Kitchen Adventures – Cxlvj - Ry3th so Caboges.- The Right Way to Cook Cabbages (Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430))

Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - Cxlvj - Ry3th so Caboges.- The Right Way to Cook Cabbages

This set of instructions is located after Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - .Cxlv. Blaunche Perreye. - White Pea Soup 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 Thomas Austin.  The instructions are a bit vague, but seem to indicate that you can use the method found in the previous recipe to also cook cabbage.  There also appears to be a second set of instructions that indicate, you can cook your cabbage simply in boiling water and then salt it as you would the blaunche perreye prior to serving.  Prepared either way, this would be a dish that would be appropriate to serve for lent.

.Cxlvj. Ryȝth so Caboges*. [ i.e. Cabbages in just the same way. ] Ben seruyd, saue men sayn it is gode Also to ley hem in a bagge ouernyȝth in rennyng streme of watere, & a-morwe sette vppe watere, & when þe water is skaldyng hot, þrow hem þer on, & hoole hem in þere wyse be-forsayd, & serue fortℏ.

Cxlvj - Ry3th so Caboges. Ben seruyd, saue men sayn it is gode Also to ley hem in a bagge ouerny3th in rennyng streme of watere, and a-morwe sette vppe watere, and when the water is skaldyng hot, throw hem ther on, and hoole hem in there wyse be-forsayd, and serue forth.

146. Right so Caboges -- Being served, save men saying it is good.  Also to lay them in a bag overnight in running stream of water, and a-morrow (the next day) set up water, and when the water is scalding hot, throw  them there-on, and hull  them in there wise be aforesaid, and serve forth.

Interpretation I

1/8 cabbage, cleaned, cored and cut into ribbons
1/4 cup white wine
3/4 cup water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Bring water and wine to boil, add cabbage and cook until cabbage is tender.  Salt and pepper to taste before serving.

Interpretation II

1/8 cabbage, cleaned, cored and cut into ribbons
1 cup water
Salt and black pepper to taste

Bring water to boil and cook cabbage until tender.  Add salt and pepper to taste and serve


Of the two interpretations, the one with the addition of the wine was the personal favorite. The addition of wine elevated the dish to something quite spectacular. Cabbage is one of those dishes that is inexpensive to make and goes a loooooooong way at an event.  The first interpretation has gone onto my list of things to serve in the future.  I can also see this as being a very easy "camp dish" as well.

I feel like I need to start placing a caveat at the bottom of each post--I am a hobbyist and I am still very much learning my craft.  This is something I do for fun, and with a hope to introduce individuals to food history and entice them to do research on their own.  I hope that they find my posts fun and informative and intriguing enough to strike out on their own. I am - not - an authority, nor do I masquerade as one. The sad reality is that no matter how much we learn about this kind of cooking, we will never be authorities, at best, we are guessing at the author's and the cook's intent. I welcome *constructive* criticism and I will own up to mistakes.

Coley(s): Medieval Chicken Cullis and Early Bone Broth (Harleian MS. 279)

Coleys (Chicken Cullis): Medieval Bone-Broth Style Restorative – Harleian MS. 279

Harleian MS. 279 (c.1430) — .xxvj. Coleys — Chicken Cullis

What is “Coley(s)” / Cullis? A medieval restorative made by cooking a capon until tender, then enriching the broth with the meat, bread, and the “liquor of the bones.” Think early bone-broth technique with a comforting, spoonable finish.

In Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books (Harleian MS. 279), Coleys calls for not only the broth from boiling the capon but specifically the liquor of the bones—a clear nod toward longer extraction and collagen, much like today’s bone broth. French sources (e.g., Du fait de cuisine) even frame coulleys as food for the sick: nourishing, mild, and easily digested.

Kitchen Adventures – .xxxxix. Sardeyneȝ - Almond Pottage (Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430))

 Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) - .xxxxix. Sardeyneȝ  - Almond Pottage 

Sometime ago I posted a happy mistake for a sugared and spiced nut dish based on this set of instructions called xxxxix. Sardeyneȝ. I had planned on correcting the mistake immediately and posting the more period correct version but then the sun room construction started, life got in the way and I am late in publishing --Sardeyneȝ "the right way".

Because this recipe is found in the pottages section of 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, the consistency that we should be finding from a correctly interpreted recipe is that of a soft pudding, cereal or gruel. Here then is the more appropriate interpretation of this dish, which is simply delicious and highly recommended.  It would make an excellent camp breakfast dish, and I would recommend it for a pottage at any feast or luncheon you choose to make.

