Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 16 Frumente yne lentyne

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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16.  Frumente yne lentyne.
Take clene pykyde whete bray hit yne a mortere ande fanned clene & sethe hit tyl hit be brokyne thane grynde blaunche almondys yne a mortere draw there of a mylke do hit to gedyre & boyle hit tyl hit be resonabulle thykke thane loke thy whete be tendyre coloure hit up with safferyne leche thy purpas whene hit ys sodyne thane lay hitt one dysches by hit sylfe and serue hit forthe withe frumente.

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On the heels of the previous recipe, this one is a clear parallel of recipe 150 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To make furmente with porpas in lent tak clene whet and bet it in a mortoire and vane it clene and sethe it till it be on enbreston then tak blanched almondes and grind them in a mortoire and drawe ther of swet mylk with the brothe and boile it till it be tendur and colour it with saffron and leshe thy porpas and when it is sodene lay it in dishes and serue it furthe in dysshes.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The one odd point is that in the half-dozen or so similar recipes scattered throughout the existing medival English cookbooks, this appears to be the only version that does not refer to porpoise in the title.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 15 Pykes or elys in ballocbrothe

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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15.  Pykes or elys in ballocbrothe.
Splett pykes scale heme clene & culpone eles small put heme yne a potte put there to onyons mynsyd grete & herbes sese heme up withe a lyoure of bredde and put to heme stockefysche put there to macys & clowys and powdyre of canelle y nowe and a lytylle saneryne and put to heme stockfysch a qutte lyk un to and lete the puke sethe in a esy sause & serve hole pykys for lordys & quarters for othre mene & culpons loke they be sesynde yne kynde ande put brothe y now upone the pyke & serve hyme forthe.

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Once again we have a clear parallel to a recipe in A Noble Boke off Cookry - in this case, number 149.

Pik and eles in ballok brothe / that muste our dame haue, or / els she will be wrothe.

To mak eles and pikes in ballok brothe tak and splat a pik and splat hym and skale hym and culpon eles smale and put them in a pot do ther to grene onyons and quybibes and mynce them and sesson them up with a liore of bred and put it to clowes maces pouder of canelle and saffron and put ther to a quantite of stok fische lik unto the eles and let the pik boile esely and serue the hole pik for a lord and quarto of a pik for comons and culpans and let them be sessoned and put the brothe with the sauce upon the pyk and serve it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 14 Eles yne sorre

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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14.  Eles yne sorre.
Fle eles chop heme yne gobenys do heme yne a potte withe onyons and herbes hewe heme to gedyre withe hole clowys macys powdyre of pepyre powdyre of canelle a grete dele & fayre watyre & draw lyoure of bredde withe wyne do hit to gedyre sett hit one the fyre stere hit whene hit ys boyled y now colowre hit up withe sawndrys sesyne hit withe poudyre of gyngere venygere & salt and lete hit no more boyle.

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Below are three recipes for "Eels in Sorre" from medieval English cookbooks, all of which are similar to the one above.

Eles in sorry. Take eles and cut hom on culpons, and wassh hom, and take a potte, and do therin faire watur, and a lytell wyne and onyons mynced, and gode herbes, and let hit sethe; then do thi fysshe therto, and pouder of ginger and of canell, and colour hit withe faunders, and serve hit forthe.  [Arundel 334 (England, 1425)]

Eles in surre. Take eles culponde (cut in pieces) and clene wafshen, and sethe hom with half wyne, half water; arid cast therto onyons mynced, clowes, maces, pynes, railinges of corance ; and draw up a Hour therto of chippes of bred steped in wyne ; then carte therto pouder of pepur, and afterward the Hour, and also saunders and saffron; and in the scttynge doune put therto pouder of ginger, andofcanel medelet (mingled) with a lytel vinegur, and serve hit forthe.  [Arundel 334 (England, 1425)]

