Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 37 Chikens in gretney

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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37.  Chikens in gretney
Boyle chikens in brothe goode brothe and rese the thyys and the wyngys & the brestys take mylke of almondys unblanchede draw up withe the same brothe & poudyre of canelle & a perty of wyne sygure saffron & salt do hit to gedyre yn a pott set one the fyre stere hit whene hit boyles sesyne hit up with poudyr of gyngere & vergeus lay the chikenys hote yne dysches have yolkes of eyrone sodyne harde & fryede a lytylle couche one a boute the wyngez & the thyes.

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While the title of the recipe most likely brings to mind the word "gratineé", it is much more likely to be a mispelling of "kirtin" as there are several contemporary recipes titled "chickens in kirtin", including one in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To dight chekins in kirtyn tak iij pound of almondes made with good pik mylk with swet brothe and put it in a pot and put ther to clowes mace sugur and pynes hole and let it boile to gedur till it be honging and put ther to an unce of ginger and vinigar and put it in the pot then tak chekins ehalvyd / for a lord tak hole chekins and sethe them a litille then pull of the skyne and fry them in swete grece and put them in large dillies and pour on the ceripe and do ther on sugur and pouder of ginger and serue.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 36 Oystres in Cyve

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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36.  Oystres in Cyve
Shele oystrys perboyle heme in fayre watyre and the selfe owet & wasche heme yne fayre watyre pyke and trye the broth thorow a streynoure do to gedyr make heme up as thy dyde the conyngys al save the blode & coloure heme withe saunders.

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There are a handful of other recipes for "Oysters in Civey", but none of them are quite the same as this one.  Some could be due to steps being omitted and replaced with the phrase "make heme up as thy dyde the conyngys al save the blode", but it's not completely clear which recipe is being referred to.  Most likely they mean recipe 33 (Conynggez in Cyve).  With that for context, the following recipe from Forme of Cury seems to be the closest.

OYSTERS IN CYNEE. XX.VI. III. Take Oysters parboile hem in her owne broth, make a lyour of crustes of brede & drawe it up wiþ the broth and vynegur mynce oynouns & do þerto with erbes. & cast the oysters þerinne. boile it. & do þerto powdour fort & salt. & messe it forth.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 35 Oysters in grave

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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35.  Oysters in grave
Schelle oystrys in to a pott and swette ther withe put ther to fayre watyre perboyle heme take hem up put hem yn fayre watyre peke heme clene blaunche almondys grynde hem tempyre heme up withe the same brothe draw up a goode mylke do hit in a pott withe onyons and hole spycez and a lytylle poudyre of sygure boyle hit to gedyre & doo the oystres ther to & serve hit forthe & caste ther yne zoure[?] dragge of hole spicys a bovyne & blaunche poudyre.

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While there are a number of other recipes with the same title in surviving cookbooks, the closest one is the following.

Oystres in grauey. Take almondes, and blanche hem, and grinde hem, and drawe hem thorgh a streynour with wyne, and with goode fressh broth into gode mylke, and sette hit on the fire and lete boyle; and cast thereto Maces, clowes, Sugur, pouder of Ginger, and faire parboyled oynons myced; And then take faire oystres, and parboile hem togidre in faire water; And then caste hem there-to, And lete hem boyle togidre til they ben ynowe; and serue hem forth for gode potage.  [Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (England, 1430)]

The use of almond milk instead of dairy suggests that this was intended as a recipe for fish days.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 34 Conyngges yne clere 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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34.  Conyngges yne clere brothe
Chop conyngys in pecys wesche heme clene do heme yn a pott put ther to clene brothe & redd wyne boyle hem tille they be y nowghe loke hit nowght muche of the brothe sesyne hit up withe poudyre of gyngere a grete quantyte and vergyes and draw hit thorow a streynoure loke hit be salt & serve hit forthe.

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This recipe for "clear rabbit soup" is very similar to one by the same name in Forme of Cury.

