To Make Callishones - Marzipan flavored with Coriander

Callishones dryiing on the stove top


I am working on putting together an Elizabethan Banqueting Course this week. I have candied fruits, roots and flowers, made comfits of anise seed, fennel, caraway and cinnamon and fruit paste of peaches, quince and berries. Today I started working on other items that you might have found laid out for the banqueting course.

What is the banqueting course? It is the culmination of a feast, and it usually consisted of an assortment of sweetmeats and other delicacies served with a spiced wine known as hypocras. Sugar and spices were very expensive to purchase. Sugar was thought to be medicinal. To close a meal with a banqueting course served a three-fold purpose. First, it was an indication of the host's wealth, secondly, it also was a display of status and lastly, it showed off the artistic skills of the lady of the house.
Now you know, I'm not artistic. I'm very good with molds and cutters!

To Make Callishones

Take halfe a pound of Marchpane paste, a thimble-full of coriander seeds beaten to a powder, with a graine of Muske, beat all to a perfect paste, print it and drie it.

John Murrell, A Daily Exercise for Ladies and Gentlewomen, 1621

Recipe

10 ounces almond paste
1 1/2 tsp. ground coriander
up to 1/2 cup confectioner sugar
1 tsp. rosewater

This works best if the almond paste is cold, so I put mine in the refrigerator overnight. I grated it into a bowl and added 1/2 tsp. ground coriander to the grated paste. I then added the remainder of the coriander to the sugar, and put a small handful of it onto a piece of wax paper. I took 1/3 of my almond paste and pressed it on both sides into the sugar/coriander mixture. I rolled it out to approximately 1/4" thick and cut it out with cookie cutters. I got about 80 pieces of candy from this.

To finish, I mixed gold luster dust with ground coriander and painted the edges of the callishones with rosewater before running the edges through the coriander/luster dust mix, before setting it out to dry.

To make the almond paste I used a mix of equal parts almond flour to confectioner sugar and then add 1-2 tsp. almond extract, a tsp. of orange flower or rose-water plus an egg white. I know, I should be worried about salmonella, but these were super fresh eggs purchased at the market that morning.

To Candy any Root, Fruits, or Flowers


Sugared Plums

Baronial 12th Night 

In preparation for serving the dessert course at an upcoming SCA event I have been working with preserving a variety of roots, fruits and yes...earlier this year I preserved flowers (see: To Candy Flowers). So the method I am using is based on the method below:

Dissolve sugar, or sugar-candy in Rose-water, boyl it to an height, put in your roots, fruits or flowers, the syrup being cold, then rest a little; after take them out, and boyl the sirrup again, then put in more roots, &c. then boyl the syrup a third time to an hardness, putting in more Sugar, but not Rose-water put in the roots &c the syrup being cold, and let them stand till they candy (Markham).

I am not using rose water in my candying. I personally enjoy the taste of roses, and I also enjoy the scent that the rosewater gives to food when you use it. However, rose water is not a taste most people are familiar with and it is very much one of those like it/hate it tastes. I am cooking for a wide audience, which is the reason I am not using rosewater. I am also not boiling three times. I did use a very similar method last year to glace cherries. The entire process took nine days and the flavor of the fruit was very deep with a honey like flavor. If you can go this route, please do. Here is the method I am using.

To candy any roote, fruite or flower.

Dissolue Sugar, or sugar candy in Rose-water, boile it to an height, put in your rootes, fruits or flowers, the sirrop being cold, then rest a little, after take them out and boyle the sirrop againe, then put in more roots, &c. then boile the sirrop the third time to an hardnesse, put∣ting in more sugar but not Rose-water, put in the roots, &c. the sirrop being cold and let them stand till they candie. The English house-vvife Containing the inward and outward vertues which ought to be in a compleate woman. As her skill in physicke, surgery, cookery, extraction of oyles, banqueting-stuffe, ordering of great feasts, preseruing of all sorts of wines, conceited secrets, distillations, perfumes, ordering of wooll, hempe, flax, making cloth, and dying, the knowledge of dayries, office of malting, of oates, their excellent vses in a family, of brewing, baking, and all other things belonging to an houshold. A worke generally approued, and now the fourth time much augmented, purged and made most profitable and necessary for all men, and the generall good of this kingdome. By G.M. Markham, Gervase, 1568?-1637.

Interpreted Recipe

1-2 pounds of peeled, cored and sliced fruit or roots (I have candied plums, apples, pears, cantaloupe, ginger, orange and lemon peels, dried figs, cherries, beets, parsnips, yellow and orange carrots)
2 cups sugar
1/3 cup honey or corn syrup
1 cup water

Heat your sugar, honey (or corn syrup) and water to 235 degrees. Add your fruit and cook for 20 minutes. Most fruits will become transparent in the process. Do NOT let your temperature rise above 235 degrees. After fruit has cooked for 20 minutes, remove from syrup and place on a screen to dry.


Candied Figs, Ginger and Red Anise Seed Comfits


When I start the process of boiling the sugar I preheat my oven to the lowest temperature available and then turn it off when it is heated. After the fruit has been removed to the screen, I place the fruit in the heated oven and leave it overnight. Your fruit should be dry to the touch, if not, flip the fruit over on the screen and allow for continued drying. 

Some observations on the things that I have recently candied: 

Cantaloupe took four days to completely dry, pears and plums took three days.
If you are using dried fruit (like figs or apricots) you must first rehydrate them in warm water.
Make sure the fruit is dry when you add it to the sugar syrup.
A dip in temperature after fruit is added is normal.
The more humid it is, the less likely fruit will dry as expected-don't worry-it will get there.

Works Cited

Markham, G. (n.d.). Countrey Contentments, or the English Huswife: containing the Inward and Outward Vertues which ought to be in a Compleate Woman, 1623 London. Retrieved August 30, 2015, from LSE Library: http://digital.library.lse.ac.uk/objects/lse:heh898zor









To Stew Fillets of Beefe - Wine Braised Beef (1615)


In June, I hosted a cook's gathering featuring a selection of dishes that would have been found on "Shakespeare's" table. Each of the cook's that attended chose a dish from the recipes presented and brought it with them. We dined that night on buttered eggs, french bread, stewed fillets of beef, Fridayes pye and a berry cream.

The beef was delicious, tender, and served over a bed of saffroned rice. I cooked it in a crock pot. It recieved rave reviews. I don't cook with salt or pepper if I can avoid it, so the major comment of the evening were that this dish would have been better if I had added some salt and pepper while cooking. Note to self: Add Salt and Pepper!

To stew Fillets of Beefe

Take a rawe fillet of beefe and cut it in thin slices halfe as broad as your hand and fry them till they bee halfe fried in a frying-panne with sweete butter uppon each side with a soaft fire, then powre them into a dish or pipkin putting in a pint of claret-wine, a faggot of sweet herbes, and two or three blades of whole mace, a little salt, the meate of a Lemon cut in slices, then stewe these all together very softly for the space of two or three houres till it be halfe boyled away, then dish it up on sippets and throwe salt upon it, and serve it to the table hot  John Murrell "A Booke of Cookerie" (Lorwin, 1976).

Interpreted Recipe

2 to 3 pounds beef chuck shoulder roast (aka pot roast), sliced into ¼ inch thick slices
2 Tbsp. butter
2 cups red wine (preferably a Bordeaux which is another name for “claret”)
8 sprigs fresh thyme
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1-2 Tbsp. parsley
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper to taste
1/8 tsp mace
1 lemon, peeled, sliced

Beef prepared to be stewed
Fry the slices of beef in the butter (if you wish, add olive oil to keep butter from burning). Remove from the pan until the all of the meat has been cooked thoroughly. Add meat back into the pan and add remaining ingredients. Allow meat to simmer two to three hours, or until liquid has been reduced by half and meat is tender.


I have included some pictures of the product in process, but silly me! I forgot to take a picture of the finished product. This was a huge hit at the gathering and I will be making it again in the future for an event. Probably 12th Night in January.