Elys in Sorre. Take eles, and fle hem, and choppe hem in faire colpons, And wassh hem clene, and putte hem in a faire potte; and then take parcelly, oynons, and shrede togidre to the eles; And then take pouder of peper, and (Note: Douce MS. adds: canelle, and clowes and maces, and cast ther-to, and take fressh, betweenand and broth.) broth of fissh, and set hit ouer the fire, and lete hem boyle togidre; And then take a lofe of brede, and alay the brede in the the same broth, And drawe hit thorgh a streynour; And whan the eles ben almoost y-sodde ynowe, caste there-to; (Note: Douce MS. adds: and alay hit ther-with, and cast wyne ther-to and lete hem buille to-gederys: and then take hem vppe fro the fyre and cast ther-to wyne, andc.; ) And lete hem boile togidre; and take hem vp fro the fire, and cast ther-to salte, vinegre, And serue hit forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Additionally, there are a couple of other eel recipes that seem very close.

To mak eles in bruet tak eles culpond and boile them with mynced onyons padley and saige and draw it with whit bred and wyne put ther to pouder of pepper canelle and salt and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Cvij - Sore Sengle. Take Elys or Gurnard, and parte hem half in Wyne, and half in watere, in-to a potte; take Percely and Oynonys and hewe hem smalle; take Clowes or Maces and caste ther-on; take Safroun, and caste ther-to, and sette on the fyre, and let boyle tylle it be y-now; then sette it a-doun; take poudere Gyngere, Canelle, Galyngale, and temper it vppe with Wyne, and cast on the potte and serue forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 13 Gingaudre

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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13.  Gingaudre
Take the hedde of hake fysch the sound and the leuer do hit in a pott to gadyre make clene the poke of the sayde hake and do hit there to sethe hit welle in brothe of the selfe fische or fayre watyre tyll hit be tendour thene take yt vp lay hit one a borde peke a wey the bondys & safe the fysche hole dyse the leuer & the sounde yf the poke be not tendour y now sethe hit bettyre and do hit to gedyre kut white brede temper hit withe the same brothe and wyne draw hit thorow a lyoure put yne a pott put there to poudyre of pepyre gynger and poudyre of canell and a good coloure of sandryne set hit over the fyre stere hit whene hit boylethe put hit in the fysche and stere hit esely for brekynge and sesyne hit up withe powdyre of gyngere and a lytylle venyger & salt thene lete hytt no more boyle thu may yf thu wilte take the sound and the leuere & the poke of the codlynge and make hit in the same manere.

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There are several recipes for "Gingawdry" in medieval English cookbooks, but none that are precisely the same.  For example, this is the only one of them that specifically calls for only hake, with the others listing a variety of fish.  Here are a few of them.

Gyngawdry. XX.IIII. XIIII. Take the Powche and the Lyuour of haddok, codlyng and hake and of ooþer fisshe, parboile hem, take hem and dyce hem small, take of the self broth and wyne, a layour of brede of galyntyne with gode powdours and salt, cast þat fysshe þerinne and boile it. & do þerto amydoun. & colour it grene.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Gyngawtre. Take the pake (a quantity) of the lyver of hake, or of codlynge, or of hadok, and parboyle hit well; then take hit up and dyse hit smal (cut it small as dice); and do hit in a postenet, and do therto the fatte of the brothe and wyn, and take light bred, and drawe hit up with the brothe nentz to thik (not too thick); and do therto galentyne a lytel, and pouder of clowes, and of maces, and let hit boyle, and colour hit grene, and serve hit forthe.  [Arundel 334 (England, 1425)]

.lxlij. Gynggaudy. Tak the ponche & the lyver of haddok, codlyng, and hake & of other fysche, perboyle hem, tak hem up and dyce hem smal, tak of the self broth & wyne & make a layour of brede, of ga lentyne with gode poudours and salt, cast that fysche therinne & boyle hit & do therto amydoun & colour hit grene & serve forth.  [Fourme of Curye, Rylands MS 7 (England, 1390)]

I suspect the word "pake" in the Arundel 334 version is actually supposed to be "poke" (e.g. pouch or sack).

