Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 28 Purpayse or Venysone ine brothe

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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28.  Purpayse or Venysone ine brothe
Take chikenys of purpas and more of the fysche yf thu wylte chopp hit in pecys withe onyons & herbes cut grete & hole clowys & macys powdyre of pepyre & canelle & do to gedyre in a pott wythe fayre watyre or withe brothe of the fysche and withe a perty of wyne boyle hit up yf the fysche be goode hit wille a lay hit sylfe or els draw a lytylle lyoure of crustys & do ther to poudyre of gyngere & salt and make venysone in brothe in the same maner.

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That this recipe starts off calling for "chickens of porpoise" suggests that there was a copying or translation error somewhere.  There are no other recipes that use this phrase, nor are there any that include all of the words "porpoise", "venison", and "chicken".  The closest I could find to this one are the following recipes for fish in gravy.

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 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; 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)]

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 - 27 Purpayse yne Galanteyne

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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27.  Purpayse yne Galanteyne
Take purpays do a way the skyne cutte hit yne smal lechys no more thene fyngere or els take brede drawene wythe rede wyne put there to powdere of canelle powdyre of pepyre boil al sesone hit up wythe powdere of gyngere venegre & salte.

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Porpoise is commonly mentioned in fish-day recipes, and "galantine" dishes are also very common, so it is surprising that there aren't any other recipes for porpoise galantine in surviving cookbooks.  The closest recipe I could find is the following one from Le Viandier de Taillevent.

Porpoise. Split it along the back, cook it in water, and slice it into strips like venison. Take some wine and water from your fish, grind ginger, cassia, cloves, grains of paradise, long pepper and a bit of saffron, [boil], and make a good clearish broth. It should not be too yellow. Serve it like a subtlety, with a White Dish.  [Le Viandier de Taillevent (France, ca. 1380)]

The basic instructions are the same - slice the porpoise in strips, boil it in wine, and add spices - but the wording is different enough that it is not clear the recipes are related.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 26 Numbelys of purpas or of other fysche

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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26.  Numbelys of purpas or of other fysche
Perboyle the numbelys of purpays & thu wylte sum of the fysche cut hit smalle do hit yne a pott draw a lyoure of crustys withe brede wythe the same brothe & some what of the blode ande red wyne do hit to gedere yne a potte with powder of gyngere clowys and canelle boyle hit stere hit sesone hit up with powdere of gyngere venyggere and salte. Make numbelys of codlynge in the same maner ande of othere gode fysshe also & serve theme forthe.

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Once again we have a clear parallel to a recipe in A Noble Boke off Cookry - in this case recipe number 158.  Recipes for porpoise kidneys/entrails seem to be very uncommon as I could not find anything else that came close.

To mak nombles of porpas or of other good fisshe and ye may cut som of the fisshe smalle and put it in the pot and draw a liour with cruste with the same blod and some of the brose and red wyne and put all to gedur in a pot and put thereto pouder of peper clowes and canelle and set it on the fyere and sesson it up with pouder guingere venygere and salt, and ye may mak nombles of congure codlinge or other good fisshe in the same manner and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 25 Leche provene

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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25.  Leche provene
Take mylke of almondyes tempyre hit wyth wyne white wyne and take watyre percellye & oynons cut do there to elys choppyde & boylede do there yne saferone & hole pepyre & hole clowys sesone hit up withe powdyre & salt.

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This recipe is a very odd one.  The combination of almond milk, eel, and onions is somewhat unusual in medieval English cookbooks, and the title doesn't make much sense and isn't similar to that of any other English recipe.  However I did find the same recipe in the 14th century French source, Enseignements qui enseingnent a apareillier toutes manieres de viandes.

For milk of Provence - If you want to make milk of Provence, take almonds, then grind them and temper with wine and water, then take whole parsley and onions cut in rings and mix with eels, and fry all together; then take whole saffron and water and long pepper.  [Enseignements (France, ca. 1300)]

The version in Enseignements highlights the issues in the Wagstaff version.  The title is clearly mistranslated, turning "lait" (milk) into "leche" (slice), instead of being made with wine, the almond milk is tempered with "wine white wine", and the instruction to fry all the ingredients together was left out entirely.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 24 Felets yne galentyne

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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24.  Felets yne galentyne
Take the ribbys of a breste of porke fle of the skyne do the flesche one a broche roste hit tyl hit be almost ynowghe take hit of chop hit yne pecys do hit yne a potte withe onyons cut grete wythe clowys hole macyz quibibys do to gedyre & a quantyte of swete brothe draw a lyoure of paryngys of crystys of white bredde with good wyne and a lytylle blode & alaye hit a lytylle & do there to poudyre of pepyr a lytylle & a good quantyte of poudyre of canelle loke that hit be nott chargaunt sesyne hit up withe poudyre of gyngere & salt venygere & salt.

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This recipe is very similar to recipe 157 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak felettes in galentyne tak of the best of ribbes of pork and fley of the skyn and put the flesshe upon a broche and rost it till it be almost enoughe then tak it of and chope it in peces and put it in a pot with onyons butter and faire grece hole clowes maces quybibes and put it to gedur with a crust of bred and try it through a strener with whit wyne put ther to pouder of peper and put it in the pot and when it boilithe let it not be chargant and sesson it up with poudre of guingere and salt it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There are several versions of this recipe in other surviving cookbooks, such as the example below from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, but only this version in Wagstaff and the one from A Noble Boke off Cookry specifically call for ribs of pork.

