Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 87 Perys in composte

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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87. Perys in composte
Take wyn & a grete dele of canell with sygure set hit on the fyre lat hit not boylyng draw hit thorow a streynour leche datys thyn & do ther to in a panne or in a pott aley hem with chard quyns & salt loke hit be doucet & chargeaunt do hit out of that vessell in to a trene vessell & let it kele pare smal reysons take trydd gyngour paryd & temper hym ij days or iij in wyne & aftyr ward ley hym in claryfyd hony cold a day and nexte than take the reysons out of the hony & cast ther to perys in composte & serve hit forth with the syrip al cold.

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This recipe is a close match to recipe 180 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.  Curiously, the Noble version accidentally left out the wine at the start.

To mak peres in composte tak a good quantite of canelle and sugur and set it on the fyer to boile and draw yt throughe a stren then lesk dates thyn and put them ther to in a pot and boille wardens and pair them and put them in the ceripe put ther to sanders and boile them and alay them up with chardwins and salt it and mak yt doucet and chargaunt and put it out of the vesselle in to a treene vesselle and let it boille then pare smalle raisins and tried guinger and temper it ij dais or ij nyghtes with wyne then lay it in clarified hony cold a day and nyght then tak the raisins out of the hony and cast ther to peres in composte and serue it furthe with a cold ceripe.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There are also two versions of this recipe in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books.

Perys en Composte. Take Wyne an Canel, and a gret dele of Whyte Sugre, an set it on the fyre and hete it hote, but let it nowt boyle, an draw it thorwe a straynoure; than take fayre Datys, an pyke owt the stonys, an leche hem alle thinne, an caste ther-to; thanne take Wardonys, an pare hem and sethe hem, an leche hem alle thinne, and caste ther-to in-to the Syryppe: thanne take a lytil Sawnderys, and caste ther-to, an sette it on the fyre; an 3if thow hast charde quynce, caste ther-to in the boyling, an loke that it stonde wyl with Sugre, an wyl lyid wyth Canel, an caste Salt ther-to, an let it boyle; an than caste yt on a treen vessel, and lat it kele, and serue forth.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Peris in compost. Take Wyne, canell, And a grete dele of white Sugur, And sette hit ouer the fire, And hete hit but a litull, and no3t boyle; And drawe hit thorgh a streynour; And then take faire dates, and y-take oute the stones, and leche hem in faire gobettes al thyn, and cast there-to; And then take pere Wardones, and pare hem, And seth hem, And leche hem in faire gobettes, and pike oute the core, and cast hem to the Syryppe; And take a litull Saundres, and caste there-to in the boylyng, And loke that hit stonde well, with Gynger, Sugur, And well aley hit with canell, and cast salt thereto, and lete boyle; And then caste it oute in a treyn vessell, And lete kele; And then pare clene rasinges of ginger, and temper hem ij. or iij. daies, in wyne, And after, ley hem in clarefied hony colde, all a day or a night; And then take the rasons4 oute of the hony, And caste hem to the peres in composte; And then serue hit forth with sirippe, all colde, And nought hote.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 86 Perys in confyte

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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86. Perys in confyte
Take hony boyle hit a lytill do ther yn sigure poudyr of galentyn & clovis brucet[?] anneyce safron & saundris & cast ther yn the peris sodyn & paryd & cutt in pecys & wyn & venyger sesyn hit up with poudyr of canell so that be broun ynow [m?]ake whentheses in the same maner al but venyger & put ther to clovys & macys and ys thu will take datys mynsed & do ther to & colour hit with safron.

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There is a version of Pears in Confit in Forme of Cury, but it is decidedly different than the Wagstaff version.

