Frutours

Original text from: Harleian MS. 4016, ab. 1450 A.D.

Frutours

—Take yolkes of eggs, drawe hem thorgh a streynour, cast there-to faire floure, berme and ale; stere it togidre till hit be thik. Take pared appelles, cut he thyn like obleies, ley hem in pe batur; pen put hem into a ffrying pan, and fry hem in faire grece or buttur til pei ben browne yelowe; then put hem in disshes, and straw Sugar on hem ynogh, And serue hem forthe.

Modern English

—Take egg yolks, draw them through a strainer, cast fair flour, barm and ale thereto, stir it together until it is thick. Take pared apples, cut them thin like obleies (these are small cakes or wafers, often defined as "sacramental wafers"), lay them in the batter; then put them into a frying pan and fry them in fair grease or butter until they are yellow-brown; then put them in dishes, and straw enough sugar on them, And serve them forth.

Breakdown:

Apple Fritters (test sized batch)

Make a batter from:
-2-3 egg yolks whisked until light
-1 package of yeast (2 1/4 tsp) softened in about 3(liquid)oz of water with a little sugar
-about 1(liquid)oz of ale
-2 1/2 oz of flour
This should make a batter sticky enough to stick to the apple slices. If the batter is too thin, add more flour, if it is too thick, add a bit more ale.

Have your apples peeled and cored and then slice them fairly thin and lay on a towel
Heat clarified butter in a deep pan.
Lay your apple slices in the batter and then carefully place the battered apple rings in the hot fat.
Cook the fritters until golden brown
Lay your fritters in dishes and sprinkle with sugar and serve

(added note: depending on if you used packaged yeast, or home-made style yeast (use about 6 spoonfulls instead of yeast/water mix btw), and the age of the yeast... if it is left to sit too long, it will froth up considerably)

(Ryschewys close?)

15th century cookbook, LAUD MS. 553 (Bodleian library)
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Ryschewys close?

—Nym flour and eyren, & kned to-gedere/nym figus, resons, & dates, & do out ye stonys, & blanchid almandis, & goud poudur, & bray to-gedere / make coffyns of ye lengthe of a spanne / do thy farsour therynne, in euerych cake his porcion̛ / plie hem & boille hem in water / & suththe roste hem on a gridel & ȝif forth.

Modern English

—Take flour and eggs, and knead together/ take figs, raisins, and dates, and do out [take out] the stones, and blanched almonds, and good powder [good spices], and bray [crush] them together/ make coffin of ye length of a span (we know this as the distance between our thumb and small finger)/ put the stuffing therein, in every cake his portion/ fold them and boil them in water and after roast him on a griddle and [give] it forth.

Papyns

15th century cookbook
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Papyns

—Take fayre Mylke an Flowre, an drawe it þorw a straynoure, an set it ouer þe fyre, an let it boyle a-whyle; þan take it owt an let it kele; þan take ȝolkys of eyroun y-draw þorwe a straynour, an caste þer-to; þan take sugre a gode quantyte, and caste þer-to, an a lytil salt, an sette it on þe fyre tyl it be sum-what þikke, but let it nowt boyle fullyche, an stere it wyl, an putte it on a dysshe alle a-brode, and serue forth rennyng.

Modern English

Papyns (A Custard)

—Take good milk and flour, and draw it [them] through a strainer, and set it over the fire, and let it boil a while; then take it out and let it cool, then take yolks of eggs and draw through a strainer, and cast therein; then take a good quantity of sugar, and cast therein, and a little salt, and set it on the fire till it be somewhat thick, but let it not boil up [rise up], and stir it well, and put it on a dish all abroad, and serve forth running [not thick].

Macrows

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Forme of Cury (by Samuel Pegge)
original text from about A.D. 1390

Macrows
—Take and make a thynne foyle of dowh. and kerve it on peces, and cast hem on boillyng water & seeþ it wele. take chese and grate it and butter cast bynethen and above as losyns. and serue forth.

Modern English

Macrows
—Take and make a thin sheet of dough and carve it into pieces and cast them into boiling water and cook them well. Take cheese and grate it and put this, with butter, layer with the dough as you did with losyns and serve it forth.

