Thursday, March 20, 2014

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 105 Quystes


Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany (Beinecke MS 163)

This manuscript is dated about 1460.

The 200 (approx.) recipes in the Wagstaff miscellany are on pages 56r through 76v.

Images of the original manuscript are freely available on the Yale University Library website.

I have done my best to provide an accurate, but readable transcription. Common abbreviations have been expanded, the letters thorn and yogh have been replaced with their modern equivalents, and some minor punctuation has been added.

Copyright © 2014 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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105. Quystes
Take a pese of befe or of motyn wyn & watyr boyle hit skeme hit clene than take quystes chop hem with yn with hole pepyr & cast hem in to the pott & let hem stew ryght well to gedyr & take poudyr of gynger & a lytyll vergeys & salt [f.69r] & cast ther to do hem in fayre dischys a quyst or ij in a disch for a maner of potage and when thu shalt serve hit forth take a lytyll broth & put hit in dischys to the quystys.

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This recipe is a close match for recipe 43 from A Noble Boke off Cookry.
To mak quystis tak a pece of beef or of moton and wyne and water and boile it and scem it clene then stop the quistes within with whole peppur and cast them in a pot and cover it and let it stewe welle put ther to poudur of guinger watire and salt and cast ther to and put them in faire disches one or ij in a dische for a maner of potage and when they be serued furthe tak alitill brothe and put in the disches among the quystis and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There is also a version of this recipe in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books as well.
xiiij - Quystis Scune. Take a pece of beef or of mutoun, and wyne and fayre water, and caste in-to a potte, an late hem boyle, an skeme it wyl an clene; than take quystes, an stoppe hem wyth-in wyth hole pepyr, and marwe, an than caste hem in-to the potte, an ceuere wyl the potte, an let hem stere ry3th wyl to-gederys; an than take powder gyngere, and a lytel verious an salt, and caste ther-to, an thanne serue hem forth in a fayre dysshe, a quyste or to in a dysshe, in the maner of a potage: an whan thowe shalt serue hem forth, take a lytil of the broth, an put on dysshe wyth quystys, an serue forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

The word "quystes" in Middle English is a corruption of the Scottish word "cushat", which is a wood pigeon.

Tuesday, March 18, 2014

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 104 Hages of Almayne


Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany (Beinecke MS 163)

This manuscript is dated about 1460.

The 200 (approx.) recipes in the Wagstaff miscellany are on pages 56r through 76v.

Images of the original manuscript are freely available on the Yale University Library website.

I have done my best to provide an accurate, but readable transcription. Common abbreviations have been expanded, the letters thorn and yogh have been replaced with their modern equivalents, and some minor punctuation has been added.

Copyright © 2014 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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104. Hages of Almayne
Take eyron draw hem thorow a streynour perboyle percelley in fat broth hew & hard yolkes of eyron to gedyr do ther to poudyr of gynger sigure & salt & marye & put hit in a streynour ende in a boylyng pott perboyle hit take hit up lat hit kele cut hit smal take drawn eyron put hem in a panne loke they pan be moysty of grece lat the bature ren a brod into a foyle cuch ther yn hard yolkes merye & percellye & turne the iiij sydds to gedyr that hit close a bovyn & ley hit square take of the same bature & wete the eggys that hit hold stonch & close ther yn the stuf turne hit upsodown frye hit on both sydys & serve hit forthe.

