My

new book
by

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Table of Contents

1. introduction
2. 14th century royal
3. 14th century royal
4. 14th century royal
5. 14th century royal
6. 14th century royal
7. 14th century royal
8. 15th century royal
9. 15th century royal
10. 15th century royal
11. 15th century royal
12. 15th century royal
13. 15th century royal
14. 16th century royal
15. 16th century royal
16. 16th century royal
17. 16th century royal
18. 16th century royal
19. 16th century royal
 1. introduction
A great variety of different dishes were eaten by royalty and nobility. Spices were very
popular in this era, and meat or fish were often served with rich, spicy sauces. Ginger,
pepper, cloves, and cinnamon were all popular flavorings, as were mustard, vinegar, and
verjuice (the juice of unripe grapes). Meat and fish might be boiled, baked or roasted, or
made into stews, pies, fritters, etc. There were also other dishes that were popular.

One such dish was a blankmanger, consisting of a paste of chicken blended with rice
boiled in almond milk, seasoned with sugar, cooked until very thick, and garnished with
fried almonds and anise. Another was a mortrews, of fish or meat that was pounded,
mixed with breadcrumbs, stock, and eggs, and poached, producing a kind of quenelle, or
dumpling.

Another popular dish was frumenty, made of boiled hulled wheat and milk of almonds,
rather like a porridge, to which was added a meat, and saffron and other spices.

A popular dish at feasts for royalty and nobility was a swan, peacock or pheasant that had
been carefully removed from its skin, roasted, and then had the skin replaced, so it would
be carried into the dining room in its plumage.

Exotic game birds were a popular item at feasts, like rail, bittern, crane , egret and young
heron. Other less exotic items might include roast suckling rabbits, and pigeons, beef and
mutton (possibly stewed or roasted). Roast meats were nearly always served with a sauce,
although some birds, such as curlews, were served only with salt. Sauces were regarded as
an important part of a dish and were served separately.

Exotic coloring was often used in feasts, and one dish was described as ‘purpil’. This was
probably a red coloring, perhaps from ‘saunders’ a variety of sandalwood much used for
coloring, or dragon’s blood (a bright red dye obtained from various plants). The
appearance of food was very important, and probably most dishes were colored in some
way, often with saundres, or with saffron to give a bright yellow, as in frumenty and
mawmenny. Another practice, similar to colouring,w as to cover a dish with silver or gold
foil. In one case a pig was stuffed with a ****, which was itself stuffed with a mixture of
pine nuts and sugar, and the whole roasted. It was then coloured with saffron,a nd gold and
silver foil.

An important feature of medieval feast were the ‘subtleties’, elaborate table decorations
introduced at the end of every course. Sometimes a subtlety was an ornament made of
sugar or marzipan that was eaten. Anything could be represented. In great feasts it was
frequently something relevant to the occasion. For example, at the banquet for the
corionation of Katherine, wife of Henry V of England, there were subtleties showing
scenes from the life of Saint Katherine.

All medieval feasts took the same general pattern of two, three or four courses, each
consisting of several dishes. The more eminent the occasion, the more dishes per course.
The order of the dishes within the courses varied. Soup might come first, then eggs, fish
and meat, then the entremets such as swans, peacocks or pheasants dressed in their
plumage, and finally the dessert. But this was not always the pattern. The fifteenth century
Modus Cenandi suggests soup first, then flesh dishes (both animals and birds) followed by
pies and pasties, then fried dishes, and finally the dessert, wafers, fruits, light cakes and
spiced wine. On fast days soup was to be followed by fish dishes, then ‘soft’ dishes, and
lastly fried puddings. Another fifteenth century manuscript gives an elaborate order for a
fish course, with salted fish followed by fried fish, then sea fish, fresh-water fish, roas fish
and so on.

I put together the most popular medieval dishes eaten by the royals for century’s. I started
replicating these royal dinners over six years ago for social gatherings, and the food has
always been a hit.
if you are looking to impress, you’re in the right place! Hope you enjoy!
 2. 14th century royal

Blancmanger

The dish called Blancmanger in the middle ages was not much like the modern dessert of
the same name. This dish, a slightly sweet casserole of chicken and rice, was served all
across Europe and appears in just about every medieval cookbook. While often described
as being suitable for the infirm, it still found its place on the menus of coronation banquets
and wedding feasts.