Fylettys en Galentyne. Take fayre porke, the fore quarter, an take of the skyne; an put the porke on a fayre spete, an rost it half y-now; than take it of, an smyte it in fayre pecys, and caste it on a fayre potte; than take oynonys, and schrede hem, an pele hem (an pyle hem nowt to smale), an frye in a panne of fayre grece; than caste hem in the potte to the porke; than take gode broth of moton or of beef, an caste ther-to, an than caste ther-to pouder pepyr, canel, clowys, an macys, an let hem boyle wyl to-gederys; than tak fayre brede, an vynegre, an stepe the brede with the same brothe, an strayne it on blode, with ale, or ellys sawnderys, and salt, an lat hym boyle y-now, an serue it forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 23 Cokkes of kellynge

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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23.  Cokkes of kellynge
Take cokkes of kellynge cut heme smalle do hit yne a brothe of fresche fysche or of fresche salmone boyle heme welle put to mylke and draw a lyoure of bredde to heme withe saundres safferyne & sygure and poudyre of pepyre serve hit forthe & othyre fysche amonge turbutt pyke samone choppyde & hewyne sesyne heme withe venygere & salt.

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This recipe is very similar to recipe 155 in A Noble Boke off Cookry, with the differences being either minor changes in wording or possibly copying errors.

To dight codlinge or keling tak a kelinge and cut them smale and put them in brothe of freche samon and boile them put ther to almond mylk and drawe bred and colour them with saffon and sanders do ther to sugur and pouder of pepper and serue it and other fisshe among as turbot pike samon chopped and sesson them with venygur and salt it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The word "cokkes" in Wagstaff is most certainly supposed to be "coddes", and "kellynge" (keling) is defined by Mayhew and Skeat as  "a large kind of cod".  The use of milk in Wagstaff is a clear departure from what would otherwise be a recipe for a fish day, and is likely an error since the version in A Noble Boke off Cookry calls for almond milk.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 22 Chaudone of Salmone

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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22.  Chaudone of Salmone
Take al the draught of a samone make hit clene as thu may do hit yne a pote and al the blode of a samone there withe boyle that tyl hit be y nowghe yne the brothe of the same fysche take hit up hew hit smalle yf hit be a femaule grynde the spaune do hit to gedyre to the brothe draw a lyoure of white bredde withe swete wyne do there to poudyre of peper & canell sett hit one the fyre stere hit whene hit boylez sesone hit up withe powdyre of gyngyre venygere salt & safferyne thu may serve hit forthe yne the stede of potage or els sause of samone.

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This recipe is a clear parallel of recipe 154 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak chaudron for samone tak the draught of samon and mak it clene and put it in a pot and all the blod of the samon ther with and boile it till it be enoughe then tak it up and grind the spawn and draw a liour of bred and of whit wyne and put ther to poudere of pepper and canelle and boile it and stirr it and sesson it up with pouder of guinger venygar saffron and salt and ye may serve it furthe in sted of potage or els a sauce for samon.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There is also a close match in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, and a similar recipe in Forme of Cury.

Chaudewyne. Take the Guttes of fressh Samon, and do awey the gall; and slytte hem, and caste hem in a potte, and boyle hem in water right well; And ley hem vpon a borde, and hewe hem; And then stepe brede in the same licour, And cast som of the samon broth thereto, And drawe all thorgh a streynour; and then caste the hewen guttes and the drawen brede in a potte, and a litull wyn, pouder of Canell, or saffron, And lete boyle togidre; And cast there-to pouder of peper, Vinegre, and salt; And lete hit be rennyng.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)] 

CAWDEL OF SAMOUN C.XI. Take the guttes of Samoun and make hem clene. perboile hem a lytell. take hem up and dyce hem. slyt the white of Lekes and kerue hem smale. cole the broth and do the lekes þerinne with oile and lat it boile togyd yfere. do the Samoun icorne þerin, make a lyour of Almaundes mylke & of brede & cast þerto spices, safroun and salt, seeþ it wel. and loke þat it be not stondyng. [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

All of these recipes appear to be fish-day versions of a sort of stew or sauce made from the offal of swans.

Chaudoun. Take gysers, and lyuers, and hert of Swanne; and if the guttys ben fat, slyt them clence thaym, and caste them ther-to, and boile them in faire watre: and thanne take them up, and hew them smal, and thanne caste them in-to the same brothe, (but strayne hit thurgh a straynour firste); and caste ther-to poudre peper, canel, and vynegre, and salt, and lete boile. And thanne take the blode of the Swanne, and freysshe broth, and brede, and draw them thurwe a straynour, and cast ther-to; and lete boile to-gedre. And thenne take poudre of gyngere, whanne hit is al-moste y-now, and put ther-to, and serue forth with the swan.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 21 Grewel enforsede

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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21.  Grewel enforsede.
Take merybonys & fresch beef make goode gruelle ther of thane draw heme thorow a streynere take fayre porke tender sodyne peke out the bonys & the senowys & do a wey the skyne grynde hit smal yne a mortere temper hit up with the same gruelle that ys grownde make hit smothe let hit stonde resonabely by the flesshe sesyne hit up withe salt & saferyne that sette hymt by the fyre lete hyme boyle a lytylle and serve hyme forthe.

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This recipe is very close to recipe 153 in A Noble Boke off Cookry, with the only notable difference being that the Wagstaff recipe adds saffron along with an extra boiling step at the end.

