Medieval First Course - Blaundysorye, Blamange, Blaunche de Ferry & Cawdelle Ferry

 Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) -  Blaundysorye, Blamange, Blaunche de ferry & Cawdelle Ferry.

Blandissorye, Buttered Wortes & Rys

There are several recipes in Two fifteenth-century cookery-books : Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430), & Harl. MS. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS. 55 by Thomas Austin that are similar not only in the methodology of how they are made but also because the name of the recipe describes the color it should be. The first of these I came across was tannye, a drink consisting of almond milk and red wine flavored with ginger, cinnamon, sugar, and galingale. It creates a drink that is a tawny color, hence the name, tannye.

This next set of recipes also has names that describe the colors of the dishes they represent. The first is Blaundissorye - from blanc de soré. Soré describes a color that is orange or reddish brown. The next two are for blamang, which is more familiar to those who research historic cooking as blancmange. Unlike modern-day blancmange which is a sweet dessert, blancmange in period is a dish that is a mix of savory and sweet, which includes chicken or fish.

The etymology of the words is very interesting. The Online Etymological Dictionary identifies blancmange as this:

...originally a dish of fowl minced with cream, rice, almonds, sugar, eggs, etc.; from blanc "white" (also used in Old French of white foods, such as eggs, cream, also white meats such as veal and chicken; see blank (adj.)) + mangier "to eat" (see manger).

The Anglo-Norman dictionary gives this definition for sorré. When making this recipe, the color would indeed be reddish brown if it were made with beef broth, almond milk, and red wine.

This rare lexeme is either the past participle form of the verb sorer (‘to become reddish brown’; not attested in Anglo-Norman, but see Gdf 7,481) or, perhaps less likely, a variant spelling of the adjective soret (DMF: ‘Qui tire sur le jaune brun, le brun roux, le fauve’). The English cognate forms allow for both possibilities (see MED’s etymology). Evidently, while the editor of Culinary Colls chose to have the accented form soré in (B) 27.3, the word may well be read as sore – a variant of sor1.

Original Recipe .xxj. Blandissorye.—Take almaundys, an blawnche hem, an grynde hem in a morter, an tempere hem with freysshe broþe of capoun or of beef, an swete wyne; an ȝif it be lente or fyssday, take brothe of þe freysshe fysshe, an swete wyne, an boyle hem to-gederys a goode whyle; þenne take it up, an caste it on a fayre lynen cloþe þat is clene an drye, an draw under þe cloþe, wyth a ladel, alle þe water þat þow may fynde, ryth as þow makyst cold creme; þanne take owt of the potte, an caste it in-to a fayre potte, an let it boyle; an þanne take brawn of Capoun, an tese it smal an bray it in [supplied by ed.] a morter: or ellys on a fyssday take Pyke or Elys, Codlyng or Haddok, an temper it with almaun mylke, an caste Sugre y-now þer-to; An þan caste hem in-to þe potte and lete hem boyle to-gederys a goode whyle: þenne take it owt of þe potte alle hote, an dresse it in a dysshe, as meni don cold creme, an sette þer-on Red Anys in comfyte, or ellys Allemaundys blaunchid, an þanne serue it forth for a goode potage.

Interpretation

21. Blandissorye - Take almonds, and blanch them, and grind them in a mortar and temper them with fresh broth of capon or beef, and sweet wine; and if it be lent or fish day, take broth of fresh fish, and sweet wine, and boil them together a good while; then take it up and caste it on a fair linen cloth that is clean and dry; and draw under the cloth, with a ladle, all the water that you may find, right as you make cold creme; then take out of the pot, and caste it into a fair pot, and let it boil; and then take meat of capon, and tease it small and bray it (in) a mortar: or else on a fish day, take pike or eels, codling, or haddock, and temper it with almond milk and caste sugar enough there-to; and then cast them into the pot and let them boil together a good while, then take it out of the pot and let them boil together a good while, then take it out of the pot all hot, and dress it in a dish, as men do cold cream, and set there-on red anise in comfit, or else almonds blanched, and then serve it forth for a good potage. Ingredients

Serves 8 as a main 3 c. almond milk made with beef broth 2 c. shredded white meat chicken 1 c. red wine 1 tbsp. sugar anise Comfits or toasted blanched almonds to garnish

Instructions 1. Bring almond milk and wine to a boil, add the sugar and begin stirring it constantly until it thickens to a consistency you like.