PEERES IN CONFYT. XX.VI. XII. Take peeres and pare hem clene. take gode rede wyne & mulberes oþer saundres and seeþ þe peeres þerin & whan þei buth ysode, take hem up, make a syryp of wyne greke. oþer vernage with blaunche powdour oþer white sugur and powdour gyngur & do the peres þerin. seeþ it a lytel & messe it forth.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 85 Charlet

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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85. Charlet
Do cow mylke in a pott have porke sodyn tendyr or of a loyn of vele hew hit smal do ther to safron & salt set hit over the fyre when hit ys at the boylyng have yolkes of eyron drawyn thorow a streynour put ther wyne or ale bet hit to gedyr put hit to the mylke stere hit when hit begynnys to a ryse set hit fro the fyre let hit crud well serve hit forthe iij or iiij leches in a dysch with the wheye yf thu wylt have hit in for sayd ley hit over a cloth over a bord & presse hit to gedyr lik thes y hav out cut hit in levys or smal pecys & ley iij or iiij in a dysch grynd almonds unblaunched & draw up a thike milke with wyne put to poudyr of gynger safron canel & sigure a grete dele sawndres & salt hole clovys & macys & set hit over the fyre stere hit when hit ys at boylyng take hit of & poure over the charlette. [f.65v]

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There are two recipes for Charlet in A Noble Boke off Cookry, and while the first one below (recipe 191) is closest to the Wagstaff recipe, both seem to leave out the second half of the recipe.

To mak charlet tak swet mylk and colour it with saffron then tak freche pork and boile it and hew yt smalle then swinge eggs and cast them into the mylk and boile them and stirr them lest they bren and bete it with a litill ale and set it doun and let it not be brown and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

To mak charlet tak freche porke and sethe it and swing eggs ther withe then hewe the pork smalle and boile it in swet mylk and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The two versions of Charlet in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books however are clearly different versions of the Wagstaff recipe.

Charlete. Capitulum Clxxviij. Seth melke yn a pott and cast ther-to salt and saffron; and hew feyre buttes of calues or of porke small, and cast ther-to: and draw the white and yolkes of eyren, and cast to the licour when it builleth, and a litell ale, and stirre it till it crudde. and yiffe thou wilt haue it forced, hete milke scaldyng hoote, and cast ther-to rawe yolkes of eyren and poudre of gyngeuere, and sugre and clowes and maces, and lete natt fully buille; and press the cruddes in feyre lenyn cloth, and lessh it, and ley too or thre lesshes in a dissh: and cast the farsyng ther-on, and serue it forth hote.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

lvj - Charlette. Take Mylke, an caste on a potte, with Salt and Safroun y-now; than hewe fayre buttys of Calf or of Porke, no3t to fatte, alle smal, an kaste ther-to; than take Eyroun, the whyte an the 3olke, and draw thorw a straynoure; an whan the lycoure ys in boyling, caste ther-to thin Eyroun and Ale, and styre it tylle it Crodde; than presse it a lytil with a platere, an serue forth; saue, caste ther-on brothe of Beeff or of Capoun.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 84 Caudell fery

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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84. Caudell fery
Draw yolkes of eyron thorow a streynour take a thyn mylke of almonds draw yn with bastard or with osey or with swete wyn set hit on the fyre stere hit well when hit ys at the boylyng have yolkes of eyron in a bolle drawyn thorow a streynour let wyn ther to & stere evermore welle for quellyng tyl hit be aleyed so that hit be stondyng if outzlef[?] of the wyn kepe hit put thy caudell in to the pott & yf hit be nede set hit on the fyre steryng alwey make hit nowghte to hote for quellyng yf hit be chargeaunt aley hit with the remenant of the wyn dresse hit as a stondyng potage and strew on blaunch poudyr thu mayst yf thu wilt draw payndemayn & make hit up in the maner or thu mayst yf thu wilt set clene wyne at the fyre & when hit ys at boylyng have yolkes of eyron drawyn thorow a streynour in to a bolle put wyne ther to sygure & safron loke hit be stondyng serve hit & strew on blaunch poudyr.

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As with the recipe for caudle, there are many recipes for "caudle ferry" in the surviving medieval cookbooks.  In this case there are three with that title in A Noble Boke off Cookry, but none is quite the same as the Wagstaff version.