1 pound chicken
4 cups cooked white rice (about 1 1/2 cup uncooked)
1/2 cup almond milk
1 cup water
2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Boil chicken until very tender and allow to cool. Tease meat apart with forks until well
shredded. Put meat into a large pot with remaining ingredients and cook over medium heat
until thick. Serve hot.

Take Rys, an lese hem clene, and wasshe hem clene in flake Water, and than sethe hem in
Watere, and aftyrward in Almaunde Mylke, and do ther-to Brawn of the Capoun aftyrward
in-to a-nother almaunde Mylke, an tese it smal sumdele with a pyn, an euer as it wolt caste
ther-to, stere it wel; nym Sugre and caste ther-to, then make it chargeaunt; then take
blawn-chyd Almaundys, an frye hem, an sette hem a-boue, whan thou seruyst ynne; and 3
if thou wolt, thou my3te departe hem with a Cawdelle Ferry y-wreten before, an than
serue forth.
Take faire Almondes, and blanche hem, And grynde hem with sugour water into faire
mylke; and take ryse, and seth. And whan they beth wel y-sodde, take hem vppe, and caste
hem to the almondes mylke, and lete hem boile togidre til thei be thikk; And then take the
brawne of a Capon, and tese hit small, And caste thereto; and then take Sugur and salt, and
caste thereto, and serue hit forth in maner of mortrewes.

Take Capouns and seeþ hem, þenne take hem up. take Almandes blaunched. grynd hem
and alay hem up with the same broth. cast the mylk in a pot. waisshe rys and do þerto and
lat it seeþ. þanne take brawn of Capouns teere it small and do þerto. take white grece
sugur and salt and cast þerinne. lat it seeþ. þenne messe it forth and florissh it with aneys
in confyt rede oþer whyt. and with Almaundes fryed in oyle. and serue it
 3. 14th century royal

Ember Day Tart

This is such a simple dish and so suited to the modern palate that just about everybody and
their cousin has their own version. My lady likes it so much that we’ve been calling it
“Emma’s Day Tart”

4 Tbsp. butter, melted

1/2 tsp. salt
pinch saffron
6 eggs
1/2 medium onion, coarsley chopped
1/2 lb. soft cheese, grated
1/2 cup currants (zante currants)
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. sage
1 tsp. hyssop
1 tsp. powder douce
Grind saffron with salt, mix with butter, and set aside.

Place onions into boiling water and cook until just tender and drain.

Beat eggs and combine with saffron-butter, onions, and remaining ingredients, pour into
pastry shell, and bake at 350°F for one hour.
Tart in Ymbre day. Take and perboile oynouns presse out þe water & hewe hem smale.
take brede & bray it in a morter, and temper it up with Ayren. do þerto butter, safroun and
salt, & raisouns corauns, & a litel sugur with powdour douce, and bake it in a trap, &
serue it forth.

Tart in ymbre day. Take and perboile oynouns & erbis & presse out þe water & hewe hem
smale. Take grene chese & bray it in a morter, and temper it vp with ayren. Do þerto
butter, safroun & salt, & raisouns corauns, & a litel sugar with powdour douce, & bake it
in a trap, & serue it forth.
 4. 14th century royal

Cormarye

This is an exceptionally simple and very tasty recipe. The combination of coriander and
caraway, a bit unusual for medieval English recipes, gives the meat and the sauce a strong,
complimentary flavor.

2 lbs. pork loin

1 1/2 tsp. coriander
1 1/2 tsp. caraway
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups red wine
1 cup broth
Mix spices and garlic with wine and pour over pork in a roasting pan. Cover and bake at
350° until cooked through, basting regularly. Strain the drippings from the roasting pan
into a saucepan, along with the broth. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.
Serve sauce with pork.

