FoodNet

The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened

1910

Page 42 · 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 a Gallon of water put a quart of honey, about ten sprigs of Sweet- Majoram ; half so many tops of BaysAnother Pleasant Meathe of Sir William Paston's. Boil these very well together, and when it is cold, bottle it up. It will be ten days before it be ready to drink. ANOTHER WAY OF MAKING MEATH Boil Sweet Bryar, Sweet Marjoram, Cloves and Mace in Spring-water, till the water taste of them. To four Gallons of water put one Gallon of honey, and boil it a little to skim and clarifie it. When you are ready to take it from the fire, put in a little Limon-peel, and pour it into a Woodden vessel, and let it stand till it is almost cold. Then put in some Ale-yest,and stir it altogether. So let it stand till next day. Then put a few stoned Raisins of the SunAnother Way of Making Meath into every bottle, and pour the Meath upon them. Stop the bottles close, and in a week the Meath will be ready to drink. SIR BAYNAM THROCKMORTON'S MEA- THE. Take four quarts of Honey, good measure ; put to it four Gallons of water, let it stand all night, but stir it well, when you put it together. The next day boil it, and put to it Nutmegs, Cloves, Mace THE CLOSET OPEDjED 43 and Ginger, of each half an ounce. Let these boil with the honey and water till it will bear an Egge at the top without sinking ; and then it is enough, if you see the Egge the breadth of a six-pence. The next day put it in your vessel, and put thereto two or three spoonfuls of barm; and when it hath done working, you may (if you like it) put in a little Am- ber-greece in a clout with a stone to it to make it sink. This should be kept a whole year before it be drunk ; it will drink much the better, free from any tast of the honey, and then it will look as clear as Sack. Make it not till Michaelmas, and set it in a cool place. You may drink it a quarter old, but it will not taste so pleasant then, as when it is old. TO MAKE WHITE METHEGLIN Take a Gallon of Honey ; put to it four Gallons of water ; stir them well together, and boil them in a Kettle, till a Gallon be wasted with boiling and scumming. Then put it into a vessel to cool. When it is almost as coldas Ale-wort, then clear it out into another vessel : Then put Barm upon it, as you do to your Ale, and so let it work. And then Tun it up into a vessel, and put into it a bag with Ginger, Cloves, and Cinamon bruised a little, and so hang the bag in the vessel, and stop it up very close ; and when it hath stood a month or six weeks, bottle it up and so drink it. You may put in a little Limmon- peel into some of your Metheglin, for those that like that taste ; which most persons do very much. A RECEIPT FOR MAKING OF MEATH Mistress Hebden telleth me, that the way of mak- ing Honey-drink in Russia, is thus ; Take for ex- 44 SIR KENELME DIGBIS