Ladie Graies Manchets (1594) and Robert Mays French Bread (1685)





Manchet Bread -three loaves from one recipe
Can you imagine eating two to three pounds of bread a day? Or following it up with a gallon of ale? During the late medieval period, that was the standard ration of food given to individuals from nobility to castle garrisons. It is a staggering amount of bread to be eaten daily. Bread was an important staple of the medieval diet, in fact, it was the most basic and common element on every table.  
Bread could be produced as trenchers, which were used in lieu of plates, or as "table bread" or pain de mayne. The Menagier de Paris not only gives specific instructions on how trenchers are to be made, but even advises his wife that four-day old trencher bread would be the best to use for a dinner party.  
"Trencher bread, three dozen of half a foot in width and four fingers tall, baked four days before and browned, or what is called in the market Corbeil bread (Le Menagier de Paris)."
Table bread was produced from cereal grains and can be dated back to Ancient Mesopotamia.  Grains such as millet, wheat or barley were ground into flour, wet with a liquid, shaped and cooked.  With the addition of yeast, the dough would rise and the bread would become lighter.
Recently I have been experimenting with medieval bread recipes; specifically, two recipes found in Madge Lorwin’s “Dining with William Shakespeare”. Here are my thoughts.  First, our flour is much better ground then medieval flour.  Not far from here there is a stone mill that will mill flour for you, which means you can get the added benefit of a bit of stone with your meal. In lieu of purchasing stone ground whole wheat flour, I mix my flour 3:1 ration of unbleached white to whole wheat. No stones—BONUS!
The first recipe I worked with was Robert May’s French Bread, which is very different from what you would normally think of.  This recipe results in “buns” that are about the size of a hamburger bun, it’s salty, crusty and crumbly on the inside.
To make French Bread the best way.
Take a gallon of fine flour, and a pint of good new ale barm or yeast, and put it to the flour, with the whites of six new laid eggs well beaten in a dish, and mixt with the barm in the middle of the flour, also three spoonfuls of fine salt; then warm some milk and fair water, and put to it, and make it up pretty stiff, being well wrought and worked up, cover it in a boul or tray with a warm cloth till your oven be hot; then make it up either in rouls, or fashion it in little wooden dishes and bake it, being baked in a quick oven, chip it hot. (May, 1685)
Recipe
1 Cup lukewarm water
2 cakes fresh yeast or 2 Tbsp. dried yeast
1 Cup lukewarm milk
1 Tbsp. salt
1 egg white
6 cups sifted unbleached flour
Pour the water into a large mixing bowl. Crumble or sprinkle the yeast into the water and let it stand until the yeast softens and expands .Add the milk, salt, and egg white and beat until the egg white is blended in.
Stir in five cups of the flour, one cup at a time, until all is absorbed. Sprinkle the remaining flour on your work surface and turn the dough out onto it. Pat the dough back and forth between your hands until it is coated with flour. Then knead it for five minutes. Put the dough into a clean, warmed mixing bowl large enough to permit the dough to double in size. Cover with a clean cloth or plastic bowl cover and set to rise in a warm place or an unheated oven. When the dough has doubled in size—in 1 1 ½ hours—turn it out on a floured work surface and bread into a ball.
Divide the ball into twelve more or less equal parts, and knead each one into a ball. Flatten each ball with the palm of your hand to a thickness of ½ inch, and, with a sharp knife, cut around the circumference of the roll 1/8 inch halfway between the top and bottom.  Place the rolls two inches apart on a floured cookie sheet. Punch holes in the tops and set the rolls to rise—forty five minutes to an hour—until doubled in size.  Bake at 400 degrees for twenty minutes, or until golden brown.  Cool on a wired grill (Lorwin, 1976).
I read somewhere, and I wish I had kept a record of where I read it, that to imitate ale barm, you use a mixture of ale and yeast.  This is one of the areas I diverted from the recipe.  I used some of my son’s homemade ale ¼ cup to 2 tablespoons of yeast. I also added a tablespoon of sugar and 1 cup of the 3:1 ratio flour to my starter.  I allowed the starter to proof….ok….I went to a movie, and then shopping for groceries…you get the idea. I threw all of the rules out the window…and I was pleasantly surprised at the sponge that I had when I returned home. At that point I followed the recipe exactly.
The other bread that I have been experimenting with is Manchet. There are several variations of the recipe available.  Manchet was the most common kind of bread eaten. The loaves are made with the best flour, they should develop a good crust, with a soft, dense interior when completed.
The making of manchets after my Ladie Graies use.
Take two peckes of fine flower, which must be twice boulted, if you will have your manchet verie faire: Then lay it in a place where ye doe use to lay your dowe for your bread, and make a litle hole in it, and put in that water as much leaven as a crab, or a pretie big apple, and as much white salt as will into an Egshell, and all to breake your leaven in the water, and put into your flower halfe a pinte of good Ale yeast, and so stir this liquor among a litle of your flower, so that ye must make it but thin at the first meeting, and then cover it with flowre, and if it be in the winter, ye must keepe it verie warm, and in summer it shall not need so much heate, for in the Winter it will not rise without warmeth. Thus let it lie two howers and a halfe: then at the second opening take more liquor as ye thinke will serve to wet al the flower. Then put in a pinte and a halfe of good yest, and so all to breake it in short peeces, after yee have well laboured it, till it come to a smoothe paste, and be well ware at the second opening that yee put not in too much liquor sodenlie, for then it wil run, and if ye take a litle it will be stiffe, and after the second working it must lie a good quarter of an hower, and keep it warme: then take it up to the moulding board, and with as much speede as is possible to be made, moulde it up, and set it into the Oven, of one pecke of flower ye make ten caste of Manchets faire and good.
(Wallace, 2011)
Recipe
¼ cup ale or beer lukewarm + lukewarm water to equal 2 cups
2 tbsp. dry yeast
1 tbsp. salt
2 cups whole wheat flour
4 cups all-purpose flour
Makes 6 “Elizabethan” size rolls or 8 dinner rolls or two medium sized loaves - 1 large loaf
Peck = 14 pounds
Mix the yeast and the ale together and add water to equal 2 cups.  Mix the two flours together, and when the yeast has softened, add the salt and stir in flour to form a dough (this will take anywhere from 4 ½ to 5 cups).  Knead until it becomes elastic and dough has formed. Cover and let dough rise until doubled in bulk.  This will take anywhere from an hour to two hours.
Turn out the dough onto a floured work surface and knead into a smooth ball.  At this point you can divide it into two loaves, 6-8 “rounds”, or 12 small rolls.  Flatten your dough with the palm of your hand and cut ¼ “all the way around the side between ½ and ¾ of the way between the top and the bottom of your roll.  You can also slash the top in a decorative pattern if you choose.  Let them rise until doubled in bulk.
Bake your bread in a 400 degree oven until golden brown.  It should sound “hollow” when you pick it up and thump it on the bottom.
This bread is dense and heart and has become the favored bread in our house.  When I make bread, this is the one “the fam” asks for.  It is a very forgiving sort of bread.  I have made the sponge by adding a cup of flour to the yeast and ale mix and walking away, and running errands for several hours and then returning to complete the bread.  I prefer to make six hamburger bun size rolls, or, if I’m feeling especially lazy, two big round loaves. I have varied the flours and have added eggs and milk at times also.

Works Cited
Le Menagier de Paris. (n.d.). Retrieved June 5, 2015, from http://www.daviddfriedman.com/: http://www.daviddfriedman.com/
Lorwin, M. (1976). Dining with William Shakespeare. New York: H. Wolff.
May, R. (1685). The Accomplisht cook, or the Art & Mystery of Cookery. Retrieved May 16, 2015, from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/files/22790/22790-h/main.html
Wallace, S. (2011, March). The good Huswifes Handmaide . Retrieved August 30, 2015, from http://www.staff.uni-giessen.de/gloning/ghhk/


A Fridayes Pye, without eyther Flesh or Fish - Beet and Apple Pie with Raisins

A Fridayes Pye made with Greens instead of beets

During my research, I ran across a recipe that caught my attention for a dish that could be prepared for large banquets that could be served warm or room temperature.  The recipe can be found in John Murrell’s “A new booke of Cookerie”.  

In our most recent meeting of our cook’s group, I brought this dish.  It was agreed that it was very pleasant tasting.  I didn’t miss the meat in this dish and I believe it would make a great starter dish for any banquet, possibly alongside some fresh cheese.

Recipe


WAsh greene Beetes cleane, picke out the middle string, and chop them small with two or three well relisht ripe Apples. Season it with Pepper, Salt, and Ginger: then take a good handfull of Razins of the Sunne, and put all in a Coffin of fine Paste, with a piece of sweet Butter and so bake it: but before you serue it in, cut it vp, and wring in the iuyce of an Orenge, and Sugar  (Gloning, 2001).


Note: The Beetes that are being referred to are not beet roots, but chard, a member of the beet root family, specifically red, or ruby chard, but any green can be used. I also think this would be lovely made with beet root, but the line “picke out the middle string, and chop them small” is the giveaway. For more information follow this link:  First Beets Yielded Only Greens

Ingrediants for a Fridayes Pye
Interpreted Recipe

1 bunch of swiss chard (or other leafy green) –OR- 2 pounds of beets, peeled and cubed
2 apples, peeled, cored and quartered and chopped to same thickness as greens or beets (whichever you choose)
¼ cup raisins or currants
2 tsp. ginger
Salt and pepper to taste
¼ cup butter, melted
Juice of 1 orange (approximately ¼ cup)
1-2 tsp. sugar (or to taste)
1 9”  pie crust

Parbake your pie shell at 400 degrees for approximately 10 minutes then lower the heat to 350 degrees. Clean, wash and chop your greens, and dry them. Mix together butter, apples, raisins, ginger, salt and pepper and add them to your greens.  Place the mixture into your pie and bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until apples have softened. Before serving, add juice of orange and sugar.

Some things that I would do differently with this recipe include finely chopping the greens.  I picked them apart, and they were a bit large.  I think this would also do very well if served in smaller bites, rather than one large pie. It was suggested at the gathering that baking this dish as tarts or in mini-cupcake tins would be a better choice.

Works Cited


Gloning, T. (2001, May 9). John Murrell: A new booke of Cookerie; London Cookerie. London 1615. Retrieved May 15, 2015, from http://www.staff.uni-giessen.de/gloning/tx/1615murr.htm



Dent-de-lion- The Dandelion - Buttered Wortes (Buttered Greens) & Joutes (Braised Spring Greens with Bacon)

“What is a weed? A plant whose virtues have not yet been discovered.”