To mak cawdelle ferry tak unblanched almonds wesshe them and grind them and temper them up with wyne and drawe it throughe a canvas into a pot and colour it with saffron and alay it up with amydon or flour of rise and se that it be thik sesson it with sugur and florishe it with maces and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Cawdelle ferry.  To mak cawdelle ferry, tak clene yolks of egge welle betene and in the betyng do away the scome then put them in a pot with swet wyne and stirr hem well all to gedure and alay it with bred of payn mayne stept in swete wyne and boile it and put sugure ther to and colour it with saffron and salt it and at the first boile set it from the fyere then dres it in lesks iij or iiij in a dyshe and cast on sugur and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

To mak cawdelle fferrens, tak hennys parboiled and conys and chop them and put them in a pot with swet brothe of beef and set it to the fyere and put ther to clowes mace pynes and raissins of corrans put ther to a litille wyne and colour it with saffron, and it be to xmesse tak the yolks of xl eggs well bet and do away the streyne then tak canelle and sanders mellide with som licour and draw it through a cloth and put it into the pot and tak half a pound of pouder of guinger and put it to the egg at the setting doune and stirre it to geddure and mak thy pot rynyinge and somdele honging and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

The first one calls for almond milk but leaves out the eggs, and the second has the final dish being so thick it can be sliced.  The third calls for meat and other diverse ingredients and doesn't seem to be similar at all.

Of all the many versions of caudel ferry, the Wagstaff version appears to be unique in mentioning specific kinds of wine.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 83 Caudell

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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83. Caudell
Draw yolkes of eyron thorow a streynour with wyne or with ale that hit be ryght rennyng put ther to sigure safron & no salt bet well to gedyr set hit on the fyre on clene colys stere welle the bottom & the sydys tyl hit be ynowghe scaldyng hote thu shalle fele be they when hit begynnys to com then take hit of and styre alwey fast & yf be nedd alay hit up with som of the wyne or yf hit com to hastyly put hit in cold watyr to mydsyd of the pot & stere hit alwey fast & serve hit forth.

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There are a large number of caudle recipes in other cookbooks, but none are worded quite like the above.  In terms of ingredients, the Wagstaff recipe is reasonably close to the this simple caudle found in Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books.

Caudell. Take faire tryed yolkes of eyren, and cast in a potte; and take good ale, or elles good wyn, a quantite, and sette it ouer the fire/ And whan hit is at boyling, take it fro the fire, and caste there-to saffron, salt, Sugur; and ceson hit vppe, and serue hit forth hote.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 82 Paynd foundow

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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82. Paynd foundow
Take bred frye hit in grece or yn oyle put yn rede wyne & grynd hit with reysons & draw hit with claryfyed hony & gryre [gleyre] of eyron & watyr scom hit clene & put hit to that othir do ther to clovys macez & gynger mynsed [f.65r] & good poudyr & salt loke hit be stondyng & floresch hit with anies in confite.

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This recipe is clearly a version of the following recipe from Forme of Cury.

Payn Fondew. XX.II. XIX. Take brede and frye it in grece oþer in oyle, take it and lay it in rede wyne. grynde it with raisouns take hony and do it in a pot and cast þerinne gleyres of ayrenn wiþ a litel water and bete it wele togider with a sklyse. set it ouer the fires and boile it. and whan the hatte arisith to goon ouer, take it adoun and kele it, and whan it is þer clarified; do it to the oþere with sugur and spices. salt it and loke it be stondyng, florish it with white coliaundre in confyt.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

What is interesting is that despite the differences in directions and ingredients, both recipes include the step of clarifying the mixture (the egg whites bind to the impurities during boiling and then are skimmed off) and both state that the final dish should be "stondyng".

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 81 Blaunch mortruys

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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81. Blaunch mortruys
Take brawn of capons pertriches or fesaunts sodyn tendyr hewe hit small on a bordd grynd hit take a mylke of almonds yblaunchid & do as dost with the fysch.

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While there are other recipes for "blanc mortrews", all of the others call for pork rather than capons or game birds.  Therefore this recipe appears to be unique.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 80 Blaunch mortruys of fisch

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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80. Blaunch mortruys of fisch
Take haddok codlyng or thornebak sodyn pyke out the bonys do a way the skyn grynd the fisch make a mylke of almonds y blaunchyd & temper up the fisch ther with take payndemayn gratyd & sigure ther withe set hit on the fyre whan hit boyleth loke hit be ston messe hit forth & strew on blaunch poudyr.

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As with Wagstaff recipe 78 (Moretruys of wresch fysch), this recipe is also similar to recipe 25 in A Noble Boke off Cookry, though it calls for rice flour that the Wagstaff omits.