To mak grewelle enforced tak mary bones and freche brothe and mak grewelle and draw them throughe a strener then tak pork sodene tender and pick out the bones and the senewes and pille of the skyn and hew it and grind it smale in a mortair and temper it with the same gruelle that is drawen and mak it smothe and let it stond myche by freche pork and salt it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Interestingly, both of those aspects missing in Noble are present in the version from Liber Cure Cocorum, though the wording is very different.

For gruel of fors. Fyrst take porke, wele þou hit sethe With otene grotes, þat ben so smethe. Whenne hit begynnes wele to alye, þou save of þe þynnest brothe þer by To streyne þy gruel, alle and summe. But furst take oute þy porke þou mun And hak hit smal and grynde hit clene. Cast hit to þo gruel þat streyned bene, Colour hit with safroune and sethe hit wele. For gruel of force serve hom at mele.  [Liber cure cocorum, (England, 1430)] 

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 20 umbelys of a dere

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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20.  To make umbelys of a dere.
Take the umbelys of a dere blode & alle perboyle heme in fresche brothe thene take heme up stale broune crustys of brede in the same brothe thene cut thy umbelys smalle & put heme in a potte to the same brothe tryyde in a streynoure sesyn hyme there withe swete wyne put hit to the umbelys loke thy coloure stonde by the canelle sesyne hit withe salt & serve hit forth.

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This appears to be the only surviving recipe for deer kidneys that specifies that they are to be used "blood and all".  The similar recipes for "umbles", "humbles", and "numbles" from other medieval cookbooks either do not make any reference to blood, or specifically call for the blood to be pressed out.

One possibility is hinted at in a recipe from Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak nombles tak hert middrif and kidney and hew them smalle and prise out the blod and sethe them in water and ale and colour it with brown bred or with blod and fors it with canell and galingalle and when it boilithe kole it a litille with ale and serwe it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Here the blood is being added for color, so it may be that the Wagstaff recipe leaves the blood in the kidneys so that the final product will be dark red or black.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 19 leche lardys

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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19.  To make leche lardys of iij colours.
Take clene cow mylke and put hit in iij pottys breke to euerych a queantyte of eyrone as thu seist best ys to do rede coloure withe saundres & nothyre withe saueryne the iij withe grene herbys put to euerych a porcyone of clene larde of fat of bacone welle sodyne & pertyde in iij pottys put to salt boyle heme alle at ones stere heme welle for brennynge yne the boylynge take heme downe cast heme in to a clothe eueryche a boue other and wynde the clothe to gedyre & presse out alle the juse than take heme out alle hole and make leches of heme and do iij or iiij leches in a dysche and serve heme forthe.

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The trick of producing a dish in a variety of different colors seems to have been popular throughout medieval Europe, with many recipes such as blancmanger or jelly appearing in surviving cookbooks with instructions for how to color them.

While there are no exact parallels to this recipe for larded milk of three colors, the two below are good examples of recipes that are very similar.

Lete Lardes. XX.III. VIII. Take parsel and grynde with a Cowe mylk, medle it with ayrenn and lard ydyced take mylke after þat þou hast to done and myng þerwith. and make þerof dyuerse colours. If þou wolt have zelow, do þerto safroun and no parsel. If þou wolt have it white; nonþer parsel ne safroun but do þerto amydoun. If þou wilt have rede do þerto sandres. If þou wilt have pownas do þerto turnesole. If þou wilt have blak do þerto blode ysode and fryed. and set on the fyre in as many vessels as þou hast colours þerto and seeþ it wel and lay þise colours in a cloth first oon. and sithen anoþer upon him. and sithen the þridde and the ferthe. and presse it harde til it be all out clene. And whan it is al colde, lesh it thynne, put it in a panne and fry it wel. and serue it forth.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Letlardes. Take mylke scalding hote; And take eyren, the yolkes and the white, and drawe hem thorgh a streynour, and caste to the mylke; And then drawe the iuce of herbes, which that thou will, so that they ben goode, and drawe hem thorgh a streynour. And whan the mylke bigynneth to crudde, caste the Iuce thereto, if thou wilt haue it grene; And if thou wilt haue it rede, take Saundres, and cast to the mylke whan it croddeth, and leue the herbes; And if thou wilt haue hit yelowe, take Saffron, and caste to the mylke whan hit cruddeth, and leve the Saundres; And if thou wilt haue it of al thes colours, take a potte with mylke and Iuse of herbes, and another potte with mylke and saffron; And another potte with mylke and saundres, and put hem al in a lynnen clothe, and presse hem al togidur; And if thou wilt haue it of one colour, take but one cloth, (Note: Douce MS. of these) and streyne it in a cloth in the same maner, and bete on the clothe with a ladell or a Skymour, to make sad or (Note: Douce MS. and.) flatte; and leche it faire with a knyfe, and fry the leches in a pan with a litull fressh grece; And take a litull, and put hit in a dissh, and serue it forth. [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

The word "leche" in the Wagstaff recipe means "slice", which suggests that the final product is something thick and solid enough to be sliced.  In the other versions of this recipe it is given as "lete", which is a corruption of the French "lait" (milk).  It's possible that somewhere in the copying of recipes from one text to another, "lete" was accidentally misunderstood as "leche".