2. Spoon the sauce into a bowl and arrange the chicken on top. Garnish with fried almonds or anise seeds.

Original Recipe

.lxxxj. Blaundysorye.—Take Almaunde Mylke, an flowre of Rys, and brawn of Capounys or of hennys, & pouder Gyngere, & boyle it y-fere, & make it chargeaunt; an whan þou dressest yn, nym Maces, Quybibes, & caste a-boue, & serue forth.

Interpretation

81 Blaundysorye - Take almond milk, and flour of rice, and meat of capons or hens, & powder ginger, an boil it fair, and make it thick; and when you dress it, take mace, cubebs and cast above and serve forth.

Ingredients

3 c. almond milk 2 c. shredded white meat chicken

2 tbsp. rice flour

1 tsp. ginger

garnish with mace, and cubebs

optional salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Heat almond milk till it comes to a simmer and then add the rice flour and ginger. Stir until the almond milk thickens and the rice flour has cooked.
2. Shred or slice your chicken and place it on your plate, and cover it with the almond milk sauce. Before serving add a sprinkle of crushed mace and cubebs.

Original Recipe

.lxxxij. Blamang.*. [(? Blamanger).]—Take Rys, an lese*. [pick. ] hem clene, & wasshe hem clene in flake Water, & þan sethe hem in Watere, & aftyrward in Almaunde Mylke, & do þer-to Brawn of þe Capoun aftyrward in-to a-noþer almaunde Mylke, an tese it smal sumdele with a pyn, an euer as it wolt caste*. [stick. ] þer-to, stere it wel; nym Sugre and caste þer-to, þen make it chargeaunt; þen take blawn-chyd Almaundys, an frye hem, an sette hem a-boue, whan þou seruyst ynne; & ȝif þou wolt, þou myȝte departe hem with a Cawdelle Ferry y-wreten*. [Written. ]before *. [[No. xlvij. p. 15, and cxxxix. p 31]], an þan serue forth.

Interpretation

82. Blamang (Blamanger) - Take rice and pick it clean, and wash it clean in flake water, and then boil it in water, and afterword in almond milk, and do there-to brawn of capon afterword in-to another almond milk, and tease it small, to some degree (sumdele) with a pin, and ever as it would cast, stick there-to, stir it well, take sugar and cast there-to, then make it thick; then take blanched almonds, and fry them, and set them above, when you serve it, and if you will, you might depart them with a caudle ferry written before (previous recipe), and then serve forth.

Original Recipe

.lxxxxviij. Blamanger of Fyshe.—Take Rys, an sethe hem tylle they brekyn, & late hem kele; þan caste þer-to mylke of Almaundys; nym Perche or Lopstere, & do þer-to, & melle it; þan nym Sugre with pouder Gyngere, & caste þer-to, & make it chargeaunt, and þan serue it forth.

Interpretation

98. Blawmanger of Fish - Take rice, and cook them till they break, and let them cool; then cast there-to milk of almonds; take perch or lobster, and do there-to and mix it; then take sugar with powder ginger, and cast thereto, and make it thick, and then serve it forth.

Ingredients

1 c. cooked rice

3 c. almond milk

2 c. poached shredded chicken, poached white fish cut into bite-sized pieces, or 2 lobsters, cooked, heads and claws saved to use as a garnish

1 tbsp. sugar

1 tsp. ginger

almonds that have been lightly fried - or - comfits

Opt: Caudle Ferry (see recipe below)

Instructions

1. Add the rice and almond milk, sugar, and ginger to a pot and cook until the almond milk has been absorbed into the rice. You could add your meat to the rice at this time if you wish.
2. Spoon the rice mixture into a bowl, arrange the meat along the tip of the rice and garnish with almonds or anise comfits, before serving.

