and other sections of Harleian MS. 279 suggest the intent was closer to a custard technique — lightly curdled eggs beaten into wine, strained, and then enriched with almond milk. The result is a sweet-savory almond custard-pottage, thickened with rice flour, colored red with sandalwood, and optionally garnished with chopped veal on flesh days. This dish sits somewhere between rice pudding, mincemeat, and almond custard, showcasing the medieval love of spice, fruit, and color in festive pottages.
Modern redaction of a 15th-century almond milk pottage, enriched with dried fruits, pine nuts, honey, and sweet spices.
The Original Recipe
Cxlix. A Potage.
Take an sethe a fewe eyron̛ in red Wyne; þan take & draw hem þorw a straynoure with a gode mylke of Almaundys; þen caste þer-to Roysonys of Coraunce, Dates y-taylid, grete Roysonys, Pynes, pouder Pepir, Sawndrys, Clouys, Maces, Hony y-now, a lytil doucete, & Salt; þan bynde hym vppe flat with a lytyl flowre of Rys, & let hem ben Red with Saunderys, & serue hym in flatte; & ȝif þou wolt, in fleyssℏ tyme caste vele y-choppid þer-on, not to smale.
Cxlix. A Potage.
Take and seethe a few eggs in red wine; then take and draw them through a strainer with a good almond milk. Then cast thereto currants, chopped dates, large raisins, pine nuts, powdered pepper, sandalwood, cloves, mace, honey enough, a little doucete, and salt. Then bind it up flat with a little rice flour, and let it be red with sandalwood, and serve it in flat. And if you will, in flesh time cast veal chopped thereon, not too small.
From Sauce to Aspic – The 500-Year Journey of Galentyne → Galantine
From hot medieval sauce to elegant cold aspic — the shifting identity of galentyne/galantine.
What’s in a name? Few dishes illustrate the transformations of European cuisine as vividly as galentyne. In the 14th century, it meant a spiced, bread-thickened sauce for meats or fish. By the 19th century, galantine had become a boned, stuffed, aspic-set cold dish — a centerpiece of French haute cuisine. Here we trace that remarkable journey across 500 years, with original recipes and modern adaptations.
Medieval Origins (14th–15th c.)
Harleian MS. 279 (England, c.1430):Fyletes in Galentyne is one of the best known. Pork is roasted, cut up, and stewed with onions, pepper, ginger, bread, and vinegar, finished with blood or sanders for color.
“Take fayre porke of the fore quarter, and rost hit tyl hit be almost ynogh; … and colour hit with blode, or elles with sandres, and then lat hit boyle up wel, and serve it forth.”
Modern feast menus often jump from a pottage or soup straight to roasts. Historically, diners expected something between. The entremet (Old French: “between-dish”) served as a bridge between heavy services, offering refreshment, surprise, and sometimes outright spectacle. This post explains the term’s origins, how it functioned, where it went, and practical ways to revive it in today’s feasts.
Etymology & Early References
Entremet derives from Old French (entre + mettre/mettre “to place/send in between”), literally a dish interposed between services. The concept appears prominently in 14th‑century French sources such as Le Viandier and later in Le Ménagier de Paris; in English material (e.g., Harleian MS. 279, c.1430) you find dishes that likely filled the same role, even when not labeled “entremet.”
Function of the Entremet
Pacing & Palate Reset: a light interlude after dense pottages or fish and before the roasts.
Blawnche Perrye — a light, pale pottage; visually striking early in a feast.
Colored rice — saffron‑gold, parsley‑green, or spiced rice for contrast.
Fritters — rice or fruit fritters served in small bites.
Jellies — molded almond or wine jellies; multicolored effects.
Disguised dishes — meats/fish presented in altered forms for surprise.
Regional Variations of the Entremet
While the entremet began in French courtly dining, the idea of a “between dish” spread widely. Each region adapted the form to local tastes, ingredients, and cultural priorities.
France
In sources such as Le Viandier and Le Ménagier de Paris (14th c.), entremets often took spectacular form — multicolored jellies, stuffed or disguised animals, and occasional allegorical displays.
England
English manuscripts like Harleian MS. 279 (~1430) present plainer entremets: light pottages (e.g., Blawnche Perrye), spiced rice, or oyster dishes — emphasizing humoral balance over pageantry.
Italy
Italian masters (Maestro Martino, Scappi) blurred entremets with refined lighter courses: almond milk dishes, sugared rice, small pasta or vegetable preparations with elegant presentation.
Spain & Catalonia
Texts such as Llibre de Coch (1520) show sweet‑leaning entremets — almond pastes, candied fruits, spiced rice — foreshadowing dessert traditions.
Germany
German Speisebücher and later works (e.g., Anna Wecker, 1598) feature Zwischenspeisen (“between‑dishes”): saffron or parsley‑colored rice, Sülze (bright fish/meat jellies), and fritters like Krapfen or Strauben — practical, colorful, and texturally contrasting.
Blawnche Perrye – creamy almond & fish dish, often served between courses
FAQ: Does a Modern Galantine Count as an Entremet?
Sometimes. If served as a small, decorative “between” dish (rather than as part of the roast service), a galantine can function as an entremet. Keep portions modest and presentation striking; otherwise it reads as a main meat course.
Sources & Further Reading
Le Viandier (14th c.) — early entremet references.