~Ralph Waldo Emerso


Family: Asteraceae
Usage: Culinary, Medical

Whether you are referring to the dandelion as blowball, lion's tooth, cankerwort, fairy clock, priest's crown, wild endive or pissabed, you are referring to a plant that has long been known for its culinary and medicinal properties. One of the earliest known greens, and a common and misaligned flower, dandelion's make very good eating and were not unknown in period.

The official name is Taraxacum officinale, which is a derivative of the Arabic tarakhshaquin, "wild chicory" or "bitter herb", and also refers to "wild endive". In Latin, the plant was referred to as Dens Leonis, the Greeks referred to it as Leotodum. The Welsh refer to it as Dant y Llew as early as the 13th century. The French, the dent-de-lion, and the English gave it the name we are now familiar with--the dandelion.

European dandelions were imported to North America by our ancestors because it was a familiar 'potherb'. It is thought that dandelions may have arrived as early as the arrival of the pilgrims on the Mayflower. It is believed that the seeds were deliberately scattered in order to establish a wild population and to provide food for honeybees which were also introduced from Europe (Ombrello).

What is a potherb? A potherb is defined as any leafy herb or plant that was grown for culinary usage and prepared by cooking in a pot. In fact, there are records of dandelion seeds being for sale in seed catalogs as early as 1874 (Rubel, 2015).

Dandelion greens are bitter, and the first mention of dandelions are for their medicinal usage rather than culinary. They are a good source of vitamins A, B complex and C and are rich in minerals such as zinc, potassium and iron. Using the roots of the plant roasted as a tea does have a diuretic effect. The first written records of dandelion can be found in 7th century Chinese records. In the 10th century the Arabs wrote about it. In 1485, the first referance in Europe can be found.

Medieval people ate a wider range of greens then we eat today. Many of the greens that were consumed are considered weeds today. The fresh leaves of the dandelion were served in salads or cooked as greens in period. The flowers may have been used as a coloring agent, as they do produce a yellow coloring and could have been used in place of saffron. I have not been able to determine if that is so. It is a guess on my part.

James Beard has this to say of the much aligned dandelion: "A sea of golden dandelions thrusting up thorough the grass is a pretty sight--and inspires thoughts of gastronomic possibilities as well. Though familiar to us all, dandelions are not, as far as I know, native to this country. There is a legend that the first plants were brought here by a woman who greatly enjoyed the provocative, distinct taste of fresh dandelion greens in a spring salad. Being hardy little plants, dandelions then spread all over the country. True or not, the idea of transplanting a European weed for gastronomic delight is a romantic one. There was a time, both in England and here (especially through the Pennsylvania Dutch country), that dandelions were gathered and flowers picked off the stems to be made into dandelion wine. This was recognized as tonic by many people who eschewed alcohol, but would have a little nip of dandelion or parsnip wine for their health. It was worth nipping, though not a wine of such character or distinction that one would want it constantly. However, during Prohibition and during times when women thought it was not the thing to drink wine in public, a sip of dandelion wine was considered good and comforting....I have a book by Macmillan deLoup, published in New York in 1899, which lists three different recipes for dandelion salads, along with this remark: 'These are not yet popular in the United States, but the peculiar bitterness is relished by some people and is said to be most healthful.' Dandelion greens have long been popular in France and Italy, and remain so. There are even a couple of cultivated varieties that are not members of the species that pops up unannounced in one's garden. They are used in spring salads with a dressing of olive oil, vinegar or lemon juice, with salad herbs or mustard added. I love the slight bitterness and refreshing quality--it goes so well with a grilled chop or a steak. Years ago, when I was flirting with the idea of a career as an opera singer, I studied with a brilliant Italian coach in London. He also was a great connoisseur of food and a very respectable cook. He would gather dandelion greens, or find them in the markets, and concoct a most delectable mixture for Sunday lunch. This would be the first course, followed perhaps by some cheese and very good bread, or maybe chops or a chicken (Beard, 1981)."

THE BOOKE OF SIMPLES. (Bulleins Bulwarke Of Defence Against All Sicknesse, 1562)

Marcellus.

What is the vertue of Dandelion or Lyons teeth

Hilarius.

IT is temperate, cold, and drye: with Roses and Uineger tēpered togea∣ther, it helpeth the hed in hotte diseases, the sowthistle called Sonchos hath ye same vertue & so hath Cicory: if they be sodden, the loose the belly & quen∣cheth heat which burneth in the stomacke. and defendeth the head from hot smoking vapoures, and purgeth yellow choller, and rebateth venerous & fleshly heat, & is good to be sodden & dronk in hote burning Agues: though this herbe be commonly knowen and counted of many as a vile wede, yet it is reported of Dioscorides to be an excellent herbe, & is called Lyons teeth.

An excellent drinke for the Tissicke well approued. (The Good Husvvifes Ievvell, 1587)

TAke a handfull of fennell roots, as much persly roots, as many Alisander rootes, halfe a handfull of Borrage rootes, and put out the pith of all the saide rootes, then take halfe a handfull of Peniryall, as much of Uiolet leaues, and as much of cinckfoyle, as much Succary, Endiue, Holly hocke leaues, Mallow leaues, and redd gardene mints, of all these the like quantitie as of these next before, halfe a handfull of Lico∣ris sticks scraped, brused and beaten to fine powder, a gallon of faire running water, boyle therein all these simples, and boyle these séedes with them, that is, thrée spoone∣full of Anniséeds, as much Fennell seede, the like of Colliander seede and Commin séede, a good handfull of Dandelion rootes, and so boyle altogether from a gallon to a pottell, and let the patient drinke thereof first and last, and it will helpe him in short space. probatum est.

If you are looking for a free, period green to use in a salad, or in a dish of wortys, some may need look no further than the backyard. Please be sure if you are picking dandelion greens, that the area you are picking from has not been sprayed with herbicides or pesticides. I have known dandelion’s to stay green and growing in even the mildest of winters. A good dish for the SCA to try them would be “Buttered Wortes, found in Harliean MS 279, published approximately 1430.

“Buttered Wortes”. ^ Take al maner of good herbes that thou may gete, and do bi ham as is forsaid ; putte hem on \q fire with faire water ; put ]7ere-to clarefied buttur a grete quantite. Whan thei ben boyled ynogh, salt hem ; late none otemele come ther<;-in. Dise brede small in disshes, and powr<? on \q wortes, and serue hem forth (Austin).

Buttered Herbs. Take all manner of good herbs that thou may get, and do by them as is aforesaid; put them on the fire with fair water; put thereto clarified butter a great quantity. When they are boiled enough, salt them: let no oatmeal come therein. Dice bread small in dishes and pour on the herbs, and serve them forth.

Buttered Herbs – Makes about 4 Cups serves 6-8 (this is probably more than enough for two tables of 8 at any feast- it is a vegetable. Use your best judgment)

8 cups assorted greens (kale, spinach, cabbage, beet greens, arugula, lambs quarters, chard, dandelion, etc.)Several sprigs of fresh herbs such as thyme, marjoram, parsley, mint etc.
2 Tbsp. clarified butter
1 tsp. salt
2 1” thick slices of bread cubed

Bring the water to a boil in a pot. Rinse all greens and herbs well and place them in the boiling water for 5-1o minutes. Remove from heat. Take the greens and herbs out of the pot with a slotted spoon. Allow them to cool on a cutting board. When cool, press them with a paper towel or absorbent cloth to remove the excess water. Chop them into small pieces and place them in a clean pot. Add butter and salt. Mix well. Cook the mixture over medium heat until hot. Do not boil. Either pour the hot herb mixture over bread cubes in a serving dish, or top the herbs with the bread. Serve hot.


For an additional recipe visit the following link: Harleian MS 279 Joutes (~1430) Braised Spring Greens with Bacon

Sources

Austin, T. (n.d.). Two fifteenth-century cookery-books. Harleian ms. 279 (ab. 1430), & Harl. ms. 4016 (ab. 1450), with extracts from Ashmole ms. 1429, Laud ms. 553, & Douce ms. 55. Retrieved May 22, 2015, from Archive.Org: https://archive.org/details/twofifteenthcent00aust

Beard, J. (1981). Beard on Food: Dandelions Left Home ot Make Good. Los Angeles Times, K38.
Ombrello, T. D. (n.d.). Dandelion. Retrieved May 19, 2015, from Plant of the Week - Dr. T. Ombrello - UCC Biology Department: http://faculty.ucc.edu/biology-ombrello/pow/dandelion.htm

Name.umdl.umich.edu. 2020. Bulleins Bulwarke Of Defence Against All Sicknesse, Soarenesse, And Vvoundes That Doe Dayly Assaulte Mankinde: Which Bulwarke Is Kept With Hilarius The Gardener, [And] Health The Phisicion, With The Chirurgian, To Helpe The Wounded Soldiours. Gathered And Practised From The Most Worthy Learned, Both Olde And New: To The Great Comfort Of Mankinde: By Vvilliam Bullein, Doctor Of Phisicke. 1562.. [online] Available at: <http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A17156.0001.001> [Accessed 6 August 2020].