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This recipe is a close match for recipe 42 from A Noble Boke off Cookry.
To mak an hagges of Almayne tak and draw eggs through a strener and parboile parcely in fat brothe then hew it and hew yolks of eggs to gedure put ther to pouder of guinger sugur and salt. and put mary in a strene and let it honge in the pot boilling and parboille it and tak it upe and let it kele then cutt it smalle and tak egg drawen throughe a strener and put them into a pan and let the pan be moist of grece let the batter ryn abrod into a foile then couche ther in iij hard yolks of eggs and mary and parsly and turn the iiij sides to gedur that they close to gedur aboue that they lie square then tak of the same bater and whit of egge that it hold stanche and close it and serue yt [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Haggis of Almayn seems to have been a popular recipe as there are nearly identical versions in contemporary sources.
l - Hagas de Almaynne. Take Fayre Eyroun, the 3olke and the Whyte, and draw hem thorw a straynour; than take Fayre Percely, and parboyle it in a potte with boyling brothe; than take the 3olkys of Eyroun hard y-sothe, and hew the 3olkys and the Percely smal to-gederys; than take Sugre, pouder Gyngere, Salt, and caste ther-to; then take merow, and putte it on a straynourys ende, and lat hange in-to a boyling potte; and parboyle it, and take it vppe, and let it kele, and than kytte it in smal pecys; than take the drawyn Eyroun, and put hem in a panne al a-brode, and vnnethe ony grece in the panne, and cowche ye 3olkys and the Percely ther-on in the panne, and than cowche of the Marow pecys ther-on, and than fold vppe eche kake by-nethe eche corner in .iiij. square, as platte, and turne it on the panne one3; let lye a litel whyle; than take it vp and serue forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]
Hagas de almondes. Take faire yolkes of eyren, and the White, and drawe hem thorgh a Streynour, and take faire parcelly, and parboyle hit in a potte, and parboylingge brothe; And then take yolkes of yren, sodde hard, and hewe the yolkes and the parcely small togidre; And take sugur, pouder of Gynger, and salte, and cast to yolkes and parcelly; And take mary, and put hit in a streynour, And lete hong yn to the boyling potte, and parboile; and take hit vppe, and lette hit kele, And kutte hit then in smale peces; And then take the drawen eyren, and putte hem in a pan al a-brode, (And vnneth eny grece in the pan,) and couche the yolkes and the parcelly there-on in the pan. And then couche the peces of the mary thereon; And then folde vp the kake byneth euery corner, to eche corner foure square al flatte, And turne hit on the pan; And lete hit lye awhile, And then take it vp, and serue hit forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

To make a Haggas of Almain. Take two Buts of Mutton, and frye them well from Skinnes and senowes, and mince it with suet as small as you can, then take Dates and mince them smal, then take these Spices which follow, one ounce of Corance clean washed, an ounce of Ginger and asmuch of pepper, and an ounce of Sugar with the yolkes of eight or nine Egs, clean fryed from the whites. Take also fine faire light bread grated, with a little Salt, and a portion of Saffron, and boile al these togither, then row these Corance in Suet of a Calfe or Sheepe, then put them into a frying pan, and so set them into a hot oven, and when they be brown turne them, and when they be baked, take them out and serve three in a dish.  [A Book of Cookrye (England, 1591)] 

While the word "Almayn" in the recipe title is undoubtedly a reference to Germany ("Almagne" in French), one of the recipes in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books takes it to mean "almonds". This is especially amusing seeing that almonds are not included among the ingredients.

Thursday, March 13, 2014

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 103 Creme of almondys


Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany (Beinecke MS 163)

This manuscript is dated about 1460.

The 200 (approx.) recipes in the Wagstaff miscellany are on pages 56r through 76v.

Images of the original manuscript are freely available on the Yale University Library website.

I have done my best to provide an accurate, but readable transcription. Common abbreviations have been expanded, the letters thorn and yogh have been replaced with their modern equivalents, and some minor punctuation has been added.

Copyright © 2014 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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103. Creme of almondys
Blaunch grynd hem kepe hem as white as thy may & tempyr hem up with thike mylke with fayre watyr drawe hit put hit in a clene pott sette hit on the fyre stere hit well when hit by gynneth to seth take hit of yf thy have moch do ther to a dischfull of wyn venyger yf ther be a lytyll do ther yn to the pott lete hyt stond a whyle have a clene cloth holden on a bord by twyxt ij men or iiij men strat cast the creme ther yn with a ladyll as brod as they cloth & rubbe thy cloth undyr neth with a ladyll toward [crossed out: the] & froward so that thy may draw out all the watyr then gedyr hit to gedyr in to the myddyl of the cloth & bynd the corners to gedyr honge hit on a pynne & lett the watyr soke out do hit on a bolle & tempyr hit up with white wyn bose hit with a sawcer til hit be as softe as thy wolt have hit.