Original Recipe

Cxvj. Blaunche de ferry.—Take Almaundys, an draw þer-of an Chargeaunt Mylke; take Caponys & sethe hem; & whan þey ben y-now, take hem vppe, & ley hem on a fayre bord, & strype of þe Skyn, & draw out þe Brawn & hew hem smal; do hem on a Morter, & grynd hem smal; caste on a potte, & fayre whyte Salt, & boyle hem; & whan þey bey boylid, sette it out, & caste on whyte Wyne or Venegre, & make it quayle*. [Curdle.]; take a clene cloþe and lete it be tryid a-brode, & stryke it wyl vnder-nethe alle þe whyle þat þer wol auȝt out þer-of; þan caste Blaunche powder þer-on, or pouder y-mellyd with Sugre; stryke it clene, take a newe Erþen potte, oþer a clene bolle, & caste þin mete þer-on, þer plantyng Anys in comfyte.

Interpretation

116 - Blaunche de ferry - Take almonds, and draw there-of a thick milk; take capons, and cook them, and when they be enough, take them up, and lay them on a fair board, and strip off the skin, and draw out the meat, and cut it small; do them (the meat) on a mortar, and grind it small; cast on a pot, and fair white salt, and boil them (the almond milk and chicken); and when they are boiled, set it out, and cast on white wine, or vinegar, and make it curdle; take a clean cloth, and let it be separated (tryid) abroad, and strike it well underneath all the while that there will own out there-of; then cast white powder there-on, or powder mixed with sugar, strike it clean, take a new earthen pot, or a clean bowl, and cast thin meat there-on, there planting anise in comfit.

Ingredients

Note: This recipe appears to be very similar to a dish known as ".lvij. Charlet a-forcyd ryally." which has been one of the most unappetizing dishes I have interpreted from Harl. MS 279. You have been warned.

2 c. almond milk

2 c. ground poached chicken

2 tsp. (or to taste) salt

2 tbsp. white wine or vinegar

1 tsp. blaunche powder

1 tbsp. sugar

Anise comfits

Instructions

1. Add almond milk, half of the chicken, salt, sugar and blaunche powder to a pot and bring it to a boil.
2. Remove it from the heat and add the vinegar or wine. The mixture will curdle.
3. Allow it to sit until room temperature. You will need to strain the mixture before it can be served. Strain it through a cloth-lined strainer, and weight it with a plate and heavy can. Allow it to strain for several hours.
4. Prior to serving, you can "unmold" it from the mold, and garnish with additional sugar, blaunche powder, and anise comfits.

Original Recipe

.Cxxxix. Caudel Ferry departyd with a blamanger.—Take Fleysshe of Capoun, or of Porke, & hakke hem smal, & do it in a mortere an bray it wyl, & temper it vppe with capoun broþe þat it be wyl chargeaunt; þan nym mylke of Almaundys, take ȝolkys of eyroun̛, & Safroun, & melle hem to-gederys þat it be ȝelow, & do þer-to pouder Canelle, & styke þer-on Clowis, Maces, & Quybibis, & serue forth [supplied by ed.]

Interpretation 139. Caudel Ferry departed with a blamanger - take flesh of capon, or of pork, and hack it small, an do it in a mortar, and grind it well, and temper it up with capon broth that it be well thick; then take milk of almonds, take yolks of eggs, and saffron and mingle them together that it be yellow and do thereto powder cinnamon, & stick there-on cloves, maces and cubebs and serve forth.

Original Recipe

xlvij - Cawdelle Ferry. Take 3olkys of eyroun Raw, y-tryid fro the whyte; than take gode wyne, and warme it on the potte on a fayre Fyre, an caste ther-on 3olkys, and stere it wyl, but let it nowt boyle tylle it be thikke; and caste ther-to Sugre, Safroun, and Salt, Maces, Gelofres, an Galyngale y-grounde smal, and flowre of Canelle; and whan thow dressyst yn, caste blanke pouder ther-on.

Interpretation

47. Caudell Ferry - Take yolks of eggs, raw, separated from the white, then take good wine and warm it on the pot on a fair fire, and caste there-on yolks, and stir it well, but let it not boil till it be thick, and caste there-to sugar, saffron, and salt, maces, gillyflowers and galangal ground small, and flour of cinnamon, and when you dress in, cast white powder there-on.

