To Make White Meath
From The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened, 1910
A quart of honey to a gallon of liquor.
Presented as published in 1910. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation below, not the original instructions.
A modern interpretation · AI-generated from the original record
Ingredients
Method
As published
This recipe was extracted from The closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight opened (1910) by Sir Kenelm Digby, page 41. The excerpt below is the record exactly as published.
TO MAKE WHITE MEATH Take Rosemary, Thyme, Sweet-bryar, Penyroyal, BayeSjof each one handful ; steep them 24 hours in a bowl of fair cold water covered close ; next day boil them very well in another water, till the colour be very high ; then take another water, and boil the same herbs in it, till it look green ; and so boil them in several waters, till they do but just change the colour of the water. The first waters are thrown away. The last water must stand 24 hours with the herbs in it. The Liquor being strained from them, you must put in as much fine honey till it will bear an Egge; you must work and labour the honey with the Liquor a whole day, till the honey be con- sumed ; then let it stand a night a clearing. In the morning put your Liquor a boiling for a quarter of an hour, with the whites and shells of six Eggs. So strain it through a bag, and let it stand a day a cool- ing ; so Tun it up, and put into the vessel in a Linnen bag, Cloves, Mace, Cinamon and Nut- megs bruised altogether. If you will have it to drink presently, take the whites of two or three Eggs, of barm a spoonful,and asmuchof Wheaten- flower. Then let it work before you stop it, after- wards stop it well with Clay and Salt. A quart of Honey to a Gallon of liquor, and so proportionably for these Herbs. SIR WILLIAM PASTON'S MEATHE Take ten Gallons of Spring-water, and put therein ten Pints of the best honey. Let this boil half an hour, and scum it very well ; then put in one hand- ful of Rosemary, and as much of Bayleaves ; with 42 SIR KENELUe DIG BIS a little Limon-peel. Boil this half an hour longer, then take it off the fire, and put it into a clean Tub; and when it is cool, work it up with yest, as you do Beer. When it is wrought, put it into your vessel, and stop it very close. Within three days you may Bottle it, and in ten days after it will be fit to drink. ANOTHER PLEASANT MEATHE OF SIR WILLIAM PASTON'S To a Gallon of water put a quart of honey, about ten sprigs of Sweet- Majoram ; half so many tops of Bays. 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 Sun 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
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Cook this with the app: pantry check, scaling, and the assistant.