Take Colyandre, Caraway smale grounden, Powdour of Peper and garlec ygrounde in rede
wyne, medle alle þise togyder and salt it, take loynes of Pork rawe and fle of the skyn, and
pryk it wel with a knyf and lay it in the sawse, roost þerof what þou wilt, & kepe þat þat
fallith þerfro in the rosting and seeþ it in a possynet with faire broth, & serue it forth witþ
þe roost anoon.
 5. 14th century royal

Pegions Stewed

This is an amazingly simple recipe that is good served hot or cold. While it calls for
pigeon, I use chicken legs and thighs - they’re a lot cheaper and easier to find, and the
dark meat is a close enough match for taste and texture. It goes exceptionally well with
Onion Salad.

3-4 pounds chicken

2 cups broth
1 clove garlic
1 Tbsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. marjoram
1/2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. powder fort
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch saffron
Place all ingredients in a large pot and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer
until done - about 20 minutes.

To mak pegions stewed hew pegions small and put them in an erthen pot then tak erbes
and pilled garlike and chope them to gedur and put them in good brothe put ther to whit
grece poudur and vergious colour it with saffron and salt it and stew it well and serue it.

Take peions and stop hem with garlec ypylled and with gode erbes ihewe. and do hem in
an erthen pot. cast þerto gode broth and whyte grece. Powdour fort. safroun verious & salt.

Take peions and hew hom in morselle smalle, Put hom in a erþyn pot, þou shalle. Take
pilled garlek and herbys anon, Hack hom smalle er þou more don. Put hom in þo pot, and
þer to take Gode brothe with wyte grece, þou no3t forsake. Do powdur þer to and gode
verius, Coloure hit with safron, and salt inow. Þou put in pote þese þynges alle, And stue
þy peions þus þou schalle.
 6. 14th century royal

Mawmeny

This dish looks very similar to any number of Indian recipes, small chunks of meat in a
reddish-brown gravy. The fact that I tried it served over rice most likely added to this
mental association. At a proper medieval dinner though, this would have most likely been
served in a bowl over bread or toast.

1 pound chicken
2 cups almond milk
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. rice flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. galingale
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. mace
pinch saffron
Chop the chicken finely and place in a large pot. Whisk together almond milk egg yolks
and rice flour, and add to chicken. Add spices and bring to a low boil. Simmer until thick,
and serve hot.

Take þe chese and of Flessh of Capouns or of Hennes. & hakke smale in a morter. take
mylke of Almandes with þe broth of freissh Beef, oþer freissh flessh. & put the flessh in
þe mylke oþer in the broth and set hem to þe frye. & alye hem up with flour of Ryse. or
gastbon. or amydoun. as chargeant as with blanke desire. & with zolkes of ayren and
safroun for to make it zelow. and when it is dressit in disshes with blank desire styk above
clowes de gilofre. & strewe Powdour of galyngale above. and serue it forth.

with a pounde of sugur take and clarifye the sugur with a qantite of wyne an drawe it
thurgh a straynour in to a pot of erthe take flour of Canell. and medle with sum of the
wyne an cast to gydre. take pynes with Dates and frye hem a litell in grece oþer in oyle
and cast hem to gydre. take clowes an flour of canel hool and cast þerto. take powdour
gyngur. canel. clower, colour it with saundres a lytel yf hit be nede cast salt þerto. and lat
it seeþ; warly with a slowe fyre and not to thyk, take brawn of Capouns yteysed. oþer of
Fesauntes teysed small and cast þerto.

Take gode Milke of Almaundys, & flowre of Rys, & gode Wyne crete, or the brawn of a
Capoune, other of Fesaunte, & Sugre, & pouder Gyngere, & Galyngale, & of Canelle, &
boyle y-fere; & make it chargeaunt, & coloure it with Alkenade, other with Saunderys; &
if it be Red, a-lye it with olkys of Eyroun; & make smal cofyns of dow, & coloure hem
with-owte, & bake on an ovyn, & coloure with-ynne & wyth-oute; then haue Hony y-
boylid hote, & take a dyssche, & wete thin dyssche in the hony, & with the wete dyssche
ley the malmenye & the cofyns; & whan they ben bake, & thou dressest yn, caste a-boue
blaunche pouder, Quybibe, mace, Gelofre; & thanne serue it forth.