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 18 Jussalle

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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18.  To make Jussalle.
Take swete brothe of capons or elys or brothe as thu may have set hit one the fyre in a brode vesselle coloure hit withe saneryne put sage there to out grote and saffrone breke eyrone styre heme welle to the eyrone and to thy herbes be mellyde to gedyre whene hit be gynnys to sethe take out thy potstyke and turne ty crude aboute withe the scome loke thy fyre be not to hasty wh whene hit ys thorow knyt take hit of the fyre and covere hit & serve hit forthe.

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This recipe is a reasonably clear match to recipe 151 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak jusselle tak the swet brothe of a capon or of other good flesshe and set it on the fyere in a large vesselle colour it with saffron put ther to saige cut gret and salt it then tak eggs and drawe them through a strener and temper grated bread and eggs and stirre it to gedure till they be ronn and let the erbes be well mellid to gedur and when yt begynnythe to boille tak out the pot stik and turn the curd about with a scorner and let not the fyere be to hasty when it is throughe knyt tak it from the fyere and couyr it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Recipes for "jussel" show up in just about every medieval English cookbook, with some variants having instructions for meatless days or specifying the use of other broths.  The closest of these is probably the following one from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books.

Guissell. Take faire capon broth, or of beef, And sette hit ouer the fire, and caste therto myced sauge, parcelly and saffron, And lete boile; And streyn the white and the yolke of egges thorgh a streynour, and caste there-to faire grated brede, and medle hit togidre with thi honde, And caste the stuff to the broth into the pan; And stirre it faire and softe til hit come togidre, and crudded; And then serue it forth hote.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 17 Pylets yne sarcene

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

-=-=-

17.  Pylets yne sarcene.
Take fresche porke or motyne sodyne peke out the bonys hew the flesche smalle grynd hit smal yne a morter and temper hit withe eyrone yne the gryndynge putt there to pepyre safferyne & salt take fresche brothe clene tryede set yt over the fyre in large vesselle lete hit boyle thene sesyne hit withe the same coloure thene make smal rounde ballys put heme yne a boylyne broth & lete heme boule there yne tyll they be y now thene take heme up lete heme drye lete thy brothe keyl blow of the fat take almondys wesche heme temper heme up withe the same brothe draw there of a kynde mylke put the mylke in a swete potte set hit one the fyre put there to powdyre of pepyre & canell & a portyone of sawndrys to coloure hit sarcene coloure loke thy most coloure be of hys owne kynde put there yne clowys macys reysons of coraunce lete hit boyle as thy seyyst that good ys yf hit be tt thike a lay hit withe swete wyne and do there to sugure whene thy spycer bethe tendour put yne peletys in the same brothe zyf hyme atarage of poudyre pf pepyre of gynger and vergys & serue forthe the pelets withe the bruet iij or iiij yne a dysche as a potage for the secunde course.

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This recipe is similar to the recipe below for "Pompys" - essentially meatballs in an almond milk based sauce.

Pompys. Take Beef, Porke, or Vele, on of hem, and raw, alle to-choppe it atte the dressoure, than grynd hem in a morter as smal as thou may, than caste ther-to Raw 3olkys of Eyroun, wyn, an a lytil whyte sugre: caste also ther-to pouder Pepyr, and Macys, Clowes, Quybibys, pouder Canelle, Synamoun, and Salt, and a lytil Safroun; then take and make smale Pelettys round y-now, and loke that thou haue a fayre potte of Freysshe brothe of bef or of Capoun, and euer throw hem ther-on and lete hem sethe tyl that they ben y-now; then take and draw vppe a thryfty mylke of Almaundys, with cold freysshe brothe of Bef, Vele, Moton, other Capoun, and a-lye it with floure of Rys and with Spycerye; and atte the dressoure ley thes pelettys .v. or .vj. in a dysshe, and then pore thin sewe aneward, (Note: on it) and serue in, or ellys make a gode thryfty Syryppe and ley thin (Note: Thine) pelettys atte the dressoure ther-on, and that is gode seruyse.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

The word "sarcene" in the recipe refers to the dark red color of the sauce, which may be connected to a belief at the time that Saracens had dark red skin.

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

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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.

-=-=-

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

-=-=-

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)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 7 Hare or goose powdryde in 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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

7.  Hare or goose powdryde in Wortys
Take goode brothe of beef and of othyre goode flesh & mary bonys do hit in a potte sett hit ovyre the fnyre chop ane hare in pecys and do there to and yf thu wille weshe hyme yne the same brothe that thu wille boylle hyme yne thene draw the brothe thorow a straynere withe all the brode thene take caulys & the white of lekys and othyre herbes and ottemele and hew heme smalle to gedyre and yf hit be ane olde here lete hyme boyle welle or thu caste yne the wortys yf he be a yonge hare cast hyme and thy wortys to gadyr also take a goose of a day and a nyghte powdrynge chop here & put here in the wortys yne the same maner.

-=-=-

Finally we have a recipe that isn't centered around cabbage or beans, though it does call for both cabbage and oatmeal.  This recipe parallels number 148 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak hayre or goose poudred in wort put good brothe of flesshe in a pot and maribones and set it on the fyere and chope the haire in peces, and put ther to and draw the brothe throughe a streyn with the blod then tak coles the whit of leekes other erbes and otemele and shred them smale to gedur and it be an old hayre let hir boile welle or ye put in your wortis and it be a younge hayre put in the hare and the wort to gedure and els tak a goos of a nyght and a day murdring and chope hir in the wort in the sam manner and serue it.   [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There is a similar recipe in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books.