Rubel, W. (2015, April 23). The History of the Garden Dandelion . Retrieved May 19, 2015, from The Magic of Fire, Traditional Foodwas with William Rubel: http://www.williamrubel.com/2015/04/23/the-history-of-the-garden-dandelion/

Name.umdl.umich.edu. 2020. The Good Husvvifes Ievvell Vvherein Is To Be Found Most Excellent And Rare Deuises For Conceits In Cookerie, Found Out By The Practise Of Thomas Dawson. Whereunto Is Adioyned Sundry Approued Reseits For Many Soueraine Oyles, And The Way To Distill Many Precious Waters, With Diuers Approued Medicines For Many Diseases. Also Certaine Approued Points Of Husbandry, Very Necessarie For All Husbandmen To Know.. [online] Available at: <http://name.umdl.umich.edu/A19957.0001.001> [Accessed 6 August 2020].



**NOTE: Post Previously published on 5/22/2015 and updated on 8/6/2020**



SCA Feast - Coronation Feast of Cadogan and AnnMarie September 27, 2014

This feast marked my return to cooking in the SCA.  It was the most comprehensive of the banquets I have put together, and the one I am proudest of.  I would not have been able to pull this off it were not for those who volunteered to help, including those who helped prepare ahead of time, the day of, and the many individuals who helped with cleaning up afterwords (and who got to take home prizes of their own).

Unfortunately, there is only one photo saved from the feast itself, and that is the partially assembled subteltie.  However, as I experimented and perfected several of the recipes, I did take pictures and will include them where appropriate. The subteltie was a hollow fondant dragon egg, surrounded by rondels of sugar paste painted in baronial colors.  When the egg was lifted, inside were dragons made of milk chocolate. It was surrounded by fresh herbs and flowers from my garden.



Recipes From the Coronation Feast of Cadogan and AnnMarie
September 27, 2014
Bronwyn Ni Mhathon
Conor Maclellan

The First Remove


Mushroom Pasty

Olio Podrida
Bolonia Sausages with Mustard and CaperBerries
Buttered Onions Otherways
A Diverse Sallet
Taffety Tarts

The Second Remove


Stewed Collops and Balls

Buttered Rice
Gourds Otherways with Orange-Butter Sauce
To Boyle Garden Beans
A Made Dish of Elizabethan Sweets


  • Perys in Compost
  • Boyled Crème
  • Marchpane
  • Sugar Paste
  • Candied Fruit
Alternate Dishes

First Remove


Chick Peas with Herbs


Second Remove


Stuffed Eggplant



Mushroom Pasty


Mushrooms one night are the best, and are small and ruddy inside, closed above: and should peel and wash hot and pourboulir nor water; which veult to paste, if there starts tothe rust of chees and pouldre. Put them between two dishes on coals, and put a little of salt, chees and pouldre. The treuve in by the end of May and in June.

(Power, 1928)

Redaction

1 ½ to 2 pounds of mushrooms, cleaned, sliced and quartered
1 to 2 tbs. olive oil
1 to 1 ½ cups grated or shredded cheese (Mozzarella)
1 9” pie shell – Lid is optional
1 tsp. “Good Powder” (See Below)
Parboil the mushrooms and drain them well. Excess moisture will leave the pie crust “wet” after baking. Add oil, cheese and spices to the mushrooms and place into the pie shell. If you wish, add a lid, but the pies are delicious with a little bit of extra cheese on top. Bake at 400 degrees until pie crust is golden, and cheese has melted.

Note: The pies were par-baked at coronation for approximately 20 minutes and then set aside to be returned to the oven 15 minutes prior to being served. Excess moisture did collect and was drained off before the second baking.


“Good Powder”


The ratios for the “good powder” that I used were as below: 3:3:2:2:1:1

Ginger
Pepper
Grains of Paradise
Cinnamon
Clove
Sugar


To make an Olio Podrida


Take a Pipkin or Pot of some three Gallons, fill it with fair water, and set it over a Fire of Charcoals, and put in first your hardest meats, a rump of Beef, _Bolonia_ sausages, neats tongues two dry, and two green, boiled and larded, about two hours after the Pot is boil'd and scummed: but put in more presently after your Beef is scum'd, Mutton, Venison, Pork, Bacon, all the aforesaid in Gubbins,as big as a Ducks Egg, in equal pieces; put in also Carrots, Turnips, Onions, Cabbidge, in good big pieces, as big as your meat, a faggot of sweet herbs, well bound up, and some whole Spinage, Sorrel, Burrage, Endive, Marigolds, and other good Pot-Herbs a little chopped; and sometimes _French_ Barley, or Lupins green or dry.


Then a little before you dish out your Olio; put to your pot, Cloves, Mace, Saffron, _&c._

Then next have divers Fowls; as first _A Goose, or Turkey, two Capons, two Ducks, two Pheasants, two Widgeons, four Partridges, four stock Doves, four Teals, eight Snites, twenty four Quails, forty eight Larks._

Boil these foresaid Fowls in water and salt in a pan, pipkin, or pot, _&c._


Then have _Bread_, _Marrow_, _Bottoms of Artichocks_, _Yolks of hard Eggs_, _Large Mace_, Chesnuts boil'd and blancht_, _two Colliflowers_, _Saffron_.


And stew these in a pipkin together, being ready clenged with some good sweet butter, a little white wine and strong broth.


Some other times for variety you may use Beets, Potato's, Skirrets, Pistaches, PineApple seed, or Almonds, Poungarnet, and Lemons.


Now to dish your Olio, dish first your Beef, Veal or Pork; then your Venison, and Mutton, Tongues, Sausage, and Roots over all.


Then next your largest Fowl, Land-Fowl, or Sea-Fowl, as first, a Goose, or Turkey, two Capons, two Pheasants, four Ducks, four Widgeons, four Stock-Doves, four Partridges, eight Teals, twelve Snites, twenty four Quailes, forty eight Larks, _&c._


Then broth it, and put on your pipkin of Colliflowers Artichocks, Chesnuts, some sweet-breads fried, Yolks of hard Eggs, then Marrow boil'd in strong broth or water, large Mace, Saffron, Pistaches, and all the aforesaid things being finely stewed up, and some red Beets over all, slic't Lemons, and Lemon peels whole, and run it over with beaten butter.


(Hope, 2007)


Redaction


Ingredients:

1/2 pound stew beef
¼ pound sausages
¼ pound lamb
¼ pound venison
1/3 pound pork
½ pound slab bacon
¼ pound turkey
¼ pound chicken
2 Onions diced
1 large sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 turnip peeled and diced
1 parsnip peeled and diced
2 carrots, peeled and diced
Approximately 2 ½ to 3 cups chopped greens including cabbage, spinach, kale, beet greens, chard, mustard greens
½ tsp each dried. thyme, marjoram
1 tsp. pepper
¼ tsp. clove, mace and saffron
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar

For the vegetarian version: Roasted red beets and pistachios to garnish over the top along with a slice of lemon.


The meat version will be garnished with pistachios and lemon slices and eggs chopped.


Note: For the Olio served at feast, we added rabbit and goose, and did not include bacon. The instructions indicate that this is to be a “made dish”, but we cooked all the items together and served it as a stew. Because the stew was not brought to table as originally planned the garnish was not included.


The meat was cooked prior to the event. The meat was added to the pot along with onions, carrots, parsley and herbs. Water was added to cover the meat and it was brought to a boil to cook. After the meat was cooked the spent vegetables and herbs were removed. On the day of the event, the vegetables were cooked in the “stock”, the meat was cut into bite sized pieces (and it shredded up during the day) and was added along with more seasoning. The greens were the last items that were added. I used a mixture of cabbage, spinach, kale, beet, collard and mustard greens.



Bolonia Sausages with Mustard and CaperBerries


The best way and time of the year is to make them in _September_.


Take four stone of pork, of the legs the leanest, and take away all the skins, sinews, and fat from it; mince it fine and stamp it: then add to it three ounces of whole pepper, two ounces of pepper moregrosly 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, lard cut an inch long, as big as your little finger, and clean without rust; mingle all the foresaid together; and fill beef guts as full as you can possibly, and as the wind gathers in the gut, prick them with a pin, and shake them well down with your hands; for if they be not well filled, they will be rusty.


These aforesaid Bolonia Sausages are most excellent of pork only: but some use buttock beef, with pork, half one and as much of the other. Beef and pork are very good.


Some do use pork of a weeks powder for this use beforesaid, and no more salt at all.


Some put a little sack in the beating of these sausages, and put in place of coriander-seed, carraway-seed.


This is the most excellent way to make Bolonia Sausages, being carefully filled, and tied fast with a packthred, and smoaked or smothered three or four days, that will turn them red; then hang them in some cool cellar or higher room to take the air.

(Hope, 2007)

Other Sausages._


Sausages of pork with some of the fat of a chine of bacon or pork, some sage chopped fine and small, salt, and pepper: and fill them into porkets guts, or hogs, or sheeps guts, or no guts, and let them dry in the chimney leisurely, _&c._

(Hope, 2007)

Redaction


4 ½ pounds of pork

1 tsp. each cracked black pepper, whole peppercorns, cubebs and longpepper
½ tsp each. cloves, nutmeg, salt, coriander
1 tsp. sage, salt, marjoram and thyme

The pork was ground, cased, cured and smoked by the meat market. The day of the event, the pork was first boiled, and then crisped in the pizza ovens.


