Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 99 Mawmene ryall

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

-=-=-

99. Mawmene ryall
Grynd reysons & draw up in the same maner of wynes as thu dydist that othir by [f.68r] fore put ther to crem of almonds do hit in a pot take al kyndes of hote spyces as thu didist to that othir & parid gynger & datys cut & sygure claryfyed & put hit in a pot to gedyr with some of the wyne & boyle hit with some of the same wyne to gedyr & take hit of & put hit to gedyr to that othir & put ther to poudyr of canell poudyr of gynger of lumbard & othir good poudres set hit on the fyre stere hit well when hit ys at the boylyng take hit of loke hit be doucet & yf hot have any of poudyr loke thu have brawn of capons fesauntes or pertryggs sodyn tendyr & tesyd small put ther to lat hit be nought stondyng loke hit be brown of canell saundres & safron & messe hit forth as a flate potage & florysch hit with sygure plate strewyd uppon when hit ys boyled loke no leve of the fyre ryse aboven the viaunt ryall for brennyng of the sewe.

-=-=-

There is a recipe for mawmeny in A Noble Boke off Cookry that has some of the elements of this recipe, but it is nowhere near as detailed.

To mak mamony, tak whit wyne and sugur then bray the braun of viii capons with a gal on of oile and a quart of hony put ther to poudur of pepper galingalle guingere and canelle and stirre it welle and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Other sources have mawmeny recipes that are closer to the Wagstaff version. The two below are similar in detail, with the one from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books being the best match.

Mawmenee. XX. Take a pottel of wyne greke. and ii. pounde of sugur take and clarifye the sugur with a qantite of wyne an drawe it thurgh a straynour in to a pot of erthe take flour of Canell. and medle with sum of the wyne an cast to gydre. take pynes with Dates and frye hem a litell in grece oþer in oyle and cast hem to gydre. take clowes an flour of canel hool and cast þerto. take powdour gyngur. canel. clower, colour it with saundres a lytel yf hit be nede cast salt þerto. and lat it seeþ; warly with a slowe fyre and not to thyk, take brawn of Capouns yteysed. oþer of Fesauntes teysed small and cast þerto.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Mawmene. Take vernage, or other strenger wyne of the best that a man may finde, and put hit in a potte, and cast there-to a gode quantite of powder Canell, And sette hit ouer the fire, And yif hit a hete; And then wring oute softe thorgh a streynour, that the draff go not oute, And put in a faire potte; take and pike newe faire pynes, And wassh hem clene in wyne, And caste of hem a grete quantite there-to; And take white sugur ynowe, as moche as thi licour is, And cast there-to; and take confeccions or charge de quyns, a goode quantite, and cast thereto; and drawe a few saundres with stronge wyne thorgh a Streynour, and cast there to; And put al in a potte; And cast there-to a good quantite of Clowes, and sette hit ouer the fire, and gif hit a boyling; And take Almondes, and drawe hem with mighti wyne thorgh a streynour; And at the first boiling, a-ley hit vp, and yeve hit a boyle; and ley hit vp with ale, and gif hit a boyle, and sette hit fro the fire; and caste thereto tesid brawne of Fesaunte, partrich, or capon, a good quantite, and ceson hit vppe with pouder of ginger ynogh, and a litull saffron and salt; And if hit be stronge, aley hit with vinegre of swete wyn, and dresse hit flatte with the bak of a Saucer or A ladell; And as thou dressest hit with the saucer in vinegre or mighty wyne, wete the saucer or ladell fore cleving, and loke that hit haue sugur right ynogh, And serve hit forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]