Hare in Wortes. Take Colys, and stripe hem faire fro the stalkes. Take Betus and Borage, auens [correction; sic = MS. anens.] , Violette, Malvis, parsle, betayn, pacience, the white of the lekes, and the croppe of the netle; parboile, presse out the water, hew hem small, And do there-to mele. Take goode broth of ffressh beef, or other goode flessh and mary bones; do it in a potte, set on the fire; choppe the hare in peces, And, if thou wil, wassh hir in the same broth, and then drawe it thorgh A streynour with the blode, And then put all on the fire. And if she be an olde hare, lete hire boile well, or thou cast in thi wortes; if she be yonge, cast in all togidre at ones; And lete hem boyle til thei be ynogh, and ceson hem with salt. And serue hem forth. The same wise thou may make wortes of A Gose of a ni3t, (Note: night) powdryng of beef, or eny other fressh flessh. [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

The word "powdered" here means salted (i.e. covered in powdered salt), and apparently only applies to the goose.  Interesting that the version in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books specifies that the goose is only to be salted for one night, and that the Wagstaff recipe doesn't mention salting the goose at all.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 6 Cabogys

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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

6.  Cabogys
Take white cabogys kutt heme fro the stalkes in grete pesys weche hem clene perboyle heme wesche presse out the watyre and hew heme but a lytyll and in flesche tyme do fayre brothe of bethe or of caponys or of othre good flesche in a potte whene hit boyllethe do ther to thi cabochis and mary bonys al to brokyne boile hit up do there to safroun and salt whene hit ys boyllyde y now alay hit up with gratyde bredde and boulle yt a lytyll and serve hit forth.

-=-=-

As expected, this little recipe parallels number 147 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak cabages wortis tak whit cabage and fined them smale and mak them up, also tak whit cabages and cut them from the stalks and wesche them and parboile them and presse out the water and hew them smale in flesshe tym put fat brothe of beef in a pot of capon brothe or the brothe of other good flesche and when it is boiled put in thy cabages and maribones all to brokene and boile them up do ther to saffron or salt and alay it upe with grond bred and luk it be chargant of canebyns and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There are a couple of interesting differences.  The first part from Noble ("To mak cabages wortis tak whit cabage and fined them smale and mak them up"), seems redundant and doesn't appear in the Wagstaff version.  Perhaps it was a copyist error.  Noble also has the added instruction at the end to make sure the recipe is either as thick as canebeans, or is thick with canebeans.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 5 Butturde 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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

5. Butturde Wortys
Take al maner of good herbes that thu mayste gete peke heme wesche heme hewe heme boyle hem in fayre watyre put buttyr ther to claryfyyde a grete dell whene they be boylyde y now salte heme lete none otemele come there yne dyse brede too smale gobettys and do yne dyschys and powre there wortys there upone and serve hem forth.

-=-=-

No surprise, this recipe parallels number 146 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak buttered wortes tak good erbes and pik them and wesche them and shred them and boile them in watur put ther to clarified buttur a good quantite and when they be boiled salt them and let none otemele cum ther in then cutt whit bred thyn in dysshes and pour on the wort.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

As I mentioned in the post about the first recipe, I love how this one just chimes in with "let none otemele come there yne" even though there is no previous mention of oatmeal in the recipe.  This suggests that oatmeal was typically added to cooked greens.


This recipe shows up in other sources as well.

To make buttyrd Wortys. Take all maner of gode herbys that ye may gette pyke them washe them and hacke them and boyle them vp in fayre water and put ther to butture clarefied A grete quantite And when they be boylde enowgh salt them but let non Ote mele come ther yn And dyse brede in small gobbetts & do hit in dyshys and powre the wortes A pon and serue hit furth.  [MS Pepys 1047 (England, ca. 1500)]

Buttered Wortes. Take al maner of good herbes that thou may gete, and do bi ham as is forsaid; putte hem on the fire with faire water; put there-to clarefied buttur a grete quantite. Whan thei ben boyled ynogh, salt hem; late none otemele come there-in. Dise brede small in disshes, and powre on the wortes, and serue hem forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Kristen Wright has a good modern interpretation of this recipe on her website.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 4 Canabens With Bacone

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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

4.  Canabens With Bacone
Do suete brothe yne a potte wesche the canabens clene and do there to and boyle yt up put no lykure there to loke thay be salte & serve heme take ribbys of bacone boylyde do a way the skyne and ley heme one a dysche and serve heme forthere as ue serve vensone yne brothe.

-=-=-

Keeping with the pattern so far, this little recipe parallels number 145 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak canebyns with bacon tak and put swete brothe in a pot then wesche canebyns clene and put to none other licour but boile them up and let them be salt and serue them then tak ribbes of bacon boled and do away the skyn and lay them in another disshe and serue them as ye do furmente and venysen. [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The only significant difference is that in the version from Noble, the recipe refers to frumenty, but Wagstaff only mentions venison in broth.


While not directly related, there's a similar recipe in Forme of Cury.

For To Make Gronden Benes. I. Take benes and dry hem in a nost or in an Ovene and hulle hem wele and wyndewe out þe hulk and wayshe hem clene an do hem toseeþ in gode broth an ete hem with Bacon. [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

All told, I've found six different recipes in medieval cookbooks for beans with bacon.  It was obviously a popular combination that is still common in the modern day.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 3 Canabens

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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

3.  Canabens
Take kanbens wesch hem and yf thu wilte stoppe heme a lytyll & make heme vp with mylke of almondys put there to sugure and salt out of lentyne make heme vp with cowe mylke and put there to  sygure and salte and buttyrre claryfyde.