Loseyns

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Forme of Cury (by Samuel Pegge)
original text from about A.D. 1390

Loseyns

—Take gode broth and do in an erthen pot, take flour of payndemayn and make þerof past with water. and make þerof thynne foyles as paper with a roller, drye it harde and seeþ it in broth take Chese ruayn grated and lay it in disshes with powdour douce. and lay þeron loseyns isode as hoole as þou mizt. and above powdour and chese, and so twyse or thryse, & serue it forth.

Modern English

Loseyns
(some say "lasagna")

—Take good broth and put it in an earthen pot, take the flour of fine white bread (likely finest flour rather than crumbs thereof) and make a paste (pastry) up of it and water and roll it into thin sheets, dry this hard and then cook it in broth. Take grated Ruayn cheese (a cheese said to be made from mid/late season milk) and lay it in dishes with powder douce (sweet powdered spices) and lay this on top of the whole boiled "loseyns" and over this add the powder and cheese and repeat these steps twice or three times and serve it forth.

Sauce gauncile

Two 15th century cookbooks
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Sauce gauncile

—Take floure and cowe mylke, safroune wel y-grounde, garleke, peper, salt(added in different ink) and put in-to a faire litel pot̘; and seþe it̘ ouer þe fire, and serue it̘ forthe with the goos.

Modern English

Gauncile Sauce (a garlic sauce for goose)

—Take flour and cows milk, well ground saffron, garlic, pepper, salt and put into a small pot; and boil it (over the fire), and serve it forth with goose.

Bryndons

Two 15th century cookbooks
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Bryndons
—Take Wyn, & putte in a potte, an clarifiyd hony, an Saunderys, pepir, Safroun, Clowes, Maces, & Quybibys, & mynced Datys, Pynys and Roysonys of Corauns, & a lytil Vynegre, & sethe it on þe fyre; an sethe fygys in Wyne, & grynde hem, & draw hem þorw a straynoure, & caste þer-to, an lete hem boyle alle to-gederys; þan take fayre flowre, Safroun, Sugre, & Fayre Water, ande make þer-of cakys, and let hem be þinne Inow; þan kytte hem y lyke lechyngys,*. [long thin strips. ] an caste hem in fayre Oyle, and fry hem a lytil whyle; þanne take hem owt of þe panne, an caste in-to a vesselle with þe Syrippe, & so serue hem forth, þe bryndonys an þe Sirippe, in a dysshe; & let þe Sirippe be rennyng, & not to styf.

Modern English

Bryndons
(the syrup)
—Take wine, and put this into a pot with clarified honey, red sandalwood, pepper, saffron, cloves, mace, cubebs, and minced dates, pine nuts, currants and a little vinegar and boil this together. Boil figs in wine and grind them and draw them through a strainer and cast this into the first mixture and boil it all together.
(the Bryndons)
Then take fair flour, saffron, sugar and fair water and make cakes that are thin enough and cut them in slices and cast them in fair oil and fry them a little while.
(to serve)
Then take them out of the pan and toss them into a vessel with the syrup and so serve fourth the bryndonys and the syrup in a dish, and let the syrup be thin/runny and not too stiff.

Rastons

15th century cookbook I & II

Rastons I
—Take fayre Flowre, & þe whyte of Eyroun, & þe ȝolke, a lytel; þan take Warme Berme, & putte al þes to-gederys, & bete hem to-gederys with þin hond tyl it be schort & þikke y-now, & caste Sugre y-now þer-to, & þenne lat reste a whyle; þan kaste in a fayre place in þe oven, & late bake y-now; & þen with a knyf cutte yt round a-boue in maner of a crowne, & kepe þe cruste þat þou kyttyst; & þan pyke al þe cromys withynne to-gederys, an pike hem smal with þin knyf, & saue þe sydys & al þe cruste hole with-owte; & þan caste þer-in clarifiyd Boter, & Mille  þe cromeȝ & þe botere to-gedereȝ, & keuere it a-ȝen with þe cruste, þat þou kyttest a-way; þan putte it in þe ovyn aȝen a lytil tyme; & þan take it out, & serue it fortℏ.