.xxxxix. Sardeyneȝ.—Take Almaundys, & make a gode Mylke of Flowre of Rys, Safroun, Gyngere; Canelle, Maces, Quybibeȝ; grynd hem smal on a morter, & temper hem vppe with þe Mylke; þan take a fayre vesselle, & a fayre parte of Sugre, & boyle hem wyl, & rynsche þin dysshe alle a-bowte with-ynne with Sugre or oyle, an þan serue forth.

49. Sardeyney - Take almonds, and make a good Milk of Flour of Rice, Saffron, Ginger, Cinnamon, Mace, Cubeb; grind them small on a mortar, and temper them up with the milk; than take a fair vessel, and fair part of sugar, and boil them well, and rinse your dish all about within with sugar or oil, and then serve forth.

Interpreted Recipe

1/4 cup almond flour
3/4 cup rice milk (or any nut milk, in a pinch I used almond milk)
Pinch of saffron and salt
1/2 tsp. pouder douce-sugar, ginger, cinnamon, mace (I have a powder given to me as a gift I used)
1/4 tsp. cubebs finely ground
1-2 tbsp. sugar or to taste

Bring all ingredients to a boil and then simmer until thickened.  Garnish with a sprinkling of sugar, or butter (in lieu of oil) or both, and then serve. 

This is a very comforting dish that is slightly reminiscent of cream of wheat or malt-o-meal.  If you enjoy eating these cereals you will enjoy this dish. I hope you enjoy.

Feast Budget -Or- Calculating the Costs of the Feast

You have bit the bullet. You have submitted a feast bid, and have been chosen to put together the feast! Congrats!!! Even before you were given the bid, you were probably given some numbers that included the expected budgeted funds and the number of diners you were expected to feed.  Before we go into the budget and calculating the cost of the feast, let's talk about the expected number of diners.

Many times the number of diners you are given will not be easily divisible by the number of servings per table (usually 6 or 8). This can create a potential problem when it comes to serving your food at feast.  So please be sure to find out from the individual who is hosting the event how many diner's are expected to sit "per table" before you discuss budget. Most SCA feasts will expect tables of 8 diners,so the numbers of diners  you will be expecting to feed should be easily divisible by 8.

Example: 
Budget $400
Expected number of diners: 60
Number of seats per table: 8
Cost per diner: $8.00 

Question: Does the number of expected diners include or exclude head table?  How many diners are you expecting at head table?

Using the example above, and assuming that number includes 8 seats for head table.  The expected number of tables that you will be cooking for is 7 1/2.  A half table? 😕

One of the tables that will be seated will only have four diners. This means it will only need half the amount of servings of food then the other 7 tables. To avoid this dilemma, you should ask the autocrat, or the person you are in contact with regarding the feast, to either increase -or- decrease the number of diners you are expected to serve.   By increasing or decreasing the number of diners to a number that is easily divisible by the number of seats per table, serving will be a breeze. There is no need to calculate for half a table, nor is there a need to worry about the half servings going out to the wrong table.




When do you calculate the cost of your feast? How do you calculate your costs, and what numbers do you need? What happens if you are over budget? Is there a way to offer the feast you want without sacrificing the menu?

Before you submit the bid it is always a good idea to do a preliminary cost analysis so that you have a rough of idea on what you will be spending. However, once you have been given the bid, you will want a much better set of numbers. Remember, at this point the menu proposed will not be the "finalized" menu.

My preference is to calculate my numbers after I have expanded the recipes and know what I need.  At this point in time my menu's are usually very fluid and are not concrete.  There are two numbers I rely on at this point to make sure I stay within budget; the cost per table and the cost per person. With these two numbers I have an easy way to check if  a specific dish will be within or out of budget.

Helpful hint:  When calculating costs, it is important to remember that approximately 25-30% of your budget will be items that are -not- food related.These items may include; serving plates, or serving ware, trash bags, first aid kits, kitchen timer's and thermometers, storage bags, aluminium foil, plastic wrap, dish washing liquid  etc.  which are not food items, but necessary to a successful feast.

At this point I have a rough idea of what I want to serve on the menu.  Menu planning is a class in and of itself so I won't be discussing it here. In order co calculate my cost per table and my cost per person, I want a detailed list of my grocery items, including non food items.  I always round up to the next available whole and I -always- calculate the cost of the items I intend to purchase at the full, not the sales, cost.