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This recipe appears to be a match to recipe 41 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.
To mak creme of almonds tak blanched almondes and grind them up and temper them up akurd thik mylk with faire water drawe it into the pot and sett it on the fyere and stirre it welle when it begynnethe to rise / and ye have to myche put ther to a dishefulle of venygar if ther be alitille putt ther in the lesse hille the pot and let it stand awhile then tak a clene cloth and hold it abrod betweene iiij men strait cast the creme there in and rube it undirnethe the clothe with a ladille toward and froward with the egge of the ladille to draw out the watter then gadur it to gedur unto the myddle of the clothe then bind the corners to gedur and hong it upon a pyne and let the water run out then put it in a bolle and temper it up withe wyne and bruse it with a saucer as soft as ye wille and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There are very similar recipes in other contemporary sources, including the direction beginning with "if you have much", which suggests that this was a popular recipe of the time.
Creme of Almonds. Recipe & blawnch almondes, & grinde þam & kepe þam als whyte as зe mey, & temper it thyk with watur & draw it, & put it in a pott. And sett it oure þe fyre & styr it wele; and when it begyns to rise take it of. If зe wyll haue mykyll, þan do a lityll þerto of vinegre & lat it stande a whyle, & take a clene cloth haldyn abrode betwene tiw men, & trast þerin with a ladyl als brode as þe cloth wyll striche towards & froward ay with þe ege of þe ladyll þat зe may draw oute all þe watyrs; & þan gedyre it to þe corners togydyrs & hang it vpon a pyn, & let þe water soke oute into a boll; & temper it with whyte wyne, & bruse it with a sawcer tyll it be als softe as зe wyll haue it, & serof it forth.  [MS Harley 5401 (England, 15th century)]
To make Creme of Almoundes. Blanche almounds kepe them As ye may them temper up to A thycke mylke with fayre water streyne hit and put hit in A pott and set hit on the fyre stere hit well when hit begynnys to ryse up take hit of yf thow have moche do ther to A dyschfull of VynAgyr yf thou have but a litell do the lesse hele the pot let hit stonde A whyle. Take a clene cloth holdyn a brode betwene .iiij. folkes streyte & cast the creme þer on with a ladyll as brode as the cloth And rubbe the cloth toward and froward with the egge of the ladyll that þer may woyde the water. Then gather hit to geder in þe myddyl of the cloth bynde the .iiij. Corners to geder and hang on A pynne that the Water may soke onto And then do hit in A bolle And tempyr hit up wyth white wyne And bete hit with a sawser on to the tyme that hit be softe.  [MS Pepys 1047 (England, ca. 1500)]

Tuesday, March 11, 2014

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 102 Gely of flesch


Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany (Beinecke MS 163)

This manuscript is dated about 1460.

The 200 (approx.) recipes in the Wagstaff miscellany are on pages 56r through 76v.

Images of the original manuscript are freely available on the Yale University Library website.

I have done my best to provide an accurate, but readable transcription. Common abbreviations have been expanded, the letters thorn and yogh have been replaced with their modern equivalents, and some minor punctuation has been added.

Copyright © 2014 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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102. Gely of flesch
Take conyngys fle hem scalle pyggys chopp hem fre of the here scale chikenys draw hem & yf thu wilt thu may chopp kede also the conynge & the pygge couch hit in dyschys in a cold place ther they may stond styll set thy broth a gen ovir the fyre loke hit be wel skemyd that no fat be ther on take calvys feete clene scaldyd clene hem set hem in the same broth tyl they be tendyr loke thy brothe be clene skemyd sesyn hit in al maner as thy dose thy fysch & fill thy disches ther with & do ther to in al maner as thy dost to fysch.

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This recipe appears to be a match to recipe 40 in A Noble Boke off Cookry, though the Wagstaff version is missing some of the detail.
To mak a gilly of fleshe take conys and fley them and skald pegions chop them and fley of the skyne skald chekins and chope kiddes and put all to gedur and boile it in red wyne then tak it upe and lay it in a clene clothe dry the peces of the kid pigions and conys and couche them in dishe and chope chekkins and put ther to then set the chekkins in a cold place where it may stand stille then set the brothe to the fyere agayne and luk it be well strened that no fat abid ther on then tak skalded caluys feet and lay them in the same brothe till they be tender and luk the brothe be clene scomed sessen it up with salt and serue it [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

It is worth noting that, of all the surviving recipes for meat gelatin, these two appear to be the only ones that call for such a variety of meat but do not call for adding spices like saffron or cinnamon. 

Thursday, March 6, 2014

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 101 Cristell gely


Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany (Beinecke MS 163)

This manuscript is dated about 1460.

The 200 (approx.) recipes in the Wagstaff miscellany are on pages 56r through 76v.

Images of the original manuscript are freely available on the Yale University Library website.

I have done my best to provide an accurate, but readable transcription. Common abbreviations have been expanded, the letters thorn and yogh have been replaced with their modern equivalents, and some minor punctuation has been added.

Copyright © 2014 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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101. Cristell gely
Take swete wyn that wol hold his colour & boyle youre fisch ther yn & do ther with yn alle maners as thu dost with that othir & gheve hit none othir colour than shalt thu have hit as brygth as silvyr & serve hit forth.

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This recipe is in part almost identical to recipe 39 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.
To mak cristalle gilly tak whyt wyne that will hold hir colour and boil the fishe ther in and let it stand and serve it furthe.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 100 Gely on fysch days


Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany (Beinecke MS 163)

This manuscript is dated about 1460.

