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The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened

1910

Page 51 · 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.
Note, That if you make Hydromel by fermenta- tion in the hot Sun (which will last about fourty days, and requireth the greater heat) you must take it thence, before it be quite ended working ; and stop it up very close, and set it in a cold Cellar, and not pierce it in two months, at the soonest. It will be very good this way, if you make it so strong, as to bear an Egge very boyant. It is best made by taking all the Canicular days into your fermenta- tion. A VERY GOOD MEATH Put three parts of water to one of honey. When theHoneyis dissolved,it is to bear anEgge boyant. Boil it and skim it perfectly clear. You may boil in it Pellitory of the wall. Agrimony, or what herbs you please. To every ten Gallons of water, take Ginger, Cinnamon, ana^ one Ounce, Nutmegs half an Ounce. Divide this quantity (sliced and bruised) into two parts. Boil the one in the Meath, severing it from the Liquor, when it is boiled, by running through a strainer ; andhang the otherparcel in the barrel bythe bung in a bagwith a bullet in it. When it is cold. Tun it. And then you may work it with barm if you please; but it is most commended with- out. TO MAKE WHITE METHEGLIN Take the Honey-combs, that the Honey is run out from them, and lay them in water over night ; next daystrain them, and put theLiquor a boiling; Then take the whites of two or three EggsTo Make White Metheglin, and clarifie the THE CLOSET OPEVjED 6i Liquor. When you have so done, skim it clean. Then take a handful of Peny-royal ; four handful s of Angelica ; a handful of Rosemary ; a handful of Borrage ; a handful of Maidenhair, a handful of Harts-tongue ; of Liverwort, of Water-cresses, of Scurvy-grass, ana, a. handful ; of the Roots of Marsh mallows, Parsley, Fennel, ana, one Ounce. Let all these boil together in the Liquor, the space of a quarter of an hour. Then strain the Liquor from them, and let it cool, till it be Blood-warm. Put in so much honey, until an Egge swim on it ; and when your honey is melted, then put it into the Barrel. When it is almost cold, put a little Ale barm to it ; And when it hath done working, put into your bar- rel a bag of Spice of Nutmegs, Ginger, Cloves and Mace, and grains good store ; and if you will, put into a Lawn-bag two grains of Amber-greece and two grains of Musk, and fasten it in the mouth of your barrel, and so let it hang in the Liquor. A MOST EXCELLENT METHEGLIN Take one part of honey, to eight parts of Rain or River-water ; let it boil gently together, in a fit ves- sel, till a third part be wasted, skiming it very well. The sign of being boiled enough is,when a New-laid- egg swims upon it. Cleanse it afterwards by letting it run through a clean Linnen-cloth,and put it into a woodden Runlet, where there hath been wine in, and hang in itabagwithMustard-seedsbythebung, that so you may take it out, when you please. This being done, put your Runlet into the hot Sun, especi- ally during the Dog-days, (which is the onely time to prepare it) and your Metheglin will boil like 62 SIR KENELMS DIGBIS A Most Excellent Metheglin