Food History

I feel all kinds of eighteenth century today. This doesn’t explain why the fried foods I’m giving you right now are from the seventeenth. Basically, we’ve had thunderstorms and sickeningly humid weather and I’m beyond explanations. I’m cooking a nineteenth century fried cheese dish for my guests tomorrow. That seventeenth and that nineteenth century average out at eighteenth, maybe.

I do love the title of John Murray’s book. In fact, I’ve suggested to a friend of mine that he couldn’t do better than emulating this title for his next novel. Russell Kirkpatrick writes mega-fantasy and apparently his next novel is dark and violent, but I still think that a title that takes the whole page is the way to go.

A NEW BOOKE of Cookerie. Wherein is set forth the newest and most commendable Fashion for Dressing or Sowcing, eyther Flesh, Fish, or Fowle. Together with making of all sorts of Iellyes, and other made-Dishes for service; both to beautifie and adorne eyther Nobleman or Gentlemans Table. Hereunto also is added the most exquisite London Cookerie. All set forth according to the now, new, English and French fashion. Set forth by the observation of a Traveller. I.M. [John Murray] LONDON: Printed for Iohn Browne, and are to be solde at his Shop in S. Dunstanes Church-yard. 1615.

To make French puffes with greene Hearbes.

Take Spinage, Parsley, Endife, a sprigge or two of Savory: mince them very fine: season them with Nutmeg, Ginger, and Sugar. Wet them with Egges, according to the quantitie of the Hearbes, more or lesse. Then take the coare of a Lemmon, cut it in round slices very thinne: put to every slice of your Lemmon one spoonefull of this stuffe. Then frye it with sweet Lard in a Frying panne as you frye Egges, and serve them with sippets or without, sprinckle them eyther with white Wine or Sacke, or any other Wine, saving Rennish Wine. Serve them eyther at Dinner or Supper

To make Apple pufs.

Take a Pomewater or any other Apple that is not hard, or harsh in taste: mince it small with a dozen or twenty Razins of the Sunne: wet the Apples in two Egges, beat them all together with the backe of a Knife, or a Spoone. Season them with Nutmeg, Rosewater, Sugar, and Ginger: drop them into a Frying-pan with a Spoone, frye them like Egges, wring on the iuyce of an Orenge, or Lemmon, and serve them in.

To make some Kickshawes in Paste, to Frye or Bake, in what forme you please.

Make some short puftpaste, rowle it thinne: if you have any moulds you may worke it upon your moulds, with the pulp of Pippins, seasoned with Sinamon, Ginger, Sugar, and Rosewater, close them up, and bake them, or frye them: or you may fill them with Gooseberryes, seasoned with Sugar, Sinamon, Ginger, and Nutmeg: rowle them up in yolkes of Egs, and it will keepe your Marrow being boyled, from melting away, or you may fill them with Curds, boyled up with whites of Egges, and Creame, or yellow with the yolkes, and Cream, and it will be a tender Curde: but you must season the Curd with parboyld Currins, three or foure sliced Dates put into it, or sixe bits of Marrow, as big as halfe a Walnut: put in some small pieces of Almond-paste, Sugar, Rosewater, and Nutmeg. And this will serue for any of these Kickeshawes, eyther to bake, or for a Florentine in puftpaste: any of these you may frye or bake, for Dinner or Supper.