To mak mortins of fyshe tak codlinge haddok whiting or thornbak and sethe it and pik out the bones and pull of the skyne then bet the fishe in a mortair with the lever of the same fysche and temper it up with almond mylk or cow creme and put it in a clene pot and let it boile and put ther to sugur and hony and alay thy potage with fleur of rise draw with milk through a strein and stirr it well and mak it stondinge then drese v or vi lesks in a dyshe and cast on pouder guingyur mellid with sugur and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There are several other recipes similarly titled, in the contemporary cookbooks, but none are close matches.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 79 Mortruys of flesch

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany (Beinecke MS 163)

This manuscript is dated about 1460.

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

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

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

Copyright © 2013 by Daniel Myers, MedievalCookery.com

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79. Mortruys of flesch
Take brawn of capons & porke sodyn & groundyn tempyr hit up with milke of almonds drawn with the broth set hit on the fyre put to sigure & safron when hit boyleth take som of thy mylke boylyng from the fyre & aley hit up with yolkes of eyron than hit be ryght chargeaunt styre hit wel for quellyng put ther to that othyr & stere hem to gedyr & serve hem forth as mortruys and strew on poudyr of gynger.

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This recipe is similar to the "blanched mortrus" recipe in A Noble Boke off Cookry, but that one is thickened with rice flour rather than the eggs.

To mak blanched mortrus tak and sethe hennes and freche pork to gedur then bray unblanched almondes and temper them with clene brothe and alay the fleshe small ground ther to put ther to flour of rise and do all to gedur and cast in pouder of guingere and sugur and luk it be not thyn salt it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There are several other recipes for mortrews, but none are a close match.  Interestingly, all of them also call for rice flour, which leads me to wonder if that ingredient was accidentally left out of the Wagstaff version.

Cxx - Whyte Mortrewys of Porke. Take lene Porke, and boyle it; blaunche Almandys, and grynd hem, and temper vppe with the brothe of the porke, and lye hem vppe with the Flowre of Rys, an lete boyle to-gederys, but loke that the porke be smal grounde y-now; caste ther-to Myncyd Almaundys y-fryid in freysshe grece; then sesyn hem vppe alle flatte in a dysshe; throw ther-to Sugre y-now and Salt; and atte the dressoure, strawe ther-on pouder Gyngere y-mellyd with Almaundys.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

lxix - Whyte Mortrewes. Take Almaunde Mylke and Floure of Rys, and boyle it y-fere; thenne take Capoun and Hennys, and sethe hem and bray hem as smal as thou may, and ly (Note: Allay; mix) it with an Ey (Note: Egg) or to, and also a-lye it vppe with the mylke of Almaundys, and make hem chargeaunt as Mortrewes schuld be, and dresse hem forth, and caste Canel a-boue, or Gyngere. Blanke pouder is best.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

Mortrews Blank. XX.II. VI. Take Pork and Hennes and seeþ hem as to fore. bray almandes blaunched, and temper hem up with the self broth. and alye the fleissh with the mylke and white flour of Rys. and boile it. & do þerin powdour of gyngur sugar and look þat it be stondyng.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 78 Moretruys of wresch fysch

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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78. Moretruys of wresch fysch
Take hound fisch haddoc or codlyng sodyn pyke hit clene fro the bonnys take a wey the skyn grynd the lyver ther with grynd almonds with fresch fisch broth make a good mylke of almonds y blanched temper up the fisch ther with take payndemayn gratyd or sigure ther with set hit on the fyre when hit boyleth loke hit be stond[ing] messe hit forth & strew on blaunch poudour.

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This recipe is similar to recipe 25 from A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak mortins of fyshe tak codlinge haddok whiting or thornbak and sethe it and pik out the bones and pull of the skyne then bet the fishe in a mortair with the lever of the same fysche and temper it up with almond mylk or cow creme and put it in a clene pot and let it boile and put ther to sugur and hony and alay thy potage with fleur of rise draw with milk through a strein and stirr it well and mak it stondinge then drese v or vi lesks in a dyshe and cast on pouder guingyur mellid with sugur and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

That being said, there is a recipe in MS Pepys 1047 that is closer in wording.