Recipe brawne of capons or of hennys & dry þam wele, & taise þam small; þan take thyk
mylk of almonds & put þe saide brawne þerto, & styr it wele ouer þe fyre, & seson it with
suger & powder of canell, with mase & quibibs & anneys in confete, & serof it forth.
 7. 14th century royal

Pety Pernauntes

I wasn’t sure when I first read through this recipe if it was going to be like a sweet or a
savory dish. It’d be like a custard, except without the milk. It’d be like a quiche, except
without egg whites and with added sugar. I figured that the only way I was going to know
for sure is to try it out.

Instead of being like either, it turned out to be something else. It’s sort of a dense and
pleasantly flavored dessert tart, vaguely reminiscent of lemon-bars. It would be excellent
with a regular pie crust or with something more like shortbread.

I tried both versions of the recipe - the one where the yolks are kept whole, and the one
where they’re whisked in with the rest of the ingredients - keeping the proportions pretty
much the same. The one with the whole yolks was prettier, but this one tasted better.

12 egg yolks
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup currants
1/2 tsp. ginger
Mix egg yolks, sugar, and ginger together well. Add currants and pour into tart crust. Bake
at 350° until done - about 40 minutes.

Pety Pernollys. Take fayre Floure, Safroun, Sugre, and Salt, and make ther-of past; than
make smal cofyns; then take 3olkys of Eyroun, and trye hem fro the whyte; and lat the
3olkys be al hole, and no3t to-broke, and ley .iij. or .iiij. zolkys in a cofyn; and than take
marow of bonys, to or .iij. gobettys, and cowche in the cofynn; than take pouder Gyngere,
Sugre, Roysonys of coraunce, and caste a-boue; and than kyuere thin cofyn with the same
past, and bake hem, and frye hem in fayre grece, and serue forth

Pety Pernauntes. Take fayre Flowre, Sugre, Safroun, an Salt, and make ther-offe fayre past
and fayre cofynges; than take fayre y-tryid 3olkys Raw, and Sugre, an pouder Gyngere,
and Raysounys of Coraunce, and myncyd Datys, but not to smal; than caste al this on a
fayre bolle, and melle al to-gederys, and put in thin cofyn, and lat bake other Frye in
Freyssche grece.

Pety pernantes. Take faire floure, Sugur, Saffron, and salt, and make paast ther-of; then
make small Coffyns, then cast in eche a coffyn .iij. or iiij rawe yolkes of egges hole, and
ij. gobettes or iij. of Mary couche therin; then take powder of ginger, Sugur, Reysons of
Corans, and cast above; then cover the coffyn with a lyd of the same paste; then bake hem
in a oven, or elles fry hem in faire grece fressh, And then serve hit forthe.

Auter peti pernantes. Take and make thi Coffyns as hit is a-for said; then take rawe yolkes
of egges, tryude in sugur, pouder of Gynger, and resons of Corans, and mysed mary, but
not to small, And caste all this into a faire boll, and medel all to-gidre, and put hit in
coffyns, and bake hem, or fry hem as thou diddest be the tother.

Take male Marow. hole parade and kerue it rawe. powdour of Gynger. zolkes of Ayrenn,
dates mynced. raisouns of coraunce. salt a lytel. & loke þat þou make þy past with zolkes
of Ayren. & þat no water come þerto.
 8. 15th century royal

Chike endored

This batter adds a nice flavor to the chicken, but it will still go well if served with a sauce.
If served without a sauce then more spice can be added to increase the flavor.

4 chicken breasts, skinless

6 egg yolks
2 - 3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch saffron
Bake chicken at 350° for 25 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. Mix remaining
ingredients to form a thick batter. Slice chicken into large pieces and place on skewers.
Coat with batter and broil until coating is just turning golden. Be sure to turn the chicken
over halfway through broiling.

Chike endored. Take a chike, and drawe him, and roste him, And lete the fete be on, and
take awey the hede; then make batur of yolkes of eyron and floure, and caste there-to
pouder of ginger, and peper, saffron and salt, and pouder hit faire til hit be rosted ynogh.
 9. 15th century royal

Rice Lombard

This is a very simple rice dish. The broth and saffron add a rich, warm flavor.