Mustard of Dijon, or French Mustard


The seed being cleansed, stamp it in a mortar, with vinegar and honey, then take eight ounces of seed, two ounces of cinamon, two of honey, and vinegar as much as will serve, good mustard not too thick, and keep it close covered in little oyster-barrels.


To make dry Mustard very pleasant in little Loaves or Cakes to carry in ones Pocket, or to keep dry for use at any time._


Take two ounces of seamy, half an ounce of cinamon, and beat them in a mortar very fine with a little vinegar, and honey, make a perfect paste of it, and make it into little cakes or loaves, dry them in the sun or in an oven, and when you would use them, dissolve half a loaf or cake with some vinegar, wine, or verjuyce.


(Hope, 2007)


Redaction


Makes approximately 3 cups


1 Cup Mustard Seeds

1 ½ Cups Mustard Powder
¼ cup cinnamon
¼ cup honey
½ cup vinegar
1 ½ cups water

Grind the whole mustard seeds for a few seconds in a spice or coffee grinder, or by hand with a mortar and pestle just enough to crack. Pour the seeds, mustard powder, honey and cinnamon into a bowl and then add COLD vinegar and water. Wait at least 12 hours before using. Seeds can be a mix of brown, black or white. Black offers the most “heat”.


Note: I purchased prepared whole grain mustard and stone ground mustard mix in lieu of making the mustard. To these I added the cinnamon and honey. This dish was prepared almost a month in advance of the feast.


The caperberries were purchased through Amazon.


Buttered Onions Otherways


Being peeled, put them into boiling liquor, and when they are boil’d, drain them in a cullender, and butter them whole with some boil’d currans, butter, sugar, and beaten cinamon, serve them on fine sippets, scrape on sugar, and run them over with beaten butter.


(The Second part of the good Hus-wiues Iewell., 2009)


To boile onions


Take a good many onions and cut them in four quarters, set them on the fire in as much water as you think will boile them tender, and when they be clean skimmed, put in a good many raisons, halfe a grose pepper, a good peece of sugar, and a little salte, and when the onions be through boiled, beat the yolke of an Egge with Vergious, and put into your pot and so serve it upon soppes. If you will, poch Egges and lay upon them.


(The Second part of the good Hus-wiues Iewell., 2009)


Redaction


1 ½ to 2 pounds small boiling onions -or- a mix of onions (spanish, boiling, red, Vidalia, leeks or scallions)

3 tbsp. butter or oil (optional)
¼ to ½ cup currants or raisins
2 tbsp. sugar or honey
½ tsp. cinnamon
1 cup or more as needed to cover the onions water, vegetable or other stock
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar or verjuice

Note: Butter and oil were not included in the feast for this dish. The onions were covered with water and the vinegar, sugar and cinnamon were added and a good handful or two of currants were added.



A Diverse Sallet Otherways


Boil'd parsnips in quarters laid round the dish, and in the midst some small sallet, or water cresses finely washed and picked, on the water-cresses some little small lettice finely picked and washed also, and some elicksander-buds in halves, and some in quarters, and between the quarters of the parsnips, some small lettice, some water-cresses and elicksander-buds, oyl and vinegar, and round the dish some slices of parsnips.


(Hope, 2007)


Redaction


4 parsnips and 4 carrots, peeled and sliced in half longway’s. If they are larger (and woodier) cut in quarters along the length

Watercress, parsley and or mint leaves
Endive (cut in quarters)
¾ cup Oil
2 tbsp. wine Vinegar
Salt and Pepper to taste

Boil (or roast) the vegetables. If roasting, place on a buttered sheet for 15 to 20 minutes and cook until tender. Place the carrots and parsnips on the serving dish so that ends meet in the middle and they form spokes as if spokes on a wheel.


Place a handful of the watercress, parsley and mint leaves mixed in the center of the serving platter. In between the spokes of the wheel place the endive leaves.


Note: Carrots of diverse colors were used for the salad at feast. Many of the parsnips I was able to locate were large and woody and would not have made a very good salad, but were suitable for the Olio. The carrots were roasted to bring out their best flavor.


Capers were placed inside the endive leaves and pickled mushrooms (recipe to follow) decorated the plate the salad was served on.


The salads were prepared early in the day and dressing was poured on them as they were being served.



Pickled Mushrooms


Take a bushel of mushrooms, blanch them over the crown, barm them beneath; if they are new, they look read as a Cherry; if old, black; this being done, throw them into a pan oif boyling water, then take them forth and let them drain; when they are cold, put them up into your Pot or Glass, put thereto Cloves, Mace, Ginger, Nutmeggs, whole Pepper; Then take white wine, a little Vinegar, with a llittle quantity of salt, so pour the Liquor into your Mushrooms, and stop them close for your use all the year.


(Rabisha, 2011)


Redaction


1 pound small mushrooms

½ cup water
1 ½ - 2 tsp. salt
1 tsp peppercorns
5 cloves
1/2 tsp. mace and nutmeg
1 slice of fresh root ginger
1 ½ Cups white wine
2 tbsp vinegar

Clean the mushrooms and slice or quarter as you desire. Place mushrooms in a pan and cover with the water. Add salt. Bring mushrooms to a boil; boil for approximately two minutes and then drain. Place the mushrooms in your jar, add remainder of spices, wine and vinegar. If you find that you do not have enough liquid to cover the mushrooms, add more wine. Once a day invert the jar.

Note: The mushrooms were made several weeks prior to the event. I canned them. I did reheat the mushrooms to remove the alcohol content prior to serving. This was a very good make ahead dish. 1 pound of the mushrooms made 2 jars of pickles.


Taffety Tarts


First wet the paste with butter and cold water, roul it very thin, then lay apples in the lays, and between every lay of apples, strew some fine sugar, and some lemon-peel cut very small, you may also put some fennil-seed to them; let them bake an hour or more, then ice them with rose-water, sugar, and butter beaten together, and wash them over with the same, strew more fine sugar on them, and put them into the oven again, being enough serve them hot or cold.
(Hope, 2007)

To make the best Taffaty Tarts


To make Tarts called Taffaty Tarts. First wet your Past with Butter and cold Water, and rowle it very thin, also then lay them in layes, and between every lay of Apples strew some Sugar, and some Lemon Pill, cut very small, if you please put some Fennell-seed to them; then put them into a stoak hot Oven, and let them stand an hour in or more, then take them out, and take Rose-water and Butter beaten together, and wash them over with the same, and strew fine Sugar upon them; then put them into the Oven again, let them stand a little while and take them out.


(The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Compleat Cook, by Nath. Brook, 2003)


Redaction


3-4 apples cored, and sliced paper thin

½ cup apple cider (not juice)
1/2 c sugar
1 Lemon or Orange Zested
1 to 2 tsp. fennel seed roughly cracked (optional)
Puff pastry tart shells
2 tsp. rosewater

Note: Orange Marmalade was substituted for the lemon, sugar, rosewater and fennel mixture called for in the recipe. If you wish to make the same substitution thin out orange marmalade with a little bit of water and add honey to taste, cook apple tarts for half the time required on the puff pastry directions, remove from oven, spoon orange marmalade over apples and return to oven.


Stewed Collops


Take some of the buttock of beef, and cut it into thin slices cross the grain of the meat, then hack them and fry them in sweet butter, and being fryed fine and brown put them in a pipkin with some strong broth, a little claret wine, and some nutmeg, stew it very tender; and half an hour before you dish it, put to it some good gravy, elder-vinegar, and a clove or two; when you serve it, put some juyce of orange, and three or four slices on it, stew down the gravy somewhat thick, and put into it when you dish it some beaten butter.


One may add sometimes some of the minced meat made up into balls, and stewed amongst the broth,

_&c._

(Hope, 2007)


Stewyd colops.


Take colops of venison rostyd; do hem yn a pott. Do wyn therto, hole spycez & poudyr of pepyr & canell. Boyle hit up weth a perty of swete brothe. Sesyn hit up with poudyr of gunger & vyneger, & serve it forth.


(Hieatt, 1988 )


Redaction


2 pounds of beef or venison sliced fairly thick

6 each peppercorn, clove, cubeb
1/8 tsp. ground pepper
½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ tsp. ground ginger
1 cup beef broth
1 tbs. red wine vinegar

Arrange the meat in the pan and add in the spices, vinegar and broth. Bake in a 400 degree oven until the meat has been cooked fully through.



Other manner of Balls


Mince a leg of Veal very small, yolks of hard eggs, and the yolks of seven or eight raw eggs, some salt, make them into balls as big as a walnut, and stew them in a pipkin with some mutton broth, mace, cloves, and slic't ginger, stew them an hour, and put some marrow to them, and serve them on sippets, _&c._

(Hope, 2007)

Redaction


1 pound ground meat preferably 50/50 blend pork and beef (veal)

12 hardboiled egg finely chopped (Optional)
½ tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
¼ cup currants (optional)
2 large eggs
For the broth:
2 cups beef broth
½ tsp. each cinnamon and salt
¼ tsp. each. Pepper and mace
2-4 cloves
1 tbsp. red wine
¼ cup currants

Bring the broth to a boil. Form the meat mixture into approximately 12 small sized meatballs. Drop the meatballs into the broth and simmer gently for approximately 40 minutes or until cooked.