-=-=-

This short little recipe is clearly a parallel of one from A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak another canebyns take canebines and wesshe them and step them a litille and mak them up with mylk of almondes put ther to sugur and salt, and out of lent mak it up with mylk and clarified hony then salt it and serue it. [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The use of honey in A Noble Boke off Cookry instead of sugar is interesting given that sugar's place in English cooking was pretty well established by the fifteenth century.  Wagstaff also adds some butter.  Still, the recipes are essentially the same, making the first three recipes match 142 to 144 in Noble.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 2 For to make canabenes

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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

2.  For to make canabenes
Take white benes ley hem in watyre rennynge too days and change the watyre take hem & ley heme dry thene dry heme harder vppone a stone or apone a este than shylle theme atte a tjylle and do a way the evehys and close the benys iij or iiij at the most and thene make hem clene and so may thou kepe heme as longe as thou wylte.

-=-=-

This recipe shows some of the problems with transcribing a handwritten manuscript.  There are words here that are unclear, and it could be a problem with spelling, with my reading or with the scribe who wrote it in the first place.

Using a parallel recipe from A Noble Boke off Cookry makes it a bit clearer.

To mak canebyns tak whit benes and lay them to stepe in rynynge water ij dais and ij nights and change the water eury day then tak them up and let them are and put them in an ovene to hardyne and shelle them at the mylne and put away the hulles and clef the benes in ij or iij or iiij at the most and fry them and ye may kep them as longe as ye will.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The word "tjylle" is most likely meant to be "mill", and "evehys" to be "hulls", but no matter how I look at the script I can't get the letters to resolve that way.

Interesting that the first two recipes in this book look to be the same as recipes 142 and 143 in A Noble Boke off Cookry, but of course the cookbooks of the time often copied from others.  We'll have to see how long the trend continues.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 1 (untitled)

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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

1. (untitled recipe)
Take caules and stryp hem fro the stalkes and betes borage an ane vyolet malues percely betayne prymrose paciens the wyghthe lekes croppes of netels perboyle hem & ley hem one a borde presse out the watyre hewe hem small and do ther to otemele take the brothe of the congure turbut othire good fysche as of salmone do hit in a pott withe the foresayde herbes whene the broth ys at the boylynge caste in the wortys & the gerbes boyle hem vp loke they be salte and yf thou lacke brothe boyle elys take hem vp stripp of the fysche from the bonys grynde hit tempre hit with the selfe brothe do al to gadyre in a pott vn to the wortys be forsayde & boyle hem vp also then mayste yf thou wil setje mustulis sett hem over the fyre and do to hem as moche watyre as thay may flete yne boyle hem tyll they opyne then poure onto the brothe thorow a streynour pyke the mustulys grynde hem tenpere hem vp withe the silfe brothe and draw hem thoroughe a streynour taje tge sane nabber if gerves as thu dedist by fore and the brothe of the mustulys sette ouer the fyre boyle hem vp when the herbes be boulede y noughte caste in the mustulys drowe yne salte and yf thou wylte thou mayste draw pesyne thorow a streynere ande make vp the wortys with fayre watyre put there yne clere oylle lete them be frydde in by fore the boylynge & lay vp withe the forsayde pesone and lete none ottemele come ther yne also thou mayste yf thow will perboyle the white of lekeys and presse out the watyre hew theme smalle take canbenys and fayre watyr & sett hem on the fyre & when they boyle doyne the white of lekys loke none ottemele come there yne salt theme & serve theme forthe & cet.

-=-=-

The first recipe in the manuscript isn't listed in the table of contents, probably because of its lack of title.  While there are many cabbage (cole) recipes in the medieval corpus, there are two that seem to be related to this one.

The first is a recipe for "Worts" that is a very close match:

To mak wortes tak coles and stripe them from the stalks then tak betees avens borage violettes mallowes parsly betayne prymrose pacyens the whyt of lekes and cropes of nettilles and parboile them upon a bord and pres out the water and mynce them smalle put ther to otemelle and tak the brothe of turbot congur samon or other fisshe and put them in a pot with the for said erbes and when the pot is at boillinge call in the erbes and the wort and boile them up and salt them and ye tak brothe tak eles and boile them and tak them upe and strip the fisshe from the bones and grind it up with the sam brothe and put them all to the wort and sethe them up. Also ye may sethe muskelles with as mych water as they may swym in and boile them tille they be opyne then streyne the brothe and tak some erbes as ye did befor and put it to the muskall brothe and set them on the fyere and boile them and when they be boiled put to the erbes and the brothe and put to the drawen muskalls and salt them, and ye may tak pessen drawe through a streyn and mak them up with the wort and faire water and put ther to oile that hath bene skald and in the boiling alay it up with pessene ye shall put none otemele ther in, also parboile the whit of lekes and pres out the water and chop them smalle and canebyns with faire water and set it to the fyere to boile it and put yt to the whit of leekes but do none otemele ther in and salt it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Near the end they both include (twice!) one of my favorite bits in medieval recipes - an instruction not to add any oatmeal.  Odd, considering the recipe clearly calls for oatmeal early on.  Oats must have been a common addition to cooked cabbage, as I've found this instruction in other similar recipes that otherwise didn't mention them.