Ideally, when preparing a feast  there is at least two months lead time. Many vendors are happy to donate items to a NPO--but many require at least a six week lead time to get approval from home office.  The more lead time, the more availability of donated or discounted goods, the more you can offer on the menu.

Why do I calculate a cost per table and a cost per person? Some items, like bread, are easier to calculate on a per table basis.  I usually plan for 1 1/2 loaves of bread per table.  In our scenario above, 12 loaves of bread will be enough to feed the diners.  Other items, like meat are easier to calculate on a "per person" basis.  Roughly 4-6 ounces of meat, per course per diner is the usual allotment. To feed 64 diner's roasted pork in the second or third course, I would need roughly 16 pounds of roast pork, divided into two pound portions. 

Once I know I am within budget, I can finalize the menu, post it at least four weeks prior to the event, set clear expectations on a cut off date (usually two weeks prior to the event) for special accommodation requests, and post an allergen chart. Now the fun begins, purchasing the grocery items--take advantage of the sales, bogo's, donations and mark downs!

If you find that you are over budget and you don't want to sacrifice your menu there are ways that you can fall back into budget.  As mentioned above, sales are a good way to stay under budget, as are donations from organizations willing to donate to NPO's.  Another tip is to look within the menu for things you may have budgeted for but can make yourself.  For example, bread crumbs made from bread purchased on the mark down bin, or stocks that you make yourself. 

I often find myself planning ahead with an eye towards "the next feast".  Occasionally I have purchased items seasonally, prepared them and then served them later in the year at an event.  Examples of such items include vegetables or fruit bought in seasoned, prepared and then frozen or canned towards a future event.  A lot of dishes that are preserved get better with time. I have also purchased premium meats seasonally or on sale and kept them frozen with an eye towards the future event.

I have also donated items to an event.  I enjoy making jellies, pickles, fruit pastes, candies and comfits.  I find them relaxing past times and they make great gifts for family, friends, co-workers.  I almost always have some on hand.  I like rounding out my dessert course with a selection of sweets.

If all else fails, tweak the menu.  Remember that pork roast? There are times when pork roast can be cost prohibitive.  However, pair that pork roast (chunked or sliced) with meatballs made from ground beef, and you can use less pork per table then you expected to. Serving a high end cheese at the end of the meal, which was done in period, rather then at the beginning is also a budget saving strategy.  People will eat less of a premium item at the end of the meal then they will at the beginning. How you serve an item is as important as what you serve. Items that are pre sliced, or chunked look like there is more there then an item served uncut. Look at it--if it looks like it is enough, given it's placement in the meal, it probably is.

Cost per table: Budget/# of tables

Cost per person: Budget/# of diners 

Number of tables: Diners/Number of seats  

Number of servings: Number of Tables + Kitchen + Servers + head table 

Number of Diners should be divisible by Number of Seats per Table  

Out of a Spice? Spice Substitution Chart for Cooks: Historical and Modern Alternatives

Medieval-style herbalist at work—an illuminated manuscript depicting labeled herbs, tools, and a mortar & pestle preparing remedies and spices.

Spice Substitution Chart: Historical and Modern Swaps for Home Cooks

Update (August 19, 2025): This page has been expanded with added historical context, clarified notes, and improved search.

Missing mace in your recipe? Can’t find grains of paradise?

Whether you’re preparing a medieval feast or just need a quick fix, this searchable spice substitution chart has you covered. We include practical replacements and historically inspired swaps for cooks, reenactors, and food-history fans alike. From cinnamon and clove to rarities like grains of paradise or long pepper, these tested substitutions help you adapt without losing the dish’s character.

Historical Spice Substitutions

In medieval and Renaissance cookery, substitutions were essential: spices were seasonal, expensive, and often unavailable. Manuscripts like Forme of Cury and Libro de arte coquinaria specify blends, but household cooks adjusted based on access. This list balances modern flavor compatibility with known historical usage, keeping the spirit of the original.

How to use these substitutions: Start small and adjust to taste—pungent spices (clove, cardamom) can dominate. Working from a period recipe? Consider the spice’s humoral qualities or symbolic role; substitutions may shift intent slightly.

Need measurement conversions instead?
Check our conversion guide: Spice Measurement FAQ – Ounces to Tablespoons.