1 1/2 cups rice

3 cups broth
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch saffron
pinch cinnamon
pinch sugar
Put broth, salt, and saffron into a large saucepan and bring to a boil. Add rice, cover, and
reduce heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Sprinkle with sugar and
cinnamon.

Ryse Lumbard Rynnyng. Recipe ryse & pyke þam wele, & wesh þam in .iii. or .iiij.
waters, & than seth þam in clene water til þai begyn to boyle. And at þe fyrst bolyng put
oute þe water & seth it in broth of flesh, & put þerto sugyre & colour it with saferon, &
serof it forth.

Rise Lombard Standyng. Recipe & make þam in pe same manere, safe take perto brothe of
flesh, salmon, or congyr; & cast berto powdre of canel, & make peron lyure of brede as it
is aforesaide.
 10. 15th century royal

Pigge or Chiken in Sauge

This is a variant on Cold Sage Sauce that I’d done quite a while ago. It’s much simpler and
more piquant, and has a flavor reminiscent of deviled eggs. The original source did not say
to cook the sauce at all, but I felt it would help mellow the ingredients a bit.

2 hard-boiled eggs (yolks only)

2 tsp. sage
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
Mash hard boiled egg yolks into fine crumbs. Add spices and mix well. Add vinegar and
heat in a small sauce pan until boiling, thinning with water as necessary to keep desired
consistency. Serve hot over chicken or pork.

Pigge or chiken in Sauge. Take a pigge, Draw him, smyte of his hede, kutte him in .iiij.
quarters, boyle him til he be ynow, take him vppe, and lete cole, smyte him in peces; take
an hondefull. or .ij. of Sauge, wassh hit, grynde it in a morter with hard yolkes of egges;
then drawe hit vppe with goode vinegre, but make hit not to thyn; then seson hit with
powder of Peper, ginger, and salt; then cowche thi pigge in disshes, and caste the sirippe
ther-vppon, and serue it forthe.
 11. 15th century royal

Onion and Parsley Salad

I’ve found a number of variations of this recipe served as a garnish for boiled seafood and
other meats. While I use garlic here, some recipes leave it out, and others have called for
cinnamon or cloves.

1 medium onion
1 bunch parsley
2 cloves garlic (add more or less to taste)
red wine vinegar
Chop the onion and parsley well and mix. Mince and add garlic. Add enough vinegar to
moisten everything. Mix and allow time for flavors to mingle.

Sauce for peiouns. Take percely, oynouns, garleke, and salt, and mynce smal the percely
and the oynouns, and grynde the garleke, and temper it with vynegre y-now: and mynce
the rostid peiouns and cast the sauce ther-on a-boute, and serue it forth.
 12. 15th century royal

Pynade

This is the normal (candy) version of the recipe, which leaves out the chicken. The result
is a sort of “pine nut brittle” with a pleasant spice flavor.

2 cups honey
1/4 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. galengale
1/4 tsp. cinnamon (canelle)
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. grains of paradise
1 cup pine nuts
Put honey, spices, and pine nuts into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Keep boiling the
mixture until it reaches 300°F (what’s called “hard crack stage” in candy making). Pour
onto a baking sheet or piece of aluminum foil. Allow to cool and then break it into pieces
and serve.

Take Honey & gode pouder Gyngere, & Galyngale, & Canelle, Pouder pepir, & graynys
of parys, & boyle y-fere; than take kyrnelys of Pynotys & caste ther-to; & take chyconys
y-sothe, & hew hem in grece, & caste ther-to, & lat sethe y-fere; & then lat droppe ther-of
on a knyf; & if it cleuyth & wexyth hard, it ys y-now; & then putte it on a chargere tyl it
be cold, & mace lechys, & serue with other metys; & if thou wolt make it in spycery, then
putte non chykonys ther-to.
 13. 15th century royal

Quynces or Wardones in Paast

I didn’t core the quince and leave them whole as described in the source recipe because I
didn’t have a 1 1/4 inch auger bit and a drill press. Quinces are tough critters and carving
them out as directed would be a substantial task. While it isn’t called for in the source
below, I’ve added true cinnamon to the recipe. Both “The English Housewife” and “The
Neapolitan Recipe Collection” contain quince pie recipes that make use of cinnamon, so it
seemed an acceptable addition.

