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The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened

1910

Page 57 · 6 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.
until it will bear an Egg the breadth of a Groat. Then set it over the fire to boil. Take the whites of twenty or thirty Eggs, and beat them mightily,and when it boileth, pour them in at twice ; stir it well together,and then let it stand, until it boileth a pace before you scum it, and then scum it well. Then take it off the fire, and pour it in earthen things to cool: and when it is cold, put to it five or six spoon- fuls of the best yest of Ale you can get : stir it together, and then every day scum it with a bundle of Feathers till it hath done working : Then Tun it up in a Sack-cask and to every six gallons of Metheglin put one pint of Aquavita, or a quart of Sack ; and a quarter of a pound of GingerExcellent Metheglin sliced, with the Pills of two or three Limons and Orenges in a bag to hang in it. The Whites of Eggs above named, is a fit pro- portion for lo or 12 Gallons of the Liquor. TO MAKE WHITE MEATHE Take six Gallons of water, and put in six quarts of Honey, stirring it till the honey be throughly melted ; then set it over the fire, and when it is ready to boil, skim it clean ; then put in a quarter of an Ounce of Mace ; so much Ginger ; half an Ounce of Nutmegs ; Sweet-marjoram, Broad-thyme and Sweet-Bryar,of all together a handful, and boil them well therein. Then set it by, till it be throughly cold, and barrel it up, and keep it till it be ripe. ANOTHER TO MAKE MEATHE To every Gallon of water, take a quart of Honey, to every five Gallons, a handful of Sweet-marjoramTo Make White Meathe, half a handful of Sliced- ginger ; boil all these mod- THE CLOSET OPEDjED 73 erately three quarters of an hour ; then let it stand and cool : and being Lukewarm, put to every five Gallons, about three quarts of Yest, and let it work a night and a day. Then take off the Yest and strain it into a Runlet; and when it hath done working : then stop it up, and so let it remain a month : then drawing out into bottles, put into every bottle two or three stoned Raisins, and a lump of Loaf-sugar. It may be drunk in two months. ANOTHER VERY GOOD WHITE MEATH Take to every Gallon of water a quart of Honey: boilinitalittleRose-maryand Sweet-marjoram : but alarge quantity of Sweet-bryar-leaves, and a reason- able proportion of GingerAnother Very Good White Meath: boil these in theLiquor, when it is skimed; and work it in due time with a littlebarm. Then tunit in a vessel; and draw it into bottles,afterit is sufficientlysettled.Whitesof Eggs with the shells beaten together,do clarifieMeath best. If you will have yourMeath cooling, use Violet and Straw -berry-leaves. Agrimony, Eglantine and the like: adding Borage and Bugloss,and a little Rose- mary and Sweet-Marjoram to give it Vigor. Tartar makes it work well. TO MAKE WHITE METHEGLIN Take to three Gallons of Spring-water, one of Honey ; first let it gently melt, then boil for an hour, continually skiming it ; then put it into an earthen or woodden vessel,and when itislittle more then Blood-warm, set it with Ale-yest, and so let it stand twelve hours ; then take off the Yest, and Bottle it. Put in it Limon-peel and Cloves, or what bestpleaseth yourtasteofHerbsor Spices. EriTo Make White Metheglinngo- 74 SIR KENELMS DIGBIS