The 200 (approx.) recipes in the Wagstaff miscellany are on pages 56r through 76v.

Images of the original manuscript are freely available on the Yale University Library website.

I have done my best to provide an accurate, but readable transcription. Common abbreviations have been expanded, the letters thorn and yogh have been replaced with their modern equivalents, and some minor punctuation has been added.

Copyright © 2014 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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100. Gely on fysch days
Splat pekys & tenches chop hem in small pecys & draw smal perchys fle elys chop hem & do to gedyr in a pan & boyle hoit with rede wyne take hit up ley hit on a clene cloth or on a clene bord pyle out the bonys strip the sknyn kepe the pecys hole couch hem in dischys the pyke & the tenche to gedyr & the gobenys of the elys & stryp the skyn a wey of the perchis & couch hem put one in a dysch & othir charge nowght thi dyschis over muche with youre fisch set hit on a colde place ther they may stond styll & set the panne aghene over the fyre & take barbell or congure playce or thornebake or othir good fisch that wil a gely & loke the skynys of the elys be clene & do ther to boyle hit in the same broth skeme hit clene that ther be no fat of the fisch ther on take hit up with a skemer do hit where thu wilt poure the broth thorow a clene cloth in to a clene pott set hit aghen on the fyre do ther to poudyr of pepyr & longe pepyr brekyd in a morter & thu may yf thu wilt have smal bagges of lynnyn cloth iij or iiij & put youre poudres ther yn sew hem that they go nought out henge over the sydys of the panne when ye boyle youre fisch a way tyl the seson hit take hem out & wryng out the broth & do hem awey & that ys bettyr maner then take up some ther of & poure hit on the brerd of a disch & let hit be cold & ther thu shalt se where hit be chargeaunt or els take more fisch that wolle gely & put hit ther yn do a wey the fisch sesyn the broth with venyger & salt colour with watyr of safron that hath be longe sokyd to gedyr so that the watyr have drawn out al the colour of the safron & shall kepe youre gely clere & bryght as lambour do on a drop or ij on the brede of a dysch & ther thu shalt a se yf that thy coloure be good salt hit take a clene clothe bynde the corners hong hit up poure the gely ther yn have a vessell undyr nethe kepe that rennought fyl up your dysches ther with when the most hete hit [f.68v] splat hit with blaunched almonds that they may hong ther yn and hole clovys & macys when hit ys cold florych hit with paryd gynger & serve hit forthe.

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There is a recipe for fish jelly in A Noble Boke off Cookry, but the wording and instructions are very different.
To mak tenche in gilly put red wyn in a pan then skald the tenche and splat him and cast hym into the panne and sethe hym and when he is enoughe lay hym in a plater and pill of the skyn and pik out the bones then set the licour and the skyn to the fyere and put ther to sugur to mak it doucet but ye may not put in the sugar till they two have boiled then cast in saffron salt ginger and vergius and let it renne throughe a strene and lay your tenche in a platter and plant hyme with blanched almondes and put on the gilly and serue it [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The fish jelly recipes from other sources describe much the same process, but again with different wording.
GELE OF FYSSH. C. I. Take Tenches, pykes, eelys, turbut and plays, kerue hem to pecys. scalde hem & waische hem clene. drye hem with a cloth do hem in a panne do þerto half vyneger & half wyne & seeþ it wel. & take the Fysshe and pike it clene, cole the broth thurgh a cloth into a erthen panne. do þerto powdour of pep and safroun ynowh. lat it seeþ and skym it wel whan it is ysode dof grees clene, cowche fisshes on chargeours & cole the sewe thorow a cloth onoward & serue it forth [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]
Cx - Gelye de Fysshe. Take newe Pykys, an draw hem, and smyte hem to pecys, and sethe in the same lycoure that thou doste Gelye of Fleysshe; an whan they ben y-now, take Perchys and Tenchys, and sethe; and Elys, an kutte hem in fayre pecys, and waysshe hem, and putte hem in the same lycoure, and loke thine lycoure be styf y-now; and 3if it wolle notte cacche, (Note: stick; see other Cookery, No. 174) take Soundys of watteryd Stokkefysshe, or ellys Skynnys, or Plays, an caste ther-to, and sethe ouer the fyre, and skeme it wyl; and when it ys y-now, let nowt the Fysshe breke; thenne take the lycoure fro the fyre, and do as thou dedyst be (Note: By, with) that other Gelye, saue, pylle the Fysshe, and ley ther-off in dysshis, that is, perche and suche; and Flowre hem, and serue forthe.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

It is worth noting that the recipes from Wagstaff and Noble appear to be the only fish jelly recipes that call for almonds.