Note: The meatballs were made before feast. The broth was saved and added to the collops. The meatballs are a great make ahead dish. Because they had been previously cooked, they were added to the collops about an hour prior to serving.


Buttered Rice


Pick the rice and sift it, and when the liquor boils, put it in and scum it, boil it not too much, then drain it, butter it, and serve it on fine carved sippets, and scraping sugar only, or sugar and cinamon.

Butter wheat, and French barley, as you do rice, but hull your wheat and barley, wet the wheat and beat it in a sack with a wash-beetle, fan it, and being clean hulled, boil it all night on a soft fire very tender.
(Hope, 2007)

Redaction


1 bag frozen rice

½ cup cream
2 tbsp. butter
Dash of salt

Combine rice, cream, butter and salt together and heat until butter is melted and cream has been absorbed. This can be done in the oven.



Gourds Otherways with Orange-Butter Sauce


Fry them in slices, being cleans'd & peel'd, either floured or in batter; being fried, serve them with beaten butter, and vinegar, or beaten butter and juyce of orange, or butter beaten with a little water, and served in a clean dish with fryed parsley, elliksanders, apples, slic't onions fryed, or sweet herbs
(Hope, 2007)

Redaction


Zucchini

Flour
Salt
Oil to fry with

Dredge the zucchini in the flour and fry until golden brown. Sprinkle with a little bit of salt and serve with orange butter sauce (Recipe Below)


Redaction


Zest from 3 Oranges

1/2 gallons orange juice
Salt & Pepper to taste
2 Pounds Butter

Stir together first 4 ingredients in a nonaluminum saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook over medium-high heat 25 minutes or until mixture is reduces by 1/4. Remove from heat. Gradually whisk butter into orange juice mixture. Serve immediately.


Note: The orange butter sauce did not go out with the gourds at feast


*Medieval gourds were most likely “bottle gourds” of the genus Lagenaria. The closest representation that we have is the zucchini.


To boyle Garden Beans


Being shelled and cleansed, put them into boiling liquor with some salt, boil them up quick, and being boiled drain away the liquor and butter them, dish them in a dish like a cross, and serve them with pepper and salt on the dish side.


Thus also green pease, haslers, broom-buds, or any kind of pulse.


(Hope, 2007)


To boil French Beans or Lupins.


First take away the tops of the cods and the strings, then have a pan or skillet of fair water boiling on the fire, when it boils put them in with some salt, and boil them up quick; being boil’d serve them with beaten butter in a fair scowred dish, and salt about it.

(Hope, 2007)

Redaction


1 pound frozen green beans

Heat the beans, salt and butter

Note: The beans served at feast were a combination of Dragons Tongue wax beans and green beans purchased at the farmers market. The common green bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) purportedly reached England in 1594 and was considered a novelty food (Seeds of trade: Product: Beans, 2013).


A Made Dish of Elizabethan Sweets




  • Pears in Compost: pears, red wine, cinnamon, sugar, dates, salt
  • Boiled Cream Custard: cream, cream cheese, eggs, sugar, saffron, salt, ginger
  • Marchpane: almonds, sugar, rosewater, powdered sugar
  • Sugar Paste: gum tragacanth, rosewater, lemon juice, powdered sugar, cinnamon oil
  • Candied Fruit: Fruit, sugar, water, honey
  • Apple Paste
  • Spanish Marmalade
  • Orange Marmalade
  • Comfits of anise and caraway
  • Manus Christi
  • Clove Electuaries



Peeres In Confyt.


Take peeres and pare hem clene. take gode rede wyne & mulberes oþer saundres and seeþ þe peeres þerin & whan þei buth ysode, take hem up, make a syryp of wyne greke. oþer vernage with blaunche powdour oþer white sugur and powdour gyngur & do the peres þerin. seeþ it a lytel & messe it forth

(The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Forme of Cury, by Samuel Pegge, 2013)

Perys en Composte.


Take Wyne an Canel, & a gret dele of Whyte Sugre, an set it on þe fyre & hete it hote, but let it nowt boyle, an draw it þorwe a straynoure; þan take fayre Datys, an pyke owt þe stonys, an leche hem alle þinne, an caste þer-to; þanne take Wardonys, an pare hem and sethe hem, an leche hem alle þinne, & caste þer-to in-to þe Syryppe; þanne take a lytil Sawnderys, and caste þer-to, an sette it on þe fyre; an yif þow hast charde quynce, caste þer-to in þe boyling, an loke þat it stonde wyl with Sugre, an wyl lyid wyth Canel, an caste Salt þer-to, an let it boyle; an þan caste yt on a treen vessel, & lat it kele, and serue forth.


(Austin, 1888)


Redaction


4 Pears, peeled, cored and sliced

2 cups red wine (I used Apothica Red)
1 Cinnamon Stick
1 Tbsp. sugar
6 dates

Boil the pears in water until they are tender, approximately 20 minutes. Drain the pears and in the same pan, heat wine, cinnamon, dates and sugar together. Add the pears and cook for approximately five minutes more.


If you are planning on serving that day, allow to cool slightly and remove the cinnamon sticks.


Note: The pears were canned approximately two weeks prior to Coronation. Before canning I removed the cinnamon stick and filled the jar with wine. I canned according to directions. This is a good make ahead dish.



Crème boyled


Take swete crème of melke; do hit in a pott. Do therto buttur claryfyed. Set hit on the fyre; stere hit. When hit boyles, have yolkes of eyron drawyn thorowgh a streynour into a bole, & put boylyng crem thereto| with a ladyl. Styr hit well for quallyng, & put hit in the pott ayen; & yf be nede, yeve hit a lytyl more of the fyre. Loke hit have white sygure ynowghe, & of the bature also loke hit be standing as mortruys; & coloure hit with safron. Loke hit be salt. Messe hit forth, and strew on poudur of ginger.


(Hieatt, 1988 )


Redaction


2 Cups whipping cream

4 ounces cream cheese
3 whole eggs
¼ cup sugar
Pinch of saffron
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. ground ginger

Blend the cream with softened cream cheese, put this mixture in a large saucepan and heat it over a low heat, stirring. Beat the eggs separately with the sugar, saffron and salt, and gradually add the hot cream mixture.


Continue to beat until smoothly blended. Return to stove and cook very gently until it has thickened. Pour into serving dishes and allow to cool


Before serving decorate with ginger and sugar, edible or candied flowers, berries or pomegranate seeds.


NOTE: The easy way to ‘boil cream’ is in a microwave oven. The quantity of cream should be 1 ½ cups only. To microwave custard heat the cream in a large glass dish for 2 minutes at full power. While cream is heating, beat the eggs, sugar, saffron and salt together. Mix the cheese and egg mixture with the heated cream and microwave on low power for 6 minutes. Rotate dish and microwave for 6 more minutes. DO NOT STIR during this process. Allow to cool and serve.



To make Marzipan.


Lancelot de Casteau: Ouverture de Cuisine. Liège 1604.


Take almonds appointed as above, & flatten the paste as for making a tart, then form the marzipan as fancy as you want, then take sifted sugar & mix with rose water, & beat it together that it is like a thick batter, cast there a little on the marzipan, & flatten with a well held knife until the marzipan is all covered, then put it into the oven on paper: when you see that it boils thereon & that it does like ice, tear apart from the oven, when it doesn't boil, & sprinkle on nutmeg: if you want it golden, make it so

(Myers, 2014)

Redaction


2 Cups Almond Meal Flour

Rosewater
2 Cups Confectioners’ Sugar

Mix the almond meal flour (I used Hodgson Mill) with the confectioners’ sugar and add enough water to make a dough the consistency of play dough. Shape your marzipan and bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for approximately 15 minutes at 300 degrees. Turn off the heat and continue to “bake” another 15 minutes. The paler the marzipan, the prettier it is.


Note: I colored half the dough yellow using food coloring and left the other half natural colored. I’m not sure what happened, but the marzipan puffed up like little pillows. These were made about a week in advance.



Sugar Paste


Take some fine sugar well-sifted through a fine sieve, then have gum tragacanth well soaked in rose water strained through a sieve as thick as you can strain it, then put your gum in a copper or other mortar & grind your gum well, constantly putting in a little sugar so that you make a kneadable dough. Note the more it is beaten the whiter it becomes: from this dough you can form what you want, such as making in hollow molds, or some trenchers, or plates, or cups whatever you want, & put it to sweat in an oven that is not too hot, you can also gild it as much as you want to have it: take care that the oven is not so hot that it raises the dough in bubbles, this would be worth nothing, because it is necessary that the dough remain firm.


(Myers, 2014)


Redaction


1 teaspoon gum tragacanth

1 tablespoon rosewater
2 teaspoons lemon juice or 1 egg white beaten if the paste is to be non-edible
up to 1 lb. powdered sugar

Combine the gum tragacanth and rosewater in a bowl and mix until it becomes a runny paste. Add the lemon juice or egg white (for non-edible dough) and then gradually add as much sugar as needed to make a smooth, kneadable dough.