The name of the recipe, along with instructions in some of the recipes to color it with parsley, show a connection to the word "gaudy," which in Middle English was the name of a particular shade of green.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 12 Pome perre

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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12.  Pome perre
Boyle white pesyne hool heme take heme fro the fyre whene they haue restyde a whyle thene take the cleryst in to a nothre pott thene haue mylke of almonde drawyne vp with wyene giges of amely sigure and salte and yf thou wylte reysons fryede w lytull & do to gedyre boyle hit kepe hit and serve hit forth.

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This is another odd recipe with no clear parallels in other medieval English cookbooks.  The closest thing I could find is a recipe for "White Bruet" from Du fait de cuisine.

23. And first, for your white bruet take almonds according to the quantity of the potage which you are told to make, and have them blanched and cleaned and brayed cleanly, and moisten them with the purée of white peas; and when they are well brayed draw them up with the said broth of peas and put it in according to the quantity of the said almonds; and put in good white wine and verjuice and white ginger and grains of paradise, and everything in measure, and salt, and check that you have not put in too much of anything; and put sugar in according to the quantity of the broth; and then take a fair, large, clear and clean pot and put to boil. And when this is at the sideboard put your fried fish on fair serving dishes and then throw the said bruet on top; and on the potages which you make from almonds from here on, when it is to be dressed do not forget the sugar-spice pellets [dragiees] which should be scattered on top.  [Du fait de cuisine (France, 1420 - Elizabeth Cook, trans.)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 11 Blaunche porre

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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11.  Blaunche porre
Take thyke melke of almondys do yt in a potte perboyle the whyte of lekys tendour presse out the watyre hew heme smalle grynde heme temper heme with the same mylke do to gedyre withe sygure and salt boyle hit vp yf thu wilte thu mayste alay withe payndemayne othre withe cromys of white brede draw heme with the same mylke and serue hit forthe withe salte ele yf thu have hit.

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There are many recipes for "Blaunche Porre" in medieval cookbooks, suggesting that it was a popular dish.  The following are some that are close to the one above.

Blaunche porre. Take the clene white of lekes wel wasshed, and sethe hom; and when thai byn sothen, draw oute the grene pith, that is within, and then preffe oute the water, and hak hom smal, and bray hom; and in the brayinge alay hit with thik almonde mylk; and then sethe hit, and cast therto sugre, and make hit sumqwat rennynge (rather thin) ; and when hit is sothen and dressed up in dilfches, then cast suger above, and serve hit forthe.  Arundel 334, (England, 1425)]

Take the qwyte (white) of lekes and parboyle hom, and hew hom small, and take onyons and mynse hom therewith, and do hom in a pot, and put thereto gode broth, broth, and let hit boyle, and do therto smale briddes (birds), and scth hom therewyth, and colour hit wyth saffron, and do therto pouder marchantf, and serve hit forthe.   [Arundel 334, (England, 1425)]

Blanche porrey. Take blanche almondes, And grinde hem, and drawe hem with sugur water thorgh a streynour into a good stuff mylke into a potte; and then take the white of lekes, and hew hem small, and grynde hem in a morter with brede; and then cast al to the mylke into the potte, and caste therto sugur and salt, and lete boyle; And seth feyre poudrid eles in faire water ynowe, and broile hem on a gredren; and kut hem in faire longe peces, and ley two or thre in a dissh togidre as ye do veneson with ffurmenty, And serue it forthe.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

xlv - For to make Blawnche Perrye. Take the Whyte of the lekys, an sethe hem in a potte, an presse hem vp, and hacke hem smal on a bord. An nym gode Almaunde Mylke, an a lytil of Rys, an do alle thes to-gederys, an sethe an stere it wyl, an do ther-to Sugre or hony, an dresse it yn; thanne take powderd Elys, an sethe hem in fayre Water, and broyle hem, an kytte hem in long pecys. And ley .ij. or .iij. in a dysshe, and putte thin (Note: Thine.) perrey in a-nother dysshe, an serue the to dysshys to-gederys as Venysoun with Furmenty.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 10 Longe wortys

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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10.  Longe wortys
Take the same maner of herbes boyle pesone take heme fro the fyre take out the cleryse and make hem with the same maner of thyngys sauve sygure and serve hit.

