Recipes from John Crophill's Commonplace Book - 58 Botre of Almaunde Melk

Recipes from John Crophill's Commonplace Book (Harley MS 1735)

This manuscript is dated before 1485.

The 69 recipes in John Crophill's Commonplace Book are on pages 16v through 28v.

Images of the original manuscript are freely available on the British 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 © 2015 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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[58.] Botre of Almaunde Melk
Tak thykke almaunde melk boyle it & in the boylinge kast ther in vinegre or vin do it sethen on a canwaas abred gadre it sethen on an keep than hange it up on a cloth amylewey wyle ley it after in a cold water than serve it forth.

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There are versions of this recipe in both Liber and Noble. The Liber version uses the phrase "a mile away", making the corresponding text in the Crophill version more understandable.

Buttur of Almonde mylke. Take thykke mylke of almondes clere, Boyle wele alle in fere. And in þo boylyng, cast þerinne Venegur, oþer ellys gode wyne. Do hit soþenne in a canvas þenne, In soþun, gar hit on hepe to renne. In clothe þou henge hit a myle way, And after in colde water þou hit lay. Serve hit forthe in þe dysshe, Þat day þo lorde is servyd with fysshe.  [Liber cure cocorum (England, 1430)]

I still can't work out the origin of the cryptic title for the Noble version. If it's a copyist error then it's quite an impressive one.

To mak Z S. V tak thik almond mylke and boile it and in the boilinge cast in wyne or venygar and put it in a canvas and let it ren on a hepe then honge it in a clothe and lay it in cold water and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]