To make mortrose of Fyshe. Take hownde fyshe haddock or codlyng seth hit and pyke hit clene fro the bonys take a way the skyn and grynde the lyver ther with blanched almounds And temper thy mylke with the broth of the fresh Fyshe and make a gode mylke of do ther to myad of white brede and sugure set hit to the fyre when hit boylys loke hit be stondyng mese serue hit furth strow on Blawnche powdyr.  [MS Pepys 1047 (England, ca. 1500)]

The inclusion of the words "fresh Fyshe" in MS Pepys 1047 implies that "wresch" in the title of the Wagstaff version is a copying error.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 77 Lyed mylke

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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77. Lyed mylke
Take cow mylke & sugure do hit on a pott set hit over the fyre whan hit boyleth a ley up with yolkes of eyroun & loke hit be rennyng & not to chargeaunt take whete brede & cut hit on chyves do hem yn disches loke thy mylke be salt & poure hit a bovyn.

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While there are dozens of similar medieval recipes for "alayed milk" or "larded milk", this recipe is a clear match for recipe 179 from A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak alayd mylk take cow mylk and sugur and put it in a pot and set it on the fyere and when it boilithe alay it up with yolks of eggs and let it be rynynge and not chargant then tak whit bred and cut it in thyn peces and lay them in a disshe and let the mylk be somewhat salt and serue it furthe.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 76 Creme boyled

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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76. Creme boyled
Take swete creme of melke do hit in a pott do ther to butter clearyfyed set hit on the fyre stere hit when hit boyles have yolkes of eyron drawyn thorowgh a streynour in to a boyle & put boylyng coem ther to [f.64v] with a ladyl styr hit well for quallyng & put hit in the pott a ghen & yf be nedd gheve hit a lytyl more of the fyre loke hit have white sygure y nowghe & of the batture also loke hit be standyng as mortrues & coloure hit with safron loke hit be salt messe hit forth and strew on poudour of gynger.

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There are several version of this thickened-cream recipe, including the one below from A Noble Boke off Cookry, but none are an exact match for the Wagstaff recipe.

To mak creme buile tak cow creme and yolks of eggs drawe and well bet that it be stonding and put ther to sugur and colour it with saffron and salt it then lesk it in dyshes and plant ther in floures of borage and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 75 Floreye

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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75. Floreye
Take flourys of rosys wesch hem & grynd hem with almond mylke take brawn of capons groundyn & do ther to loke hit be stondyng cast ther yn sygure & cast ther on the leves of floure of the rose & serve hit forth.

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There are several similar recipes in surviving medieval cookbooks, but none are an exact match for this one.  Two of the closest ones are in A Noble Boke off Cookry and Forme of Cury.

To mak rose, tak flour of ryse and temper it with almond mylk and mak it chaungynge then tak the braun of capon or of henne sodyn and grind it and charge it ther with and colour it with sanders and blod and fors it with clowes and maces and sesson it with sugur and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

XLI - For to make Rosee. Tak the flowris of Rosys and wasch hem wel in water and after bray hem wel in a morter and than tak Almondys and temper hem and seth hem and after tak flesch of capons or of hennys and hac yt smale and than bray hem wel in a morter and than do yt in the Rose so that the flesch acorde wyth the mylk and so that the mete be charchaunt and after do yt to the fyre to boyle and do thereto sugur and safroun that yt be wel ycolowrd and rosy of levys and of the forseyde flowrys and serve yt forth.  [Fourme of Curye (England, 1390)] 

The one from A Noble Boke off Cookry is interesting because of the change from "flowers of rose" to "flour of rice".  Given that almond milk thickens when cooked - though not as much as almond milk and rice flour - it is difficult to determine which one is the definitive version.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 74 Sypers

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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74. Sypers
Take porke sodyn grynd hit temper hit up with milke of almondys drawyn withe broth & a perty of wyn or els a lytyll venyger do ther yn fygez & reysons of coraunce sigure & safron & salt boyle hit up with yolkes of eyron when hit ys y boylyd do yn poudyr of gynger & messe hit forthe as mortruys & cast drage a bovyn.

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The title of this recipe suggests that it is a version of "Viand Cypress", but none of the other recipes are more than superficially like this one.  The closest are the two below, neither of which call for figs and currants.

