Historical Re-enactment: Recipes

Here is a chance to really get a taste of history (sorry could not resist the pun), whether you are looking for something different to do, just enjoy cooking or perhaps wanting to do something that demonstrates an educational project. 

The following authentic recipes have modern translations for you to try at home if you wish. The recipes are supplied ‘as is’. Historical recipes have little or no guidance as to cooking times or exact weights and measures so as with all recipes if you decide to make something you take full responsibility for the results and if in doubt do not eat it.

Printable version of all the recipes (Requires Adobe Reader)

To make Apple-puffes

Kindly supplied by Steve Bacon of Live’n History (www.livenhistory.co.uk)

Take a Pommewater, or any other Apple that is not hard, or harsh in taste, mince it small with a doozen or twenty Raisins of the Sunne: wet the Apples an two Egges, beate them all together with the backe of a knife or spoone. Season them with Nutmegge, Rosewater, Sugar, and Ginger: drop them into a Frying-pan with a spoone, fry them like Egs, wring on the juyce of an Orange or Lemon, and serve them in.

(Murrels Two books of Cookerie and Carving (1) -John Murrel)

Ingredients
Method

Peel, core and grate the apple with the raisins. Beat in eggs. Add sugar, spice and rosewater. Drop into a frying pan by the spoonful and fry like eggs (it would need some fat/oil). Squeeze on juice and serve.

Farts of Portingale

Kindly supplied by Steve Bacon of Live’n History (www.livenhistory.co.uk)

Take a peece of a leg of mutton, mince it small and season it with cloves, Mace pepper ans salt, and Dates minced with currans: then roll it into round rolles, and so into little balles, and so boyle them in a little beefe broth and so serve them foorth.

(The good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchen - Edited by Stuart Peachey)

Ingredients:
Method:

Season mince with cloves, mace, pepper and salt. Mix in finely chopped dates and currants. (I add an egg too, although it doesn’t say in recipe, to bind together). Form into small balls and add to hot stock. Bring to a simmer. Simmer until cooked through.

Sodde Egges

Kindly supplied by Steve Bacon of Live’n History (www.livenhistory.co.uk)

Seeth your Egges almost harde, then peele them and cut them in quarters, then take a little Butter in a frying panne and melt it a little broune, then put to it in to the panne, a little Vinegar, Mustarde, Pepper and Salte, and then put it into a platter upon your Egges.

(The Widowes Treasure -J. Partridge)

Ingredients:

Hard boiled eggs – peeled and quartered

Then for each egg take:

Method:

Melt butter. Stir quickly while adding mustard, salt and pepper. Continue stirring quickly and drizzle vinegar into sauce taking care that the sauce doesn’t split. Arrange eggs in a warm dish. Pour warm sauce over the eggs.

How to make a tart of Apples

Kindly supplied by Steve Bacon of Live’n History (www.livenhistory.co.uk)

Pare your apples and cut away the core, + cut the remant in smal peeces, + seeth it in rosewater or wine til they be faire, + ye must stirre it al the while it seeths, then draw it through a strainer, and season it with sugar sinamon + ginger, + soread it on your paste: + if you wil, ye may serve it in a dish without paste + cut a date or two + lay it on, for a change yee may collour it with Saunders if you wil.

(The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchen)

Ingredients
Method

Peel & core apples and cut into small pieces. Stir continuously while simmering in rosewater or wine until soft. Mash & add sugar and spices. Spread onto pastry (seems to suggest pastry has been baked blind. I think this could be done as individual tarts.) Could also serve without pastry (puree would need to be quite stiff & maybe dried a bit) with a date on top. You can colour the puree using red colouring.

Polonian Sawsedges 

A Tudor recipe from 'Delightes for Ladies’ by Sir Hugh Plat 

“Good with sallats, to garnish boyled meates or to make one relish a cup of wine” 
Ingredients 
Method

Mix ingredients well. Form into small cakes & roll in flour. Fry gently in butter until cooked through. Eat immediately.