Ingredients

Serves 1 as a Main, 2 as a Side

1 c. wine

3 egg yolks -or- 1 large egg, beaten with a pinch of salt

1 tbsp. sugar

3 cloves

1/8 tsp. each mace and galingale

1/4 tsp. cinnamon

Pinch of saffron

Pouder Douce to taste

Instructions

1. Heat wine, saffron, and cloves in a double boiler for five minutes after the boiler starts to boil.

2. Remove the cloves. Add the sugar, mace, galingale, and cinnamon to the wine, and heat until dissolved.

3. Temper the eggs with the heated wine, and add the tempered mixture to the remaining wine in the pot.

4. Stir until the mixture thickens to taste.

5. Strain your pudding before serving to remove any lumps that may have formed, and any remaining cloves (in case you miscounted!). Right before serving sprinkle with Pouder Douce.

Similar Recipes

Forme of Cury - (England, 1390) FOR TO MAKE BLANK DESNE. XX.IX. XIII. Take Brawn of Hennes or of Capouns ysoden withoute þe skyn. & hewe hem as smale as þou may. & grinde hem in a morter. after take gode mylke of Almandes & put þe brawn þerin. & stere it wel togyder & do hem to seeþ. & take flour of Rys & amydoun & alay it. so þat it be chargeant. & do þerto sugur a gode party. & a party of white grece. and when it is put in disshes strewe uppon it blaunche powdour, and þenne put in blank desire and mawmenye in disshes togider. And serue forth. A Noble Boke off Cookry - (England, 1468) To mak bland sorre tak the mylk of almondes blanched mad with capon brothe then tak the braun of a capon and bet it in a mortair and mele the fishe and the mylk to gedur in the mortair with the pestelle and thik it with flour of rise and boile it put ther to sugur or hony and mak it stondinge then lesk it in dyshes and diaper it with turnsole and serue it. Recipes from John Crophill's Commonplace Book - (England, 1485) Blaunde Sorre. Tak rys & wasch hem & grynd hem smal tempre hem up with almaunde melk do it ovre the fyer & boylle it tak braun of hennys & of capouns hew it & grynd it smal as myed bred do ther to seson it with sugre gret plente florysch it with fryed almaunds.

Libre del Coch - (Spain, 1520)

237. BLANCMANGE OF GOURDS. Take the most tender of the gourds and prepare them, well-scraped with a knife until they are white, and then cut them into pieces as big as your hand, and set water on the fire. And when it boils, cast in the gourds. And when they are cooked, remove them. And put them into a clean cloth. And then make almond milk according to the quantity of the gourds. And squeeze them very well, in such a manner that all the water comes out. And then put it in the pot or kettle where you must make the blancmange; and cast the gourds into the milk; and cast in the sugar that you see is necessary; and let it go to the fire; and before you cast in the gourds, sprinkle them with rosewater; and these gourds need to be beaten a lot; and let them have a good fire so that they boil well; and stir them constantly in such a manner as if they were thick gourds; and when you see that they are thoroughly mushy, let them cook a little while; and then cast on the rosewater; and let it come off the fire; and then prepare dishes, and upon each one cast fine sugar.

And know one thing: that in these foods you cannot have a measurement, but rather according to the discretion of the one who cooks it; because the gourds by their nature are all water; and no one can well say what is required, only the same one who cooks it.

Sources

"Blancmange | Etymology, Origin And Meaning Of Blancmange By Etymonline". Etymonline.Com, 2022, https://www.etymonline.com/word/blancmange. Accessed 3 Nov 2022. Medievalcookery.Com, 2022, https://www.medievalcookery.com/notes/crophill.txt. Accessed 24 Oct 2022. Search, Advanced et al. "Anglo-Norman Dictionary". Anglo-Norman.Net, 2022, https://anglo-norman.net/entry/sor%C3%A9. Accessed 24 Oct 2022. "The Forme Of Cury: A Roll Of Ancient English Cookery Compiled, About A.D. 1390". Gutenberg.Org, 2022, https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8102/pg8102.html. Accessed 24 Oct 2022. "Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books : Harleian MS. 279 (Ab 1430), & Harl. MS. 4016 (Ab. 1450), With Extracts From Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS. 55 / Edited By Thomas Austin". Quod.Lib.Umich.Edu, 2022, https://quod.lib.umich.edu/c/cme/CookBk/1:6?rgn=div1;view=fulltext. Accessed 24 Oct 2022.