To mak viand de cipre, tak the braun of capon or of henne parboille it and dry it then hew it smalle in a mortair and putt ther to almond mylk and lay it up with amydon or with flour of rise coloure it with saffron and boille it and chargant it with the braed braun and sesson it with sugur and florishe it with almondes and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

lxlv. Vyaunde cypre. Take mele & pyke out the stones & grynde hem smale, & drawe hem throw a straynour, take mede other wyne y funfryt in suger & do these therin, do therto poudour & salt & lay hit with flour of rys, & loke that hit be stondyng, if thou wolt on flesche day: take hennes and pork y sode and grynde smale & do therto & messe hit forth.  [Fourme of Curye (England, 1390)] 

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 73 Dage

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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73. Dage
Take porke groundyn & ryse cryndd & do hit in a pott with broth of the same porke with saundres poudyr & sygure sesyn hit up with venyger when hit ys y dressyd cast on almondys fryed & cuttyd gyngour mynsyd & poudyr of gyngour.

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The title of this recipe looks like it might be a copy error for "Sage", but if so then there must be other errors because the recipe does not match any of the surviving recipes for pork in sage sauce. Nor could I find any other recipes that were similar, so this one may be unique.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 72 Blanke desyre

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

-=-=-

72. Blanke desyre
Take yolkes of eyron sodyn hard & safron & bred growndyn with cow milke boyl do ther to white of eyron cut smal & spyndez of porke corven ther to aley hit a lytyll with raw yolkes of eyron.

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While there is a recipe for "Blanc Desire" in A Noble Boke off Cookry, that one has different ingredients (e.g. poultry instead of pork) and doesn't really seem to be the same dish.

To mak blank de fire tak ryse and wesshe it and grind it small and temper it up with almond mylk and boile it then tak the braun of capon or henne and hew it small and grind it with myed bred and sesson it with sugur and florishe it with almondes and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

There's a recipe in Forme of Cury that is much closer, but even it has some significant differences.

XIX - FOR TO MAKE BLANK DE SUR. Tak the zolkys of Eggs sodyn and temper it wyth mylk of a kow and do ther'to Comyn and Safroun and flowr' of ris or wastel bred mycd and grynd in a morter and temper it up wyth the milk and mak it boyle and do ther'to wit of Egg' corvyn smale and tak fat chese and kerf ther'to wan the licour is boylyd and serve it forth.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 71 Chikeney

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

-=-=-

71. Chikeney
Do almonde mylke yne a poot take cornels of okekornes rostyde grynde heme draw heme withe wyne or ale do ther to a grete porcyone of sigure saundres & safrone & othire poudrs & sesone hit up withe poudres & the schelles & set a bovyne.

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This is one of a very small number of medieval recipes that call for acorns, and the only one I have found that uses them to make a sort of sauce or soup.  Despite the title, the recipe doesn't actually include any chicken.  It is possible that the last instruction, "& set a bovyne", is a suggestion to serve over roasted poultry.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 70 Blaunche Doucet

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

-=-=-

70. Blaunche Doucet
Take brawne of capons groundyne & drawyne up withe wyne & do hit in a pot withe a lytylle hony or sygure and aley hit withe almonds & poudyre of gynger & couche ther one yolkes of eyrone and one fysche dayes take perche pyke or haddok or othir goode fysche worche hit up in the same maner & make pelett of past & put ther one as thu dost yolkes of eyrone.

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This recipe is odd in that, while it seems similar to a large number of recipes in other sources, doesn't seem to closely match any of them.  The ingredients are similar to those in "Blanch Mortrews" or "Blanc Desire", both of which appear in A Noble Boke off Cookry, but there are aspects of the recipe that don't appear in either.  The use of egg yolks as a garnish (replaced with dough in the fish-day version) is particularly unusual.

To mak blanched mortrus tak and sethe hennes and freche pork to gedur then bray unblanched almondes and temper them with clene brothe and alay the fleshe small ground ther to put ther to flour of rise and do all to gedur and cast in pouder of guingere and sugur and luk it be not thyn salt it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

To mak blank de fire tak ryse and wesshe it and grind it small and temper it up with almond mylk and boile it then tak the braun of capon or henne and hew it small and grind it with myed bred and sesson it with sugur and florishe it with almondes and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)] 

It may be that this is a bastardized version of one of these or some other recipe, or that it was meant exactly as presented.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 69 Blaw maungere

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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69. Blaw maungere
Take a thike mylke of almonde blaunchede & drawyne up withe fayre watyre grynde ryce draw heme withe the milke take brawne of capons fesauntes or of pertrysche sodyne tendyr & tesyde smalle put ther to sygure & salt loke hit be stondyne & dresse hit forthe as ryse cut almondes in lenye frye heme a lytylle & medylle heme withe sygure & plant clovys a bovyne and one fysche dayes take pyke or haddoke welle sodyne & pyke the fysche for the bones & rubbe hit in a streyner withe youre honde that hit be [f.64r] smalle and do hit in the stede of fyshe.