If you want to flavor the gum paste add a few drops of food grade oil for candy (I used cinnamon). You can also color the gum paste at this time. Shape as desired and allow to dry.


Note: The sugar paste dragons were made with egg white and had about a tablespoon of cinnamon added to the dough. The coins were made using cinnamon flavored oil and lemon juice.



Candied Fruit


Take a pound of the smallest cherries, but let them be well coloured, boil them tender in a pint of fair water, then strain the liquor from the cherries and take two pound of other fair cherries, stone them, and put them in your preserving-pan, with a laying of cherries and a laying of sugar, then pour the sirrup of the other strained cherries over them, and let them boil as fast as maybe with a blazing fire, that the sirrup may boil over them; when you see that the sirrup is of a good colour, something thick, and begins to jelly, set them a cooling, and being cold pot them; and so keep them all the year.


(Hope, 2007)


Redaction


1 pound of fruit

Sugar

The process I used to preserve the cherries was known as “Glace”. To glace fruit you must cook it in water until it is tender. Once the fruit has been made tender, drain the water and add an equal weight of sugar to your fruit. Heat it to dissolve into syrup and bring to a boil, placed in an airtight container and leave it to sit overnight.


Days 2 through 7 – each day you will drain the syrup off of the fruit and add a ½ cup of sugar for every cup of syrup (i.e. if you have 2 cups syrup, you would add one cup of sugar). Bring this mixture to a boil, pour over the fruit and let sit overnight.


Day 8 – pour fruit and syrup into a pan, add a half cup sugar for every cup of syrup and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook gently for three minutes. Return fruit and syrup to airtight container and let soak for two days.


Day 10: Repeat step 8. At this point your syrup should have the consistency of honey. Let the fruit soak for 10 or more days. The longer it soaks the better it will be. Watch for sugar crystalizing on bottom of container.


At the end of your soaking period, remove the fruit from the syrup and let dry on a wire rack. This process can take a bit depending on humidity. You can speed the process up by leaving fruit in an oven heated to the lowest setting and then turned off overnight.


When the surface of the fruit is no longer sticky you can roll it in sugar and store it in an airtight container.


Note: The Cherries for feast were created in this fashion. The remaining dried fruit was purchased (plums, apricots, apple rings and pears). The fruit was dipped in a simple syrup made up of two cups sugar to one cup water, allowed to dry and then sugared.

23

Apple Or Pippin Paste


Take any quantity of good dressing apples, pare, core and put them into a preserving pan with a little water, or just sufficient to cover them. Boil until they are reduced to a marmalade, stirring them to prevent burning. To every pound of reduced pulp add half or three-quarters of a pound of loaf sugar, clarified and boiled to the blow; pass the pulp through a hair sieve before you mix the sugar with it; put it on the fire and let it boil for three or four minutes, keeping it constantly stirred from the bottom, when it will be sufficiently evaporated. If it be required coloured, add liquid colour sufficient to give the desired tint when you mix the sugar. Spread the paste on small tin or pewter sheets (these should be about a foot wide, by a foot and a-half long, and perfectly level) with a thin knife, about the eighth of an inch in thickness; put them in the stove for a day; take them out, and cut the paste into long narrow strips, about a quarter of an inch in width; if the paste is dry enough, the strips can be easily pulled off; form them into rings or knots, or cut into diamonds to form leaves, or any other device your fancy may suggest. Put them in boxes with sheet paper between each layer.


(Sanderson, 1846)


To make paste of Genua of Quinces.


Take Quinces, and pare them, and cut them in slices, and bake them in an oven dry in an earthen pot without any other juice than their own, then take one pound thereof; strain it, and put it into a stone mortar with half a pound of sugar; and when you have beaten it up to a paste, print it in your moulds, and dry it three or four times in an oven after you have drawn bread. And when it is thoroughly dry and hardened, you may box it, and it will keep all the year.


(Plat, 1609)


Redaction


1 40 ounce jar organic applesauce

6 cups granulated sugar

Note: Quinces were out of season so I substituted apples for this recipe. This recipe can also be made with pears or apricots or oranges. The process is the same for all fruits.


The first batch of paste I made was a terribly time consuming process with very little yield from the 8 apples I cored, sliced and then cooked to a mush. I got a little over a cup of useable paste when I was done. It occurred to me at the end of the process I had just made applesauce. For feast, I skipped this part and started by adding equal weight sugar to applesauce and then cooking it on the stovetop until it became thick and started to pull away from the sides of the pan. When it hit this stage, I poured the mixture onto a baking sheet that I had lined with parchment paper which had been lightly oiled. I then set it in my oven to dry. This was made approximately a month prior to coronation. Once dried, I wrapped it in wax paper and put it into an airtight container. This became very sticky when exposed to the humidity of the kitchen. What I would do differently would be to cut the paste into squares, prior to serving and then roll in white sugar directly before serving so as to minimize exposure to humidity


This was a very time consuming dish to put together at the last minute. Do early in the day if possible and keep refrigerated. You can “color’ your apple paste by adding apple peels; this will make a red paste, or removing the peels to make the golden (white?) paste.


Spanish Marmalade


Take five sponfulls of rose water and seaven sponfulls of sugar finely beaten, make yt boyle you must have redy by you two handfulls of almondes blanches and finely grownd, wth 15 or 16 dates ye stones and whights taken out, and yor dates cut smale and beaten in a morter, then mixe yor dates and almondes well together, then put yt in your Sirrope stirring yt well together, then take on sponfull of pouder of sinamond, halfe a sponfull of ye pouder of pearles, three sheets of Golde, stirr all theise well, but you must take yt first from the fire or else yt will bee to stiffe that you can-not mingell yt, before yt bee through cold put yt upp into a marmalad boxe.


(Spurling, 1994)


Redaction


1 cup sugar

2 tablespoons rosewater 12 oz. slivered almonds
16 dates
13 ounces baking date paste
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Line an 8x8 baking pan with parchment paper that has been greased or wax paper. In a food processor grind dates, date paste and slivered almonds and cinnamon together. Combine sugar and rosewater in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Cook until the sugar mixture hits softball stage. If you are afraid the sugar will crystallize on you add a small amount of lemon juice in place of rosewater. Mix the syrup and the date-almond paste together and cook until the mixture thickens and begins to pull away from the side of the pan. Pour into your mold and let dry.


Shape and roll in sugar prior to serving.


Orange Marmalade


Prepare as for apple paste, using equal weight of oranges and sugar. I processed my oranges in a food processor.



Comfits of anise and caraway


The Seeds which we generally make Comfitts of, are Carraways, Coriander and Anise-Seeds; these, when they are cover'd with Sugar, are call'd Comfits, ( Confects ).


The Instruments to be employ'd for this Use, are first a deep-bottom'd Bason of Bell-Metal, or Brass, well tinn'd, to be hung over some hot Coals.


Secondly, You must have a broad Pan to put hot Coals in.


Thirdly, Provide a Brass Ladle to pour the Sugar upon the Seeds.


Fourthly, You must have a Brass Slice to scrape off the Sugar that may chance to hang upon the side of the hanging Bason.


Then take care that your Seeds are dry, or dry them well in your hanging Pan. To every quarter of a Pound of Seeds use two Pounds of fine Sugar beaten; unless to Anise-Seeds, use two Pounds of Sugar to half a Pound of Seeds.


To begin the Work, put three Pounds of fine Sugar into the Bason with one Pint of Water, to be stirr'd well together till the Sugar is wet; and boil it gently, till the Sugar will rope from the Ladle like Turpentine, and it is enough. Keep this however warm, upon warm Embers, that it may run. freely in a ropy Way from the Ladle upon the Seeds.


When this is ready, move the Seeds briskly in the Bason, and fling on them half a ladle-full at a time of the hot Sugar, keeping the Seeds moving for some time; which will make them take the Sugar the better, and be sure to dry them well after every covering, by moving the Bason, and stirring the Comfits. In an Hour, you may make three Pounds of Comfits: you will know when they are coated enough with Sugar, by their becoming as large as you would have them. There is no certain Rule, but our own Fancies, for the Size of them. Note, Till they are as you would have them, cast on more melted Sugar, as at first, and keep them stirring and shaking in the Pan, drying them well after every Coat of Sugar.


If you would have ragged or rough Comfits, make your Sugar so liquid, that it will run from the Ladle; and let it fall upon the Seeds about a Foot and a half high. Let it be very hot, for the hotter it is, the rougher will be your Comfits; and for all that, the Comfits will not take so much Sugar as one may imagine from their Appearance. Put on at each time only one Ladle-full, and in ten times repeating it your Comfits will be perfectly well coated.


For plain Comfits; let not your melted Sugar be too hot at first, nor too thick; neither pour it on the Seeds too high: but the last two or three Coverings may be thicker and hotter.


As for Coriander-Seeds, which are large, three Pounds of Sugar will only cover a quarter of a Pound of them.