Modern English

Rastons I
—Take fair flour and egg white and a little yolk; then take warm barm and put all this together and beat them together by hand until it is short and thick enough, and cast enough sugar therein and then let it rest a while; then cast in a fair place in the oven, and let it bake enough; and then with a knife, cut it round above in manner of a crown, and keep the crust that you cut off; and then pick all the crumbs within together, and take a knife and cut them up small and save the sides and all the crust whole without (save the crusty shell); and cast therein clarified butter and mix the crumbs and the butter together and cover it again with the crust that you cut away; then put it in the oven again (for) a little time; and then take it out and serve it forth.


Rastons II
—Take fyne floure, and white of eyren̄, and a litul of the yolkes; And then̄ take warme berm̄, and put al thes togidre, and bete hem togidre with thi honde so longe til hit be short and thik ynogℏ. And caste sugur ynowe thereto; And þen̄ lete rest a while; And then̄ cast hit in a faire place in an̄ oven̛, and lete bake ynogℏ; And þen̄ kut hit with a knyfe rownde aboue in maner of a crowne, and kepe þe crust þat þou kuttest, and pile all þe cremes within togidre; and pike hem smaƚƚ witℏ thi knyfe, and saue the sides and al þe cruste hole withoute; And þen̄ cast thi clarefied butter, and medle þe creme and þe buttur togidre, And couer hit ayen̄ with þe cruste that þou kuttest awey; and then̄ put hit in the oven̄ ayen̄ a lituƚƚ tyme, and take it oute, and serue hit forthe aƚƚ hote.

Modern English

Rastons II
—Take fine flour, and egg white and a little of the yolks; and then take warm barm, and put all this together, and beat them together with your hand so long till it be short and thick enough. And cast enough sugar therein; and then let (it) rest a while; and then cast if in a fair place in an oven, and let bake enough; and then cut it with a knife round above in manner of crown, and keep the crust that you cut, and pile all the crumbs within together; and pick them small with your knife, and save the sides and all the crust while without; and then cast in clarified butter and meddle (stir/mix) the crumbs and the butter together and cover it again with the crust that you cut away; and then put it in the oven (for) a little time, and take out and serve it forth all hot.

For to make Fritters

The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Forme of Cury (by Samuel Pegge)
original text from about A.D. 1390

For to make Fritters

—Nym flowre and eyryn and grynd peper and safroun and mak therto a batour and par aplyn and kyt hem to brode penys and kest hem theryn and fry hem in the batour wyth fresch grees and serve it forthe.

Modern English

To make Fritters

—Take flour and eggs and grind pepper and saffron and make a batter from this and pare apples and cut them to the same width as a penny and cast them therein (in the batter) and fry them in the batter (with the batter clinging to them) with (in the) fresh grease and serve it forth.

Eyron en poche

15th century cookbook
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Eyron en poche

—Take Eyroun, breke hem, an sethe hem in hot Water; þan take hem Vppe as hole as þou may; þan take flowre, an melle with Mylke, & caste þer-to Sugre or Hony, & a lytel pouder Gyngere, an boyle alle y-fere, & coloure with Safroun; an ley þin Eyroun in dysshys, & caste þe Sewe a-boue, & caste on pouder y-now. Blawnche pouder ys best.

Modern English

Poached Eggs

—Take Eggs, break them, and boil them in hot water; then take them up as whole as you can; then take flour, and meddle/mix it with milk and cast into this sugar or honey and a little powdered ginger and boil well/strongly and colour it with saffron; and lay the eggs in dishes and cast the broth above (the eggs) and cast on enough powder (spice). White powder is best.

(there's lots of theory to what exactly white powder is, from sugar to a spice mixture that has ginger and cinnamon)

Waffers

15th century cookbook I
Ab. 1420 A.D.

Waffres

—Take þe Wombe of A luce, & seþe here wyl, & do it on a morter, & tender chese þer-to, grynde hem y-fere; þan take flowre an whyte of Eyroun & bete to-gedere, þen take Sugre an pouder of Gyngere, & do al to-gederys, & loke þat þin Eyroun ben hote, & ley þer-on of þin paste, & þan make þin waffrys, & serue yn.

Modern English

Wafers (a dish served in wafers)


—Take the womb (stomach) of a luce (most likely a pike) and boil it well, and put it in a mortar with tender cheese and grind them together; then take flour and egg whites and beat together, then take sugar and powdered ginger and do all (mix all) together and observe that your eggs are hot, and lay thereon of thin paste, and then make thin wafers and serve in.