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While this recipe references the previous ones for varied leafy plants (coles/worts), it also calls for peas.  There are recipes with similar names in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, one for peas and the other for just the worts, but neither is a close match.

j - Lange Wortys de chare. Take beeff and merybonys, and boyle yt in fayre water; than take fayre wortys and wassche hem clene in water, and parboyle hem in clene water; than take hem vp of the water after the fyrst boylyng, an cut the leuys a-to or a-thre, and caste hem in-to the beff, and boyle to gederys: than take a lof of whyte brede and grate yt, an caste it on the pot, an safron and salt, and let it boyle y-now, and serue forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Longe Wortes de Pesone. Take grene pesyn, and wassh hem clene, And cast hem in a potte, and boyle hem til they breke; and then take hem vppe fro the fire, and putte hem in the broth in an other vessell; And lete hem kele; And drawe hem thorgh a Streynour into a faire potte. And then take oynones in ij. or iij. peces; And take hole wortes, and boyle hem in fayre water; And then take hem vppe, And ley hem on the faire borde, And kutte hem in .iij. or in .iiij. peces; And caste hem and the oynons into that potte with the drawen pesen, and late hem boile togidre til they be all tendur, And then take faire oile and fray, or elle3 fressh broth of some maner fissh, (if thou maist, oyle a quantite), (Note: Douce MS. reads here: other elles fressh broth of some maner of fressh fisshe (yffe thou have none oile) a quantite) And caste thereto saffron, and salt a quantite. And lete hem boyle wel togidre til they ben ynogh; and stere hem well euermore, And serue hem forthe.   [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

There is a similar recipe however in Forme of Cury.

Frenche. XX.III. XIII. Take and seeþ white peson and take oute þe perrey & parboile erbis & hewe hem grete & caft hem in a pot with the perrey pulle oynouns & seeþ hem hole wel in water & do hem to þe Perrey with oile & salt, colour it with safroun & messe it and cast þeron powdour douce.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 9 Lentyn foyles

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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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9.  Lentyn foyles
Take the same maner of herbes as thu dost to jowtys and onyons clere paryde perboyle heme presse out the watyre do heme yne a potte frye reysons in clere oyle that haue be fryede yne byfore and do there to withe a perty of the oyle and boyle hit vp with the mylke of almondys and put there to sugure & salte.

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I haven't found any clear parallels to this recipe.  The combination of herbs, onions, raisins, and almond milk is very unusual.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 8 Joutys yne flesch 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 © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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8.  Joutys yne flesch days
Take kawlys & percelly and othre good herbes perboyle heme welle yne watyre presse out the watyre hew heme ryght smalle or grynd heme and yf thu wylte thu may hew a lytylle fat porke ther wythe and grynde hit there withe and themper hit up withe swete porke loke hit be sum delle chaungete of the herbes do yt in a pot boyle & halye hit up a lytyll there withe and yf thu wylte thou may draw bredde withe sum of the brothe thene salt hem and serue heme forthe withe ribbys of bacone or with fat flesche yf thu wylte and one fysch days thu may perboyle herbes & make heme up in the same maner with brothe of fresch fysche or elys with thykke mylke of almondys and sugure & salt and lete none othyre lykure come there yne.

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This recipe reads like an expanded version of one from Ancient Cookery.

Joutes on flesh day. Take cole, and borage, and lang de beefs (buglofs), and parsell, and betes, and arage, and avence, and vyolet, and saveray, and fenelle, and sethe hom; and when thei ben sothen, (boiled) take and preffe oute clene the watur, and hewe hom smalle, and do hom in a pot, and put thereto gode brothe, and let hit sethe, and serve hit forthe.   [Arundel 334 (England, 1425)]