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"Blancmanger" is by far the most common recipe appearing in medieval cookbooks.  There are two versions in A Noble Boke off Cookry, but only one is a meat-day recipe and both of them merged don't quite match the Wagstaff version.

To mak blanche mange of flesshe tak ryse and wesshe it and draw it throughe a stren and temper it with almond mylk then teese the braun of capon or henn small and put the rise to the mylke and boile it and charge it with the tosed flesshe sesson it with sugur and florisshe it with almonds and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

To mak blank mang of fisshe tak a pound of rise and sethe it and bray it till it brests and cast it to almond mylk then tak a tenche or a lampry and cast ther to and sethe them to gedure and serwe it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)] 

Even if the fish-day instructions are left out of both the Noble and Wagstaff recipes, they still don't quite match up.  Nor does the Wagstaff version quite match any of the other blancmanger recipes I've found.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 68 Blaunche de 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

-=-=-

68. Blaunche de sorre
Blaunche almonds grynde heme draw heme withe swete brothe make a thike mylke take brawne of capons tendyre sodyn hewyne smalle & groundene & temper hit up withe sume of the mylke & put ther to sygure y nowghe & boyle hit as mortrus take sume of thy milke boyle hit & cast hit one a clothe as creme & have out clene the watyr & putt hit in to that othire & a ley hit up ther with put ther to a cupfulle of swete wyne loke that hit be salt & serve hit forthe and one fische days take pyke or haddocke wel sodyne or codlynge & do awey the skyne & the bones & make hit in the same maner as thu dedyst the othire & draw thy mylke withe the brothe of fresche congure.

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"Blanc de Syrie" is one of the more popular dishes in medieval cookbooks.  It is usually a dish of capon meat in a sauce of almond milk or rice, thickened to the point that it can be sliced.  There are two versions of this recipe in A Noble Boke off Cookry, but neither one seems to be the source for the recipe above.

To mak bland sorre tak the mylk of almondes blanched mad with capon brothe then tak the braun of a capon and bet it in a mortair and mele the fishe and the mylk to gedur in the mortair with the pestelle and thik it with flour of rise and boile it put ther to sugur or hony and mak it stondinge then lesk it in dyshes and diaper it with turnsole and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

To mak blank de fire tak ryse and wesshe it and grind it small and temper it up with almond mylk and boile it then tak the braun of capon or henne and hew it small and grind it with myed bred and sesson it with sugur and florishe it with almondes and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)] 

The closest match appears to be the following recipe from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books.  It has a bit more detail, which makes it easier to understand the instructions in the Wagstaff version.

xxj - Blandissorye. Take almaundys, an blawnche hem, an grynde hem in a morter, an tempere hem with freysshe brothe of capoun or of beef, an swete wyne; an 3if it be lente or fyssday, take brothe of the freysshe fysshe, an swete wyne, an boyle hem to-gederys a goode whyle; thenne take it up, an caste it on a fayre lynen clothe that is clene an drye, an draw under the clothe, wyth a ladel, alle the water that thow may fynde, ryth as thow makyst cold creme; thanne take owt of the potte, an caste it in-to a fayre potte, an let it boyle; an thanne take brawn of Capoun, an tese it smal an bray it ina morter: or ellys on a fyssday take Pyke or Elys, Codlyng or Haddok, an temper it with almaun mylke, an caste Sugre y-now ther-to; An than caste hem in-to the potte and lete hem boyle to-gederys a goode whyle: thenne take it owt of the potte alle hote, an dresse it in a dysshe, as meni don cold creme, an sette ther-on Red Anys in comfyte, or ellys Allemaundys blaunchid, an thanne serue it forth for a goode potage.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]