Chykonys in Bruette — Chicken in Ale-Broth with Saffron (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)Chykonys in Bruette — Chicken in Ale-Broth with Saffron (Harleian MS. 279)
Chykonys in Bruette — Chicken in Ale-Broth with Saffron (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)
Originally published 12/21/2016 - Updated 9/10/2025
Bruet/bruette in Middle English generally signals a sauce or broth thickened with bread and seasoned with warm spices. In Harleian MS. 279, this dish is a straightforward, feast-friendly pottage: gently boiled chicken, chopped, then simmered in its own broth with ale, pepper, ginger, and saffron, thickened with ground bread. A related stream of recipes (Forme of Cury, Liber cure cocorum, Noble Boke) adds pork and cumin; this post presents the Harleian-only version first and notes the pork-and-cumin variant below.
Original Recipe
.lxxxxvij. Chykonys in bruette.
Take an Sethe Chykonys, & smyte hem to gobettys; þan take Pepir, Gyngere, an Brede y-grounde, & temper it vppe wyth þe self brothe, an with Ale; an coloure it with Safroun, an sethe an serue forth.
Gloss: Boil chickens; chop to gobbets. Grind pepper, ginger, and bread; temper (mix) with the same broth and ale; color with saffron; boil and serve.
2 lb (900 g) bone-in chicken (thighs or split breasts)
Water to cover (or light chicken broth)
1 cup (240 ml) mild ale (low-bitterness)
1 tsp ground ginger
¾–1 tsp ground black pepper
Generous pinch saffron, crumbled
¾–1 cup (45–60 g) fresh breadcrumbs (or 35–45 g dried, finely ground)
Salt, to taste
Method
Parboil: Cover chicken with water; bring to a gentle boil. Skim, then simmer until just cooked (20–25 min). Remove chicken; reserve broth. When cool enough, strip meat and cut into bite-size pieces.
Make the bruette: Measure 4 cups (950 ml) of the chicken broth back into the pot. Add ale, ginger, pepper, and saffron. Bring to a gentle simmer 3–5 minutes to bloom spices.
Thicken: Whisk in ground bread gradually until the broth lightly coats a spoon; simmer 3–5 minutes. Adjust thickness with more bread or broth.
Finish: Return chicken to the pot; simmer 2–3 minutes. Season with salt to taste. Serve hot.
Cook’s Notes: Aim for a spoonable, saucy pottage—not a paste. If your ale is bitter, cut with more broth. For a silkier texture, sieve the sauce before adding the chicken.
Powder Douce & Powder Forte – Medieval Spice Mixes
Medieval-style spice blends: sweet poudre douce and strong poudre forte.
Quick context: In medieval English and Italian sources, powder mixes are pre-made spice blends used much like modern garam masala or pumpkin spice. The two most common names are Powder Douce (sweet, sugar-forward) and Powder Forte (pepper-forward, “strong”). Exact formulas weren’t standardized—each cook adjusted to taste, budget, and what was on hand.
Powder Douce (aka douce/“sweet”/white powder): typically sugar-heavy with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger; sometimes nutmeg, mace, cloves.
Powder Forte (aka strong powder): pepper-based, sometimes with long pepper, cubebs, grains of paradise; may include cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander/caraway.
Diriola – Maestro Martino’s Custard Tart (Libro de arte Coquinaria)
“The Feast in the House of Levi” (detail), Paolo Veronese. Used here as period context for Renaissance custard tarts like Martino’s diriola.
Maestro Martino da Como (c. 1465) was one of the most influential cooks of the Renaissance. His Libro de arte Coquinaria includes Diriola, a delicate custard tart scented with cinnamon and rosewater. The dish straddles the line between medieval spiced creams and the refined Renaissance custards we’d recognize today. Redon, Sabban, and Serventi’s The Medieval Kitchen (1998) provides a modern adaptation faithful to Martino’s cues.
Original Recipe (Martino, c.1465)
Italian (15th c.)
“…un poca d’acqua rosata, et volta bene collo cocchiaro. Et quando sarà fornita di prendere, sera cotta. Et nota che non vole cocere troppo et vole tremare como una ionchata.
Per la Quadragesima: Habbi del lacte de le amandole con del zuccharo, et dell’acqua rosata, et de la canella. Et per fare che si prenda gli mettirai un pocha di farina d’amitto, observando in le altre cose l’ordine del capitolo sopra ditto.”
Translation
“…add a little rosewater and stir it well with a spoon. When it begins to set, it is cooked. Note that it should not be over-baked; it should quiver like a junket.
For Lent: take almond milk with sugar, rosewater, and cinnamon. To make it set, add a little starch flour, following the same method as above.”
“The Feast in the House of Levi” (detail), Paolo Veronese. Used here as period context for spice-laden pork roasts such as cormarye.
Source:The Forme of Cury, c. 1390 (ed. Hieatt & Butler). Adapted in Redon et al., The Medieval Kitchen (1998).
Original Recipe
Take Colyaundre, Caraway, garlec ygrounde, powdour fort, and salt, medle all this togyder and lay it on a fylett of pork al holes, and lay it to roste; when it is rosted enough, take vinegre and wyne and the juyce of the pork, medle hem togyder, and serve forth.
Translation
Take coriander, caraway, ground garlic, strong spice powder, and salt. Mix all this together and spread it over a fillet of pork, pricking it well. Roast it. When it is cooked enough, take vinegar, wine, and the juices of the pork, mix them together, and serve it forth.
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Social & Political Implications of Elaborate Entremets