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The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened

1910

Page 26 · 3 recipe records on this page

Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
To every quart of Honey, take four quarts of water. Put your water In a clean Kettle over the fire, and with a stick take the just measure, how high the water cometh, making a notch, where the superficies toucheth the stick. As soon as the water is warm, put in your Honey, and let it boil, skiming it always, till it be very clean ; Then put to every Gallon of water, one pound of the best Blew-raisinsExcellent Meathe of the Sun, first clean picked from the stalks, and clean washed. Let them remain in the boiling Liquor, till they be throughly swollen and soft ; Then take them out, and put them into a Hair-bag, and strain all the juice and pulp and substance from them in an Apothe- caries Press; which put back into your liquor, and let it boil, till it be consumed just to the notch you took at first, for the measure of your water alone. Then let your Liquor run through a Hair-strainer into an empty Woodden- fat, which must stand endwise, with the head of the upper-end out ; and there let it remain till the next day, that the liquor be quite cold. Then Tun it up into a good Barrel, not filled quite full, but within three or four fingers breadth ; (where Sack hath been, is the best) and let the bung remain open for six weeks with a double bolter- cloth lying upon it, to keep out any foulness from falling in. Then stop it up close, and drink not of it till after nine months. This Meathe is singularly good for a Consump- tion, Stone, Gravel, Weak-sight, and many more THE CLOSET OPE^tfiD ii things. A Chief Burgomaster of Antwerpe, used for many years to drink no other drink but this ; at Meals and all times, even for pledging of healths. And though He were an old man, he was of an extraordinary vigor every way, and had every year a Child, had always a great appetite, and ^ood digestion ; and yet was not fat. A WEAKER, BUT VERY PLEASANT, MEATHE To every quart of Honey take six of waterWeaker, but Very Pleasant, Meathe ; boil it till -J- be consumed, skiming it well all the while. Then pour it into an open Fat, and let it cool. When the heat is well slakened, break into a Bowl-full of this warm Liquor, a New- laid-egge, beating the yolk and white well with it ; then put it into the Fat to all the rest of the Liquor, and stir it well together, and it will be- come very clear. Then pour it into a fit very clean Barrel, and put to it some Mother of Wine, that is in it's best fermentation or working, and this will make the Liquor work also. This will be ready to drink in three or four Months, or sooner. AN EXCELLENT WHITE MEATHE Take one Gallon of Honey, and four of water ; Boil and scum them till there rise no more scum ; then put in your Spice a little bruised, which is most of Cinnamon, a little Ginger, a little Mace, and a very little ClovesExcellent White Meathe. Boil it with the Spice in it, till it bear an Egge. Then take it from the fire, and let it Cool in a Woodden vessel, till it be but lukewarm ; which this quantity will be 12 SIR KENELMS DIGBIS