rise more : when it is very clear from scum, you
may boil it the more strongly, till it bear an Egge
very high, that the breadth of a groat be out of the
water, and that it boil high with great walms in the
middle of the Kettle : which boiling with great
Bubbles in the middle is a sign it is boiled to it's
height. Then let it cool till it be Lukewarm, at
which time put some Ale-yest into it, to make it
work, as you would do Ale. And then put it up
into a fit Barrel first seasoned with some good sweet
White-wine (as Canary-sack) and keep the bung
open, till it have done working, filling it up with
some such honey-drink warmed, as you find it sink
down by working over. When it hath almost done
working, put into it a bag of thin stuff (such as
Bakers use to bolt in) fastened by a Cord at the
bung, containing two parts of Ginger-sliced, and
one apiece of Cinamon, Cloves and Nutmegs, with
a Pebble-stone in it to make it sink ; And stop it
up close for six Months or a year, and then you
may draw it into bottles. If you like Cardamon-
seeds, you may adde some of them to the spices.
Some do like Mint exceedingly to be added to the
other herbs. Where no yeast is to be had. The Li-
quor will work if you set it some days in the hot
Sun (with a cover, like the roof of a house over it,
to keep wet out, if it chance to rain) but then you
must have great care, to fill it up, as it consumeth,
and to stop it close a little before it hath done work-
ing, and to set it then presently in a Cool Cellar.
I am told that the Leaven of bread will make it
work as well as yest, but I have not tryed it. If
THE CLOSET OPEOjED 21
you will not have it so strong, it will be much
sooner ready to drink ; As if you take six parts of
water to one of Honey. Some do like the drink
better without either herbs or spices, and it will be
much the whiter. If you will have it stronger,
put but four Gallons and a half of water to one of
honey.
You may use what Herbs or Roots you please,
either for their tast or vertue, after the manner here
set down.
If you make it work with yeast, you must have
great care, to draw it into bottles soon after it hath
done working, as after a fortnight or three weeks.
For that will make it soon grow stale, and it will
thence grow sower and dead before you are aware.
But if it work singly of itself, and by help of the
Sun without admixtion of either Leaven or Yeast,
it may be kept long in the Barrel, so it be filled up
to the top, and kept very close stopp'd.
I conceive it will be exceeding good thus : when
you have a strong Honey-liquor of three parts of
water to one of Honey, well-boiled and scummed,
put into it Lukewarm, or better (as soon as you
take it from the fire) some Clove-gilly-flowers, first
wiped, and all the whites clipped off, one good hand-
ful or two to every Gallon of Liquor. Let these
infuse 30 or 40 hours. Then strain it from the
flowers, and either work it with yeast, or set it in
the Sun to work ; when it hath almost done work-
ing, put into it a bag of like Gilly-flowers (and if
they are duly dried, I think they are the better)
hanging it in at the bung. And if you will put in-
22 SIR KENELMS DIG BIS
Page 31
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
rise more : when it is very clear from scum, you may boil it the more strongly, till it bear an Egge very high, that the breadth of a groat be out of the water, and that it boil high with great warms in the middle of the Kettle : which boiling with great Bubbles in the middle is a sign it is boiled to it's height. Then let it cool till it be Lukewarm, at which time put some Ale-yest into it, to make it work, as you would do Ale. And then put it up into a fit Barrel first seasoned with some good sweet White-wine (as Canary-sack) and keep the bung open, till it have done working, filling it up with some such honey-drink warmed, as you find it sink down by working over. When it hath almost done working, put into it a bag of thin stuff (such as Bakers use to bolt in) fastened by a Cord at the bung, containing two parts of Ginger-sliced, and one apiece of Cinamon, Cloves and Nutmegs, with a Pebble-stone in it to make it sink ; And stop it up close for six Months or a year, and then you may draw it into bottles. If you like Cardamon seeds, you may adde some of them to the spices. Some do like Mint exceedingly to be added to the other herbs. Where no yeast is to be had. The Liquor will work if you set it some days in the hot Sun (with a cover, like the roof of a house over it, to keep wet out, if it chance to rain) but then you must have great care, to fill it up, as it consumeth, and to stop it close a little before it hath done working, and to set it then presently in a Cool Cellar. I am told that the Leaven of bread will make it work as well as yest, but I have not tryed it. If
you will not have it so strong, it will be much sooner ready to drink ; As if you take six parts of water to one of Honey. Some do like the drink better without either herbs or spices, and it will be much the whiter. If you will have it stronger, put but four Gallons and a half of water to one of honey.
You may use what Herbs or Roots you please, either for their tast or vertue, after the manner here set down.
If you make it work with yeast, you must have great care, to draw it into bottles soon after it hath done working, as after a fortnight or three weeks. For that will make it soon grow stale, and it will thence grow sower and dead before you are aware. But if it work singly of itself, and by help of the Sun without admixtion of either Leaven or Yeast, it may be kept long in the Barrel, so it be filled up to the top, and kept very close stopp'd.
I conceive it will be exceeding good thus : when you have a strong Honey-liquor of three parts of water to one of Honey, well-boiled and scummed, put into it Lukewarm, or better (as soon as you take it from the fire) some Clove-gilly-flowers, first wiped, and all the whites clipped off, one good handful or two to every Gallon of Liquor. Let these infuse 30 or 40 hours. Then strain it from the flowers, and either work it with yeast, or set it in the Sun to work ; when it hath almost done working, put into it a bag of like Gilly-flowers (and if they are duly dried, I think they are the better) hanging it in at the bung. And if you will put in-