Medieval Cooking Basics - Spice Powders

 Originally Published 11/10/15

Oftentimes when you are attempting to recreate a recipe you are met with ambiguous terms used for flavoring. When I originally published this at the Give it Forth Blogspot site, it was for just two of the commonly referenced powders - sweet powder and strong powder. As I have run across other receipts I have dumped them into this one single post. It is itself, a work in progress.

Powder Douce is a mixture of spices that can be found in medieval cookery. It is my belief that this mixture does not have a specific or exact "recipe" because it may have been largely dependent upon what was available at the time. What I do believe is that the largest proportion of spice in the mixture would have been sugar, followed by either cinnamon or ginger. This is a theory and in no way shape or form should it be quoted as fact!

My mixture relies on a 3:2:1:1/2 ratio of the spices based on my personal preference of being heavy on sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and then mace, nutmeg, cloves, and peppercorns. Sometimes I will grind up cubebs or grains of paradise with the back peppercorns which I use as the basis of another very basic spice blend "Powder Forte", or strong powder.

Powder Douce 1 tbsp. sugar (preferably organic, but refined white works in a pinch) 1 1/2 tsp. each ginger and cinnamon 1 tsp. each nutmeg and mace 1/2 tsp. each cloves and peppercorns Sometimes if I'm feeling especially cheeky, I will add coriander to the mix. Powder Forte differs from Powder Douce in that it is a pepper-based spice mix. The recipe I use has its basis in Robert May's "The accomplisht cook or, The art & mystery of cookery (1684) " Bolonia Sausages recipe. I used these sausages when I cooked the Coronation Feast of Cadogan and AnnMarie September 27, 2014". The recipe is very complete in regards to the ingredients to be used to flavor the sausages: ....then add to it three ounces of whole pepper, two ounces of pepper more grosly cracked or beaten, whole cloves an ounce, nutmegs an ounce finely beaten, salt, spanish, or peter-salt, an ounce of coriander-seed finely beaten, or carraway-seed, cinamon an ounce fine beaten... A dry ounce is approximately equivalent to 2 tbsp. This makes a LOT of powder forte, but I use it in almost daily. Powder Forte 1 tbsp. black peppercorns or, a mix of peppercorns, long pepper, cubebs, and grains of paradise 1 tsp. each clove, nutmeg, coriander, and cinnamon **Salt to taste** Both of these mixes are very versatile, are often called for in period cooking, and can be used in everyday cooking as well. I hope you enjoy it!

Fine Powder of Spices

A set of instructions found in Le Menagier de Paris (ab 1393) for fine spice powder:

FINE POWDER of spices. Take an ounce and a drachma of white ginger, a quarter-ounce of hand-picked cinnamon, half a quarter-ounce each of grains and cloves, and a quarter-ounce of rock sugar, and grind to powder.

To understand the instructions for fine powder it is first necessary to understand the system of weights and measures that are being used. In this period of history, the pound was based on the "Apothecary Weight" which is 12 ounces, and not the 16 ounces we think of today. This weight system was not standardized and weights varied from region to region. The Apothecary system was based on the concept of the weight of grain. The grain (weighting approximately 0.065 grams or 0.002 ounces) was the earliest and most uniform unit of measure. This measurement varied by region and culture-dependent upon if the weight was the measure of a single grain of barley or a single grain of wheat (1 barley grain weighed approximately 1 1/3 grains of wheat) taken from the middle of the stalk. With the understanding that the weight of a grain varied depending on which grain was being weighed, I offer my best interpretation of what the modern-day US measurement would be. The spice powder instructions that are found in Le Menagier de Paris refer to a drachma. The drachma is the measure of the weight of the Greek drachma which weighed approximately 52 grains or 2 drams. With this information in mind, the instructions for "Fine Powder" can be interpreted thus: Interpreted Recipe