Connynges In Clere Broth. XX.III. VI. Take Connynges and smyte hem in gobetes and waissh hem and do hem in feyre water and wyne, and seeþ hem and skym hem. and whan þey buth isode pyke hem clene, and drawe the broth thurgh a straynour and do the flessh þerwith in a Possynet and styne it. and do þerto vynegur and powdour or gynger and a grete quantite and salt after the last boillyng and serue it forth.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

There are a couple of minor differences.  Wagstaff uses broth instead of water, and omits the vinegar in favor of verjuice (both of which would add tartness), but otherwise the recipes are essentially the same.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 33 Conynggez in Cyve

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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33.  Conynggez in Cyve
Chop conyngys in pecys do hem in a pott take onyons and good herbes y choppyd to gedyre boyle hem up in swete brothe do ther to poudyre of pepyre make a lyour of paryngys of crustys of swete bredde drawyne withe wyne and a lytle blode alay hit up but a lytylle do there to poudyre of canele a grete dele sesyne hit up withe poudyre of gyngere wenggur [vinegar?] & salt.

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Rabbit in onion gravy was apparently a very popular dish, enough so that most medieval cookbooks have one or more version of the recipe.  The version in Wagstaff includes aspects of several of them.

Connynges In Cynee. XXV. Take Connynges and smyte hem on peces. and seeþ hem in gode broth, mynce Oynouns and seeþ hem in grece and in gode broth do þerto. drawe a lyre of brede. blode. vynegur and broth do þerto with powdour fort.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

To mak conys in cevy smyt conys in small peces and sethe them in good brothe put ther to mynced onyons and grece and draw a liour of broun bred and blod and sesson it with venygar and cast on pouder and salt and serve it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Conynges in cyne. Take conynges and parboyle hom, and smyte hom on gobettes and sethe hom; and take onyons and mynce hom, and frye hom in grees, and do therto; and take bred steped in brothe and blode, and drawe up a lyoure (mixture) wyth brothe and vynegur, and do therin; and pouder of pepur and of clowes, and serve hit forthe.  [Ancient Cookery (England, 1425)] 

As with the above, the Wagstaff version calls for cut up chicken and onions, and is thickened using bread crumbs and blood.  However the Wagstaff version also adds "good herbs", and uses wine in the thickening step instead of broth.  In this way it is rather unusual.

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 32 Conynggez in gravee

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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32.  Conynggez in gravee
Perboile conyngges in gode brothe take them up smyte them in peces make hem clene do hem in a pott with hole clowis macys & onyons y cut somedel grete in poudere blaunche almondys grynde hem & draw up withe the same brothe a thike mylke & do to gedyre sugere boyle hit loke hit be salt messe hit forthe cast ther one a dragge of clowys macys a mynsyde gyngere and blaunche poudyre.

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While there are a handful of recipes for various meats in onion gravy, this particular combination of rabbit, spices, and almond milk appears to be unique.  The closest recipe I could find that had all these ingredients is the following one from Ancient Cookery, however it adds several other items.

Browet Browet of almayne. Take conynges and parboyle hom, and choppe hom on gobettus, and rybbes of porke or of kydde, and do hit in a pot, and sethe hit; then take almondes and grynde hom, and tempur hit up wyth broth of beef, and do hit in a pot; and take clowes, maces, pynes, ginger mynced, and raysynges of corance; and take onyons and boyle hom, then cut hom and do hom in the pot; and colour hit with saffron, and let hit boyle; and take the flesh oute from the brothe and caste therto; and take alkenet and frye hit, and do hit in the pot thurgh a streynour; and in the fettynge doun put therto a lytel vynegar, and pouder of gynger medelet togedur, and serve hit forth.  [Ancient Cookery (England, 1425)]

If the almond milk is omitted then the recipe isn't too far off from recipe 133 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak cony or malard in cevy tak cony henne or malard and rost them till they be almost enoughe or els chope them and fry them in freche grece and fry onyons mynced and put them in a pot and cast ther to freche brothe and half wyne clowes maces pouder of guinger and pepper and draw it with venygar and when it is boiled cast ther to thy licour and pouder of guingere and venygar and sesson it and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry  (England, 1468)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 31 Hare yne talbut

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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31.  Hare yne talbut
Choppe a hare yne pecys perboyle hyme yne goode brothe withe hys awne blode trye the flesche yne a potte grynde almondys unblaunchede tempyre heme up withe the same brothe & put mylke there to and do therto onyonys perboylde hole spicer and powdyr for the sesyne hit up poudir and salt a quantite of wyne and a lytil sugure.