This recipe also seems to be connected to this one for "Joutes" in that the list of ingredients at the start is similar.

For Ioutes. Take most of cole, borage, persyl, Of plumtre leves, þou take þer tyl, Redde nettel crop and malues grene, Rede brere croppes, and avans goode, A lytel nept violet by þo rode, And lest of prymrol levus þou take, Sethe hom in water for goddes sake. Þenne take hom up, presse oute þou shalle Þe water, and hakke þese erbs alle And grynd hom in a morter schene With grotene. and sethe hom thyk by dene In fresshe brothe, as I þe kenne. Take sklyset, enbawdet þenne Besyde on platere þou shalt hit lay To be cut and eten with ioutes in fay.  [Liber cure cocorum, (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - Intro

I recently posted the last month of instructions from La Maison Rustique on "The works that the laborer should do for each month of the year."  That means I should probably find something else to do that's useful.

One of the projects I've been working on for some time is a transcription of the recipes from the Wagstaff miscellany (Beinecke MS 163).  This is the manuscript presented in An Ordinance of Pottage by Constance Hieatt.  That book is currently out of print, but there is a used copy available at Amazon.com (for a whopping $1,550.05).  I figure it's about time there's a freely-available transcription online (with searchable index, etc.).

My current plan is to post two recipes per week, with additional commentary and notes as appropriate.

To start things off though, here's the introduction to the recipe section of the manuscript, along with the table of contents.

---

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 © 2012 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

-=-=-

Here bygynnyth the chapters of diuers makyng and dytynge of potages and flesch sodyn & rostyde and of sleying and dyghtyng of wylde fowle and of makyng of dyuers sotyltys, wortys, in lentyntyme other in fleschtyme.

Canebens
Canebens with bacon
Buttyrd wortys
Caboches
Hare other gose powdryde in wortys
Jowtys in flesch tyme
Lentyn foyles
Blaunche porre
Pome porre
Gyngaudre
Elys in sorey
Pykys other elys in ballocbrothe
Frumente in lentyn wyth porpoys
Pylets in farcene
To make iussall
To make loche lardes of iij colours
To make iumbelys of a dere
Greuell enforsede
Gawdon of Salmone
Cokkes of byllynge
Leche pernen
Feletys in galentyne
Humbelys of purpoys or of other fysch
Numbelys if vensone
Purpays in galentyne
Purpays or vensone in brothe
Hare in cyve
Hare in papulde
Hare in talbut
Conynge in grave
Conyngys in syve
Conyngys in clere brothe
Oisters in grave
Oisters in cyve
Chekens in gretney
Creteyney
Capons in conseps

Chekens in caudell
Sowpes
Chawdon of veell
Chawdon of pyggys fete
Dowce desyre
Breuet of Lombardy
Bruet of Almyne
Bruet of Spayne
Bruet roos
Chykenes in bruett
Stewe Lombarde
Stewyde colops
Brewett Tuskyne
Brewet Sarcenes
Bruet of kydes
Blanche bruety
Sauce sarceney
Eell in butryade
Pynonade
Kyde stuede
Stuede pertyrygge
A losede beef
Pyke in sauce
Turbut rostyde in sauce
Salmone rostyde in sauce
Brawne in confyte
Blaunchede branie
Leche lumbarde
Tayle
Blaunchede sorre
Blaw maungere
Chykeney
Blanke desyre
Sage
Sipres
Florey
Crem boylede
Lyede milke
Mortruys of flesche
Mortrus of fysche

Blaunche mortruys of fysche
Blaunche mortruys of flesche
Payne fondew
Caudell
Caudell ffery
Charlett
Perys in confite
Pesys in composte
Perys in syryppe
Brawne ryall braune sypres brawn bruse
Brawn ryall
Betreyn in lentyne
Betreyn in fleyschtyme
Storgon for sopers
Cold lech viaunde
Leche lumbarde
Cold bruet of rabets
Diuers desyre
Viauntes ryall
Maumene ryall
Gely of fysch dayes
Cristell gely
Gely of fleysche
Crem of almondys
Hages of almayne
Quistes
Joutes
Rastons
Samarcays
Longe fretours
Payne purdyeue
Peletes of porke in dores
Hattes
In lentyne
Sauce madam
Sauce camelene for quaylys
And other manner of fowlys & for fysche
Caudone of swane or of wylde gose
Wellyde pepyre for rostyde well
Fresche lamprey batone
Farteys of fleysche
Fartlettees
Bakyne purpas
Pyes of flesche caponys and fesauntes
Crustade lambarde

Chauet of beef
Bakyn chikenes
Chauet rial
Chauet of fysche dayes
Porialet
Prennerall
To make posset
Pyes of pares
Brinecy
Losynges opyne
Harbelade opyne
Lesche fryde
Bakyne mete one fysche days
A bakyne mete opyne
A colde bakyne mete
Caudell of almonds
For to sle aner of foules
And reste hem & syne for othure
Crane rostyde
Pertryche rostyde
Quayle rostyde
Heyrone rostyde
Bytore rostyde
Egrott rostyde
Curlew rostyde
Brew rostyde
Conyng rostyde
Rabetes rostyde
Sarcell rostyde
Plouere rostyde
Snyte rostyde
Wodkoc rostyde
Kyd rostyde
Well rostyde
Vensone rostyde
The seydys of a dere
Of his grece
Chikenes farsyde
Chikenes endoryde
Fylets of porke Endoryde
Capons of his grece rostyde
Capons stewede
Pecydaw
Gose or capons farsyde
Pyggys y farsyde