Take an ounce and a drachma of white ginger = 10 drams of white ginger ~ approximately 7 1/2 tsp. or 2 1/2 tablespoons of white ginger a quarter-ounce of hand-picked cinnamon = ~ approximately 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon half a quarter-ounce each of grains and cloves = ~ approximately 3/4 tsp. each grains of paradise and cloves and a quarter-ounce of rock sugar, and grind to powder - ~ approximately 1 1/2 tsp. sugar

Mix together and use as needed

Common Sauce Spices, Amended Rupert de Nola's Libre del Coch (ab 1529) gives instructions for Common Sauce Spices. Amended. Roughly translated from Spanish to English (thank you Google) this set of instructions can be translated to be:

Cinnamon three parts; cloves two parts; one piece ginger; pepper a part/ some dry coriander well ground/ a little saffron be all well ground and sifted.

Interpreted Recipe 1 tbsp. cinnamon 2 tsp. cloves 1 tsp. ginger 1 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. dry coriander (ground) Pinch of Saffron

Mix together the ingredients and use as needed. The Duke's Powder. Amended.

Another spice powder found in Libre del Coch De Nola. Roughly translated (again thank you Google) from Spanish to English this set of instructions can be interpreted to be:

Pólvora de duque. Enmendado, translated to English Cinnamon half an ounce, cloves half a quarter, and for the lords do not lie down but only cinnamon and sugar a pound if you want it sharp of flavor and for passions of the stomach throw you and little ginger

Interpreted Recipe Cinnamon half an ounce --1 tbsp. Cloves half a quarter (1/8th of an ounce) --3/4 tsp. Sugar a pound -- (based on the 12 ounce pound) 1 1/2 cups Ginger - a little --1 tbsp. M together and use as needed.

Note: A dry ounce is equal to two tablespoons, or 1/8th of a cup.

Blaunch Poudere My search for the elusive "blaunch poudere" ended when I located a set of instructions in The haven of health Chiefly gathered for the comfort of students, and consequently of all those that have a care of their health, amplified upon five words of Hippocrates, written Epid. 6. Labour, cibus, potio, somnus, Venus. Hereunto is added a preservation from the pestilence, with a short censure of the late sicknes at Oxford. By Thomas Coghan Master of Arts, and Batcheler of Physicke by Thomas Cogan. This book was published in 1636, which puts it into the grey area of period for the SCA. However, Thomas Cogan is documented as having died in 1607. Although I have been unable to locate it, the first edition of The Haven of Health was published either in 1584 or 1586.

CHAP: 126. Of Ginger. GInger is hot in the second degree, and dry in the first. It is the root of a certaine herbe, as Galen writeth. It heateth the stomacke, and helpeth dige∣stion, and is good for the sight. For this experience I have of Ginger, that a penny weight thereof toge∣ther with three penny weight of white sugar both made very small in powder and •earsed through lawne or a fine boulter cloth, and put into the eie, hath with∣in short time worne away a flegme growne over the eie: also with two ounces of sugar, a quarter of an ounce of ginger, & half a quarter of an ounce of Cina∣mon, al beaten smal into powder, you may make a ve∣ry good blanch powder, to strow upon rosted apples, Quinces, or Wardens, or to sauce a hen. But that gin∣ger which is called greene Ginger, or ginger Condite, is better for students: for being well made, if it be ta∣ken in the morning fasting, it comforteth much the stomacke and head, and quickneth remembrance, and is very good for a cough.

Interpreted Recipe 2 ounces of sugar = 4 tbsp. sugar 1/4 ounce of ginger = approximately 1 1/2 tsp. 1/8th ounce cinnamon = approximately 3/4 tsp. This powder creates a very light sandy-colored spice mix which is just a touch lighter than the pólvora de duque or Duke's Powder. I believe if I had used ground cassia cinnamon instead of the regular store-bought cinnamon this powder would have been even lighter. Because of Cogan's reference to this being "a very good blanch powder", I believe this is the "white" powder that is referenced in Harleian MS 279.

Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - Cix.Gelye de chare &Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - Cx. Gelye de Fysshe

These two particular recipes from "Two fifteenth-century cookery-books : Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430), & Harl. MS. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1439, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS. 55" by  Thomas Austin could be mistaken for modern dishes known as "aspics".  An aspic is gelatine made from meat stock that is molded and include pieces of meat, fish or eggs. All aspics are gelatine, but not all gelatines are aspics.  The primary difference being the sweetness of the dish; aspics are savory, and gelatines are sweet, with medieval and rennaissance aspics falling somewhere in the middle of the two making them the precursor's to the fancy modern day dishes we know today. 

The oldest evidence of the making of gelatine can be found in the Nahal Hemar Cave near Mt. Sedom in Israel.  During the excavation it was discovered that numerous cave paintings,  baskets and utinsels contained collagen that was derived from animal skins. It was used as a glue to bind pigments found in cave paintings and to provide a waterproof barrier for baskets, cloth and other containers. It is theorized that the glue was obtained through boiling of animal hides. 

Hide glue and gelatin we eat are "the same thing".  If you are interested in trying to make a similar glue you can find instructions on the Practical Primitive website here (I would not advise eating it).  If you would like to learn more about the scientific/technical aspects of hide glue click here. 

Important Disclaimer: Knox Gelatine, which is what I used to prepare the gelye de chare in the past is -not- derived from the animal hide but is made from bones and therefore is not vegetarian.  

The Roman historian Pliny writes about "fish-glue", a process that produced a thin, honey like substance that when mixed with other items could be used to remove wrinkles and plump the skin.  The instructions he gives bear a closer resemblence to the instructions to make Gelye of Fleysshe. 

Fish-glue effaces wrinkles and plumps out the skin; being boiled for the purpose in water some four hours, and then pounded and kneaded up till it attains a thin consistency, like that of honey.  -- The Natural History of Pliny, Volume 6 of 6, by Pliny the Elder

The earliest recipes I was able to locate for making gelye dishes come from the 1300's.  The first being for fish from Enseignements qui enseingnent a apareillier toutes manieres de viandes (1300's).

If you want to make fish jelly, break the back of the fish and cut it into pieces, that is to say: carp and tench, bream and turbot, and put to cook in good, strong wine; Then take cinnamon, ginger, long pepper, galingale, lavender and a little saffron; Then grind and put all together; And when you strain it of the fire, then in take out the fish in a bowl and pour thereon; and if you see that it is too thick, then sieve it and let it cool until the morning, and by then take it likewise like jelly.

The second from 1381 for a meat jelly from MS Douce 257

For to make mete gelee þat it be wel chariaunt, tak wyte wyn & a perty of water & safroun & gode spicis & flesch of piggys or of hennys, or fresch fisch, & boyle þam togedere; & after, wan yt ys boylyd & cold, | dres yt in dischis & serue yt forþe. 

.Cix. Gelye de chare.—Take caluys fete, & skalde hem in fayre water, an make hem alle þe whyte. Also take howhys of [leaf 20.] Vele, & ley hem on water to soke out þe blode; þen take hem vppe, an lay hem on a fayre lynen cloþe, & lat þe water rennyn out of hem [supplied by ed.] ; þan Skore*. [Scour. ] a potte, & putte þe Fete & þe Howhys þer-on; þan take Whyte Wyne þat wolle hold coloure, & cast þer-to a porcyon, an non oþer lycoure, þat þe Fleysshe be ouer-wewyd*. [See other Cookery, No. 174, wese. ] withalle, & sette it on þe fyre, & boyle it, & Skeme it clene; an whan it is tendyr & boylid y-now, take vppe þe Fleyshe in-to a fayre bolle, & saue þe lycoure wyl; & loke þat þow haue fayre sydys of Pyggys, & fayre smal Chykenys wyl & clene skladdyd & drawe, & lat þe leggys an þe fete on, an waysshe hem in fayre water, & caste hem in þe fyrste brothe, an sethe it a-ȝen ouer þe fyre, & skeme it clene; lat a man euermore kepe it, an blow of þe grauy. An in cas þe lycoure wast*. [Waste. ] a-way, caste more of þe same wyne þer-to, & put þin honde þer-on; & ȝif þin hond waxe clammy, it is a syne of godenesse, an let not þe Fleyshe be moche sothe,*. [boiled. ] þat it may bere kyttyng; þan take it vppe, & ley it on a fayre cloþe, & sette owt þe lycoure fro þe fyre, & put a few colys vnder-nethe þe vesselle þat þe lycoure is yn; þan take pouder of Pepir, a gode quantyte, & Safron, þat it haue a fayre Laumbere coloure, & a gode quantyte of Vynegre, & loke þat it be sauery of [supplied by ed.] Salt & of Vynegre, fayre of coloure of Safroun, & putte it on fayre lynen cloþe, & sette it vndernethe a fayre pewter dysshe, & lat it renne þorw þe cloþe so ofte tylle it renne clere: kytte fayre Rybbys of þe syde of þe Pygge, & lay ham on a dysshe, an pulle of þe lemys of þe Chykenys, eche fro oþer, & do a-way þe Skynne, & ley sum in a dysshe fayre y-chowchyd,*. [Y-couched; laid. ] & pore þin*. [Thine. ] gelye þer-on, & lay Almaundys þer-on, an Clowys, & paryd Gyngere, & serue forth.