While you are at work, you should keep your melted Sugar in good Temper, that it may not gather into Lumps, or burn to the bottom of the Pan; and to prevent its growing too thick at any time, put to it a spoonful or two of Water, gently stirring it now and then with your Ladle, keeping your Fire very clear under your Pan. When your Comfits are made, put them upon Papers in Dishes, and set them before the Fire, or in a declining Oven, which will make them look of a Snow white; when they are cool, put them in Boxes, or in crystal Bottles.


To make Comfits of various Colours. From the same.


If you would have your Comfits of a red Colour, infuse some red Saunders in the Water till it is deep colour'd enough; or else take some Cochineel, and infuse it till the Liquor is red enough; or put some Syrup of Mulberries with Water to the Sugar.


If of a yellow Colour; use Saffron in Water, which you are to mix with the Sugar.


If Green; take the Juice of Spinach, and boil it with the Sugar: so will your Comfits be of the several Colours above-mention'd.


(Bradley, 1728)


Note: This is the best instructions I have been able to find regarding the making of comfits and although the instructions fall outside of period. Candied seeds of caraway and anise were known in our period.


Redaction


1 Ounce seed of choice

1 Cup water
1 Cup sugar

Heat the sugar and water mixture together until it forms a thin syrup. Place the seeds into a shallow pan and place over low heat on the stove. Spoon a teaspoon of the syrup mixture over the seeds and stir, being sure to separate the seeds as much as possible. It will take at least ten coats of the syrup to create a good layer of coating on the seeds. If the syrup becomes too hot, the coating of the seeds will be “jagged” and rough.


If you want, you can dissolve some gum Arabic in hot water to make a thick paste, and place the seeds in it first. This will allow the sugar mixture to adhere better.


Manus Christi


Take halfe a pound of refined Suger, and some Rose water, and boyle them together, till it come to sugar again, then stirre it about while it be somewhat cold, then take your leaf gould, and mingle with it, then cast it according to art, That is in round gobbetts, and so keep them.


(Johnson, 1608)


Redaction


1 cup Confectioner Sugar

3 tbsp. +2 tsp. rosewater
1 tsp. lemon juice
-or- 4 tbsp. rosewater
Gold leaf (optional)

Combine sugar and rosewater in a pan and heat to 245 degree’s and remove from the stove. At this point you can stir the sugar syrup until it becomes cloudy, or, drop it into your molds. You can also add goldleaf once the syrup has cooled a bit.


Note: I used luster dust in gold and copper in a hexagonal candy mold to make the candies for feast. I preferred adding the lemon juice to the sugar, although the recipe did not call for it because I think it improved the flavor.



Clove Electuaries


Electuary of Cloves. Take two ûqiyas of its flowers and two ratls of sugar dissolved in rosewater; thicken it until it takes the form of a paste and make an electuary, in the form of fingers and tablets. Eat half an ûqiya of it at meals. Its benefits: it excites the appetite, dissolves phlegm, greatly gladdens, increases the force of coitus, and restrains the temperament.


(Perry, 2000)


Redaction


½ oz cloves

1 cup sugar
Enough Rosewater to wet into a paste

Grind cloves. Add them to the sugar. Dissolve the mixture in rosewater to make a paste. Shape into pyramids or pills, or roll into long rolls and then cut one end to resemble a clove.


Note: I did not have enough cloves so I used pumpkin pie spice to make up the difference. I wish I had measured these were really good!



Alternate Dishes


Stuffed Aubergines - serves 3-4


Redaction


3 small aubergines

1 small onion
olive oil
2 tbsp. chopped parsley
1 tsp. chopped mint
salt and ground pepper
*note- original recipe uses 1 egg and parmesan cheese

Parboil eggplants for about 10 minutes, or until skin begins to crinkle. Drain, halve and scoop out most of the flesh, leaving ⅛ inch around the skim. Reserve skins and transfer flesh to food processor.

Chop onion and fry lightly in oil, add to the food processor, along with herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon puree into reserved skins. Place in shallow heatproof dish, drizzle with olive oil and grill under a preheated grill, until heated through and slightly browned on top.

(Santich, 1995)


Chickpeas with Herbs - serves 3-4


Redaction


Soak ⅔ cup chickpeas overnight in cold water, drain and cook in fresh water with a sliced onions for approximately 30 minutes, or until just cooked. Make almond milk using 2 tbsp. ground almonds blended with ½ cup hot water, strain. Drain chickpeas and onions and return to saucepan with almond milk. Cover and simmer gently for five minutes, until chickpeas are soft and liquid has been absorbed. The onion and almond milk will combine to make a thick sauce. Season with Salt, fresh pepper, and ¼ tsp. ground ginger, blend in 1 tbsp. verjuice, and chopped herbs: parsley, basil, mint and marjoram.

(Santich, 1995)



Drinks


Spiced Pomegranate Drink


...then leave the bath and partake of a brew prepared with pomegranate seeds, sugar, many spices, and a touch of hot spices like clove and mace, or a syrup of rose or sorrel, with water of oxtongue,...

(Perry, 2000)

Redaction


1 quart of Pomegranate juice

4 cups white sugar (or honey)
Possible additions include: clove, mace, borage, mint, citron leaves,
spikenard, lemon peel, and canel or cinnamon.

Warm the pomegranate juice over medium heat. Add the sugar, stirring to dissolve completely. Keep the mixture at a simmer for about 2 hours, stirring occasionally. When it is suitably thickened, allow to cool before bottling. Dilute about one part syrup to five parts water. The resulting drink will be more brownish than the original red of pomegranate.


Cariadoc’s Sekanjabin


Dissolve 4 cups sugar in 2 1/2 cups of water; when it comes to a boil add 1 cup wine vinegar. Simmer 1/2 hour. Add a handful of mint, remove from fire, let cool. Dilute the resulting syrup to taste with ice water (5 to 10 parts water to 1 part syrup). The syrup stores without refrigeration.

(Friedman, 1992)


The table decor included tussy-mussy's of silk flowers, pomander beads and tea candles.



Works Cited 

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Compleat Cook, by Nath. Brook. (2003, December 23). Retrieved June 14, 2014, from The Compleat Cook Expertly Prescribing The Most Ready Wayes, Whether Italian,Spanish Or French, For Dressing Of Flesh And Fish, Ordering Of Sauces Or Making Of Pastry: http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/10520/pg10520.txt
The Second part of the good Hus-wiues Iewell. (2009, April 19). Retrieved June 6, 2014, from Information for Members of the Carolingian Cooks' Guild: http://home.comcast.net/~morwenna/Cooks/dawson2.html
Seeds of trade: Product: Beans. (2013, March 22). Retrieved June 12, 2014, from Natural History Museum: http://www.nhm.ac.uk/nature-online/life/plants-fungi/seeds-of-trade/page.dsml?section=crops&ref=beans
The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Forme of Cury, by Samuel Pegge. (2013, April 2). Retrieved June 3, 2014, from The Forme of Cury, by Samuel Pegge (1390): http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/8102/pg8102.txt
Austin, T. (1888). Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. Harleian MS. 279 & Harl. MS. 4016, with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. London: N. Trübner & Co.
Bradley, R. P. (1728). The Country Housewife and Lady's Director in the management of a House and the delights and profits of a farm. London.
Friedman, D. a. (1992). Cariadoc's Miscellany: Drinks. Retrieved June 24, 2014, from PBM.Com: http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/miscellany.html
Hieatt, C. B. (1988 ). The Ordinance of Pottage. London: Prospect Books.
Hope, L. D. (2007, September 28). The Project Gutenberg EBook of The accomplisht cook, by Robert May. Retrieved June 2, 2014, from Project Gutenberg: http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/22790/pg22790.txt
Johnson, A. (1608). A Closet for Ladies and Gentlevvomen, Or, The Art of Preseruing, Conseruing, and Candying: With the Manner how to Make Diuers Kindes of Syrups, and All Kinde of Banqueting Stuffes : Also Diuers Soveraigne Medicines and Salues for Sundry Diseases. London: F. Kingston.
Myers, D. (2014). Ouverture de Cuisine. Retrieved June 14, 2014, from Medieval Cookery: http://www.medievalcookery.com/notes/ouverture.html
Perry, C. (200, September 4). An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th Century. Retrieved June 23, 2014, from DavidFriedman.Com: http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbooks/Andalusian/andalusian_contents.htm
Plat, H. (1609). Delights for Ladies (or the Delightes for Ladies, To adorne their persons, tables, closets, and distillatories: with Beauties, Banquets, Perfumes & Waters. London: Humphrey Lownes.
Power, E. (1928). The Goodman of Paris (Le Ménagier de Paris). A Treatise on Moral and Domestic Economy by A Citizen of Paris. New York: Harcourt, Brace and Company.
Rabisha, W. (. (2011). The whole body of cookery dissected, taught, and fully manifested, methodically, artificially, and according to the best tradition of the English, French, Italian, Dutch, &c., or, A sympathie of all varieties in naturall compounds in that mysterie wherein. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan, Digital Library Production Service.
Sanderson, J. M. (1846). The Complete Cook. Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1864.
Santich, B. (1995). The Original Mediteranean Cuisine; Medieval Recipes for Today. Chicago: Wakefield Press.
Spurling, H. a. (1994). Elinor Fettiplace's Receipt Book: Elizabethan Country House Cooking. Penguin Group (Canada).

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