5 quinces or pears
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
Peel fruit, quarter, core, and slice. Arrange the pieces tightly in pie shell. Mix sugar,
ginger, and cinnamon, and sprinkle over fruit pieces. Cover with top crust and bake at
350°F. for 90 minutes, or until done.

Quynces or Wardones in paast. Take and make rounde cofyns of past; and take rawe
quynces, and pare hem wit a knyfe, and take oute clene the core; And take Sugur ynog,
and a litull pouder ginger and stoppe the hole full. And then couche ij. or iij. quynces or
wardons in a Coffyn, and keuer hem, And lete hem bake; or elles take clarefied hony in-
stede of sugur, if thou maist none sugur; And if thou takest hony put thereto a litull pouder
peper, and ginger, and put hit in the same maner in the quynces or wardons, and late hem
bake ynog
 14. 16th century royal

Applemoyse

This is a variant of Applemuse that is more like Chardwardon. It’s very easy to make, and
downright addictive - especially when topped with Snowe

3 cups apple sauce

3/4 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
Mix with ingredients in a saucepan. Heat until it starts to boil and becomes very thick.
Serve warm or cold.

To make Applemoyse. Take a dosen apples and ether rooste or boyle them and drawe them
thorowe a streyner, and the yolkes of three or foure egges withal, and, as ye strayne them,
temper them wyth three or foure sponefull of damaske water yf ye wyll, than take and
season it wyth suger and halfe a dysche of swete butter, and boyle them upon a
chaffyngdysche in a platter, and caste byskettes or synamon and gynger upon them and so
serve them forthe.
 15. 16th century royal

A Dishe of Artechokes

One of the many vegetable dishes served in medieval England, this is simple to prepare
but still delicious and elegant.

10 - 12 artichoke bottoms, cooked

1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
2 Tbsp. water
1 Tbsp. large crystal sugar
4 Tbsp. butter
dash vinegar
Mix pepper, cinnamon, and ginger with water. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Add
artichoke bottoms and allow to marinate for 15 minutes. Place into baking dish and add
butter and vinegar. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar and serve.

To make a dishe of Artechokes. Take your Artechokes and pare away all the top even to
the meate and boyle them in sweete broth till they be somewhat tender, then take them out,
and put them into a dishe, and seethe them with Pepper, synamon and ginger, and then put
in your dishe that you meane to bake them in, and put in Marrowe to them good store, and
so let them bake, and when they be baked, put in a little Vinegar and butter, and sticke
three or foure leaves of the Artechoks in the dishe when you serve them up, and scrape
Suger on the dish.
 16. 16th century royal

Peach Tart

This is an incredibly easy pie to make. Boiling the peaches before putting them in the pie
seems a bit odd at first, but it allows the use of slightly under-ripe peaches and also
reduces the baking time.

5 peaches (4 cups)
1/4 cup red wine
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/4 tsp. salt
Peel peaches, remove pits, and slice. Parboil in water until just tender. Drain peaches well
and place in pie crust. Make syrup of sugar, spices, and wine. Pour over peaches and cover
with top crust, making a few slits in the top. Bake at 425°F for 10 minutes, then reduce
heat to 350°F and bake until done, about 30-40 minutes more.

To make all maner of fruit Tartes. You must boyle your fruite, whether it be apple, cherrie,
peach, damson, peare, Mulberie, or codling, in faire water, and when they be boyled
inough, put them into a bowle, and bruse them with a ladle, and when they be colde,
straine them, and put in red wine or Claret wine, and so season it with suger, sinamon and
ginger.
 17. 16th century royal

To Make Pyes

The extra marrow or lard is not absolutely necessary for this recipe due to the fat content
in most commercially available meats. If you’re using minced beef or mutton with very
little fat then you’ll need to add a tablespoon or two of lard.

1 to 2 lbs. mutton or beef, minced

1/4 cup prunes, chopped
1/4 cup dates, chopped
1/4 cup raisins
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
pinch saffron, ground
double recipe for Short Paest for Tarts
(saffron optional)

Mix the filling ingredients and set aside. Cut the butter into the flour thoroughly. Mix in
egg yolk and enough water to let the dough hold together. Separate into eight portions and
roll out. Place one eighth of the filling into each, fold over, and seal with water. Bake at
350°F until crust is golden - about 30 minutes.