109. Gely of Flesh - Take calves feet, and scald them in fair water, and make them all the white.  Also take hooves of veal, and lay them on water to soak out the blood; then take them up and lay them on a fair linen cloth, and let the water running out of them; then scour a pot and put the feet and hooves there-on; then take white wine that would hold color, and caste there-to a portion and none other liquor, that the flesh be over-washed withal, and set it on the fire and boil it and skim it clean; and when it is tender and boiled enough, take up the flesh into a fair bowl, and save the liquor well; and look that you have fair sides of pigs, and fair small chickens well and clean scalded and draw, and let the legs and the feet on, and wash them in fair water, and caste them in the first broth, and boil it again over the fire, and skim it clean; let a man evermore keep it, and blow off the gravy. And in case the liquor waist away, caste more of the same wine thereto, and put your hand there-on and if your hand wax clammy, it is a sign of goodness, and let no the flesh be much boiled that it may bear cutting; then take it up and lay it on a fair cloth and set out the liquor from the fire, and put a few cloths underneath the vessel that the liquor is in; then take good powder of pepper, a good quantity of saffron, that it have a fair amber color, and a good quantity of vinegar, and look that it be savory of salt and of vinegar, fair of color of saffron, & put it on fair linen cloth, & set it underneath a fair pewter dish, and let it run through the cloth so oft till it run clear: cut fair ribs of the side of the pig, and lay them on a dish, and pull of the limbs (?) of the chickens, each from the other, and do away the skin, and lay some in a dish fair y-couched (laid) and pour your gely thereon, and lay almonds, thereon and cloves and paired ginger, and serve forth.

.Cx. Gelye de Fysshe.—Take newe Pykys, an draw hem, and smyte hem to pecys, & sethe in þe same lycoure þat þou doste Gelye of Fleysshe; an whan þey ben y-now, take Perchys and Tenchys, & seþe; & Elys, an kutte hem in fayre pecys, and waysshe hem, & putte hem in þe same lycoure, & loke þine lycoure be styf y-now; & ȝif it wolle notte cacche,*. [stick; see other Cookery, No. 174. ] take Soundys of watteryd Stokkefysshe, or ellys Skynnys, or Plays, an caste þer-to, & sethe ouer þe fyre, & skeme it wyl; & when it ys y-now, let nowt þe Fysshe breke; þenne take þe lycoure fro þe fyre, & do as þou dedyst be*. [By, with. ] þat oþer Gelye, saue, pylle þe Fysshe, & ley þer-off in dysshis, þat is, perche & suche; and Flowre hem, & serue forthe.

110. Gely of Fish --Take new pike, and draw them, and smite them into pieces, and boil in the same liquor that you do gely of flesh; and when they been enough, take perch and tench, and cook, and eels, and cut them in fair pieces and wash them, and put them in the same liquor, and look your liquor be stiff enough, and if it would not catch (stick?), take sounds (swim bladder) of watery stockfish, or eel skins or plaice, and caste thereto, and cook, and cook over the fire and skim it well; and when it is enough, let not the flesh break; then take the liquor from the fire, and do as you did with the other gely, save pile the fish, and lay there-of in dishes that is, perch and such; and flower them and serve forth.