Pestys of motyne in sause
Dyghtynge of al manner of fysche trowghte boylede
Crab lopstere
Breme in sauce
Breme in brothe
Tenche in brothe
Sole in brothe
Sturgeone
Haddoc in gryue
Sowpes chaunlayne
Codlyng lyng haddoc other hake
Base mylet other brem
Congure turbut halibut poilede
Gurnarde othere roche boylede
Plays soles flounders boylede
Welkes boyled
Perche boyled
Fresch makerell boylede
Schrympes boylede
Sowpys endore
Hote mylke of almondes
Colde mylke of almondes

La Maison Rustique - December

From: L'agriculture et maison rustique, Charles Estienne (Rouen, 1658).

The works that the laborer should do for each month of the year.

(Chapter 10)

-=-=-

December

In December visit oftentimes fields, in order to drain the water that will be gathered by the large rains.

Make water courses as close to the old ones as possible, and smoke them if necessary.

Make a supply of hay for smoking the fields.

Cover with hay the roots of trees and grasses that you want to keep until spring.

Top off and remove the branches of the willows, poplars, and other trees, so they can easily branch out and grow when winter is passed.

Cut wood, both for framing and for heating.

Draw up the nets to catch birds, and make the warrens for the hares, for when the fields are icy, or snow-covered, or flooded with rain. So that there can be no need.

Also make while it is raining, a thousand small wooden tools, such as those dishes, trenchers, spindles, tubs, bowls, and other things specific to husbandry.

Similarly, the harrows, rakes and hafts for the tools, repair the poles, yokes, plows and all instruments necessary for the stables of beasts of labor, so that they are in order to be worked.

Also make a supply of hoes, spades, picks, shovels, axes, hatchets, saws and other such tools for the husbandry of the fields.

Food Porn - Molecular Gastronomy

The whole Molecular Gastronomy movement has always made me a bit uneasy, and I wasn't exactly sure why.

For a while I thought it might be the reliance on technology that it encourages.  After all, having spent the last decade or so with my head stuck in the techniques of pre-16th century cooking must have conditioned me towards a more low-tech approach.  But then again, aside from being a medieval food geek, I'm also a science-fiction geek.  I love futuristic stuff, and that includes the depictions of food in movies and novels about possible (or impossible) futures.

More recently I began to suspect it had something to do with the chefs.  They tend to be flamboyant and egotistical, with an attitude that seems to be screaming "THIS IS MY ART, AND AS SUCH IT IS BEYOND CONTESTATION!"  However I have spent an awful lot of time around the highbrow artsy crowd, and I'm pretty comfortable with the fact that art can be quirky, controversial, impractical, and sometimes even downright incomprehensible, and as the art goes so does the artist.

Then a friend (Hi Broom!) posted a link to this video, and another possibility occurred to me.  Go ahead and watch it - it's a bit long (over 8 minutes) but it's fascinating and the music is soothing and pretty.

What I realized is that in this particular ... food product, and pretty much in all of the Molecular Gastronomy movement, it's all about the art.  The cook's cleverness, the use of unusual tools and technology, and unconventional form are all so important that the fact that it's food is almost irrelevant.  There seems to be no concern about whether it will taste nice or be pleasant to eat, or if it has any nutritional value whatsoever.

Compare this to another cooking tradition from the same country: sushi.

Here the presentation is very important, but the food aspects (flavor, nutrition, etc.) are still at the center.  Novelty is desirable, but it's not the only thing that is being supplied.

Really, it's the old argument of form and function.  Function without form is utilitarian, ugly, and dull.  Form without function is just fluff, pointless and useless.

To tie this back to medieval cooking, I feel it's worth remembering that artful food can be produced with surprisingly little in the way of technology.  Throughout most of history, cooks used very simple tools to produce surprisingly complicated and elegant works of art.

In the 17th century painting above, there are two pies that are beautiful examples of the cook's art.  The smaller one, just to the lower left of center, is a traditional straight-walled pie, carefully prepared and filled with all sorts of good things to eat.  In the background on the left is a huge turkey pie, it's sides covered with intricate fine detail, and topped with the stuffed skin of the turkey.

Perhaps I'd feel better about Molecular Gastronomy if I stopped thinking about it as food entirely and reframed it in my mind as only being art - edible art, but art nonetheless.  After all, they did have non-edible food art in medieval Europe.  Medieval cooks would often sculpt plates and goblets out of sugar paste, and then decorate them with limner's paints that were known at the time to be toxic.

The more things change ...

La Maison Rustique - November

From: L'agriculture et maison rustique, Charles Estienne (Rouen, 1658).

The works that the laborer should do for each month of the year.

(Chapter 10)

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November

In November put your wine in the cellar, gather the acorns to feed the pigs.

Collect the chestnuts, and the fruits of the gardins which are ready to keep.

Pull up the turnips from the earth, despoil them of their leaves, and put them under the sand to protect them from the frost.

Warm up the artichokes, and cover them well, so that the frost does not assail them.

Make the oils, make hives for the bees, panniers [bread baskets], frails [baskets made from rushes], and wicker baskets for birds.

Cut willow branches for the trellis, and bind the vines, draw the poles of the vines.