Ground meat may be used in place of minced, but this will change both the flavor and
texture of the pie.

To make Pyes. Pyes of mutton or beif must be fyne mynced and ceasoned wyth pepper
and salte, and a lyttle saffron to coloure it, suet or marrow a good quantite, a lyttle
vyneger, prumes, greate raysins, and dates, take the fattest of the broathe of powdred
beyfe, and yf you wyll haue paest royall, take butter and yolkes of egges, and to tempre
the flowre to make the paeste.
 18. 16th century royal

Humbles of a Deere

This “mincemeat” pie is a combination of meat and sweet that is uncommon in modern
western cuisine. Because of this, and the associations of mincemeat with Christmas
traditions, it has a sort of special holiday feel to it.

There are some quirks in this recipe worth noting. There is little to suggest that the reicpe
is for a pie, however it is clear that finely chopped meat must be baked inside a container
of some sort, and the recipes on either side of this one in the original source are for tarts
and pies. Further, while there is no explicit instruction to boil the kidneys before cooking,
the majority of medieval recipes for humbles do state that this should be done.

Deer kidneys can be very hard to obtain, and may not appeal to everyone. Fortunately,
minced or ground venison may be used in place of the deer kidneys without substantially
changing the flavor of this recipe.

1 lb. deer kidneys

1/2 cup dates, pitted and chopped
1/2 cup currants
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ginger
1/8 tsp. cloves
1/8 tsp. mace
2 Tbsp. butter
4 Tbsp. butter
1 Tbsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
Slice the kidneys and boil them well in water until they are cooked through. Allow them to
cool, and then mince them. Place them into a bowl, along with the dates, currants, sugar,
and spices. Mix well and put into a 9-inch pie crust. Top with pats of butter and cover with
top crust. Make a half-inch hole in the center of the pie. Bake at 350°F until the crust is
golden brown.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Mix sugar, cinnamon, and ginger together and add to
butter. Bring to a boil and then pour as much as possible into the hole in the top of the pie.
Serve warm.

To bake the humbles of a Deere. Mince them verie small, and season them with pepper,
Sinamom and ginger, and suger if you will, and cloues & mace, and dates, and currants,
and if you will, mince Almonds, and put unto them, and when it is baked, you may put in
fine fat, and put in suger, sinamom and ginger, and let it boile, and when it is minced, put
them together.
 19. 16th century royal

Conserve of Orenges

This is positively wonderful stuff. The combination of oranges and rose water fills the
house with an incredible fragarance as it boils, and the resulting preserves are simply
delightful.

The oranges available in the medieval period were more bitter than the ones we get now. I
therefore left out the precooking step as it wouldn’t improve the flavor, and would
probably have lessened it quite a bit.

4 lbs. oranges
4 cups sugar
1 cup rose water
1 cup water
Cut the zest from the oranges and set aside. Then carefully slice the remaining peel and
pith from the oranges. Slice the oranges thinly, and place into a large pot along with the
zest, sugar, water, and rose water. Bring to a boil and simmer until the oranges break up
and the mixture begins to thicken. Serve at room temperature.

To make Conserve of Orenges. Take Orenges and pare them very thin the red of the out
sides away and quarter them in four, and take away the white of the inside, then seeth
them in faire water softlye for breaking, ofte change them in warm water til they be lost:
as the yelownes dooth seeth away, so weareth away the bitternes, then take them out of the
water and lay them in a fair vessell that the water may run away from them, then beate
them small with a spoone, and put to every pound of Orenges one pound of sugar, and half
a pound of Rosewater, and boile them togither and box them.
 Table of Contents
1. introduction
2. 14th century royal
3. 14th century royal
4. 14th century royal
5. 14th century royal
6. 14th century royal
7. 14th century royal
8. 15th century royal
9. 15th century royal
10. 15th century royal
11. 15th century royal
12. 15th century royal
13. 15th century royal
14. 16th century royal
15. 16th century royal
16. 16th century royal
17. 16th century royal
18. 16th century royal
19. 16th century royal