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There are a few other recipes for "hares in talbotes" in surviving cookbooks, and the closest to the one above is from Forme of Cury.  The seasoning is slightly different, and there are a couple of minor steps added, but otherwise it is essentially the same.

Hares In Talbotes. XXIII. Take Hares and hewe hem to gobettes and seeþ hem with þe blode unwaisshed in broth. and whan þey buth y nowh: cast hem in colde water. pyke and waisshe hem clene. cole the broth and drawe it thurgh a straynour. take oþer blode and cast in boylyng water seeþ it and drawe it thurgh a straynour. take Almaundes unblaunched. waisshe hem and grynde hem and temper it up with the self broth. cast al in a pot. tak oynouns and parboile hem smyte hem small and cast hem in to þis Pot. cast þerinne Powdour fort. vynegur an salt.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 30 Hare yne papalde

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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30.  Hare yne papalde
Take a hare chop hyme pecys perboyle hyme yne watyre claryfe the brothe put to thy flesche boyle hyt sesone hit up withe douce poudyre & salt take losyngez of past frydde of wafrons cowche heme in a dysches & poudyre the sewe a boyvyne.

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This recipe appears to be a parallel of recipe 223 in A Noble Boke off Cookry.

To mak haires in pardolous tak an haire and parboille hir in good brothe swong eggs ther to and hew fleshe smalle and cast it in the sewe and sethe them well then tak obleys or waiffurs and couche them in a platter and salt the sewe and put it upon the obleys and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

While the most of the pieces are there and seem to be in the same order, the Wagstaff version is missing the eggs and seems to be slightly more cryptic.  Versions of this recipe from other sources more closely match the one in Noble, which suggests the omission of the eggs may have been a copying error.

Hares In Papdele. XXIIII. Take Hares parboile hem in gode broth. cole the broth and waisshe the fleyssh. cast azeyn to gydre. take obleys oþer wafrouns in stede of lozeyns. and cowche in dysshes. take powdour douce and lay on salt the broth and lay onoward an messe forth.  [Forme of Cury (England, 1390)]

Harus in Perdoylyse. Take harys and perboyle hom, I rede, In goode brothe, kele hit for drede, And hew þy flesshe and cast þerinne. Take swongen eggus, no more ne myn, And cast in þy sewe and sethe hit þenne. Take obles and wafrons, as I þe kenne, Close hom in dysshes fare and wele. Salt þe sewe, so have þou cele, And lay hit above as gode men done, And messe hit forthe, Syr, at þo none.  [Liber cure cocorum (England, 1430)]

Recipes from the Wagstaff Miscellany - 29 Hare yne cyve

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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29.  Hare yne cyve
Smyte a hare in smalle pecys perboyle heme yne swete brothe withe hys owne blodd cast hyme yne a colde watyre peke hyme clene do hyme yne a pott claryfyde claryfye the brothe clene do ther to onyons & herbes mynsyde take hole clowys macys & powdyr & draw ther yne a lyoure of crustys with rede wyne boyle hit tyl hit be ynowghe sesyne hit up withe powdyre of gyngere venygere & salt & loke hit be a goode coloure of blode.

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"Civey" recipes usually involve meat and onions in a red-colored gravy.  The meat is most commonly rabbit or hare, but can also be chicken.

There is a recipe in Noble Boke off Cookry for hare in civey, but the wording and instructions are notably different.

To make haires in covy boile a haire, rost hir and lard here then fry her in grece with pepper ale and onyons mynced small and colour it with saffron then lay the hair in a platter and pour on the covy and serue it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

Interestingly, the same source has a recipe for rabbit in civey that is a slightly closer match.

To mak conys in cevy smyt conys in small peces and sethe them in good brothe put ther to mynced onyons and grece and draw a liour of broun bred and blod and sesson it with venygar and cast on pouder and salt and serve it.  [A Noble Boke off Cookry (England, 1468)]

While there are numerous other recipes for rabbit or hare in civey, none of them that I have found include the step of putting the boiled hare in cold water and picking them clean.

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)]