Historical Recipes, from any past century or time period

A DISH OF PLAIN PEAS
(Conchiclam De Pisa Simplici)

Cook and skim peas. Then put in a bunch of leeks and coriander. While cooking, grind pepper, lovage and oregano. Add a bouquet garni and mix. Blend with stock. Add olive oil. Cook over a slow fire and serve.

Source: Of Culinary Matters
Marcus Garvius Apicius, 14 A.D.

History: Marcus Garvius Apicius, a Roman gourmand living during the 1st century A.D., was one of the earliest authors of books on cookery and was well known for his penchant for excess as for his knowledge. He reportedly poisoned himself when he awoke from a drunken stupor one morning to discover that he had spent his fortune and would be unable to sustain his current standard of living. Pliny called Apicius "altissimus gurges" or "sublime gullet".

I have had this recipe before and it is indeed tasty!

well then it's a small world indeed!

I was pleasantly surprised to find this thread when I joined the forums. I am so glad it exists! I do plan on trying some of these recipes in the fall. If any of you come across a recipe for baked fish I am searching.

BTW, I did see the Grilled Pike recipe...I was hoping for more.

Here is a link to American cooking from the 1700's on:

http://digital.lib.msu.edu/projects/cookbo...tml/browse.html

Thanks for the link Shadows. Looks good

Here is a recipe for making Meade ( Honey Wine, Metheglin) or whatever name you know it by that dates to 1669.

A Receipt to make Metheglin as it is made at Liege

Take one Measure of Honey, and three Measures of Water, and let it boil till one measure be boiled away, so that there be left three measures in all; as for Example, take to one Pot of Honey, three Pots of Water, and let it boil so long, till it come to three Pots. During which time you must Skim it very well as soon as any scum riseth; which you are to continue till there rise no scum more. You may, if you please, put to it some spice, to wit, Cloves and Ginger; the quantity of which is to be proportioned according as you will have your Meath, strong, or weak. But this you do before it begin to boil. There are some that put either Yeast of Beer, or Leaven of bread into it, to make it work. But this is not necessary at all; and much less to set it into the Sun. Mr. Masillon doth neither the one nor the other. Afterwards for to Tun it, you must let it grow Luke warn, for to advance it. And if you do intend to keep your Meathe a long time, you may put into it some hopps on this fashion. Take to every Barrel of Meathe a Pound of Hops without leaves, that is, of Ordinary Hops used for Beer, but well cleansed, taking only the Flowers, without the Green-leaves and stalks. Boil this pound of Hops in a Pot and half of fair water, till it come to one Pot, and this quantity is sufficient for a Barrel of Meathe. A barrel at Liege holdeth ninety Pots, and a Pot is much as Wine quart in England. (I have since been in formed from Liege, that a Pot of that Countrey holdeth 48 Ounces of Apothecary's measure: which I judge to be a Pottle according to London measure, or two Wine-quarts.) When you Tun your Meath, you must not fill your Barrel by half a foot, that so it may have room to work. Then let it stand six weeks slightly stopped; which being expired, if the Meath do not work, stop it up very close. Yet must you not fill up the Barrel to the very brim. After six Months you draw off the clear into another Barrel, or strong Bottles, leaving the dregs, and filling up your new Barrel, or Bottels, and stopping it or them very close.

The meath that is made this way, (Viz. In the Spring, in the Month of April or May, which is the proper time for making of it,) will keep many a year.



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Recipes from The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digbie Kt Opened: Whereby is Discovered Several ways for making of Metheglin, Sider, Cherry-Wine, &c. together with Excellent Directions for Cookery: As also for Preserving, Conserving, Candying, &c. First edition, London, 1669.

Another recipe for Green Peas, (approx. 1803 ):

To boil Green Pease.
When your pease are shelled, and the water boils, which should not be much more than will cover them, put them in with a few leaves of mint: As soon as they boil, throw in a piece of butter as big as a walnut, and stir them about; when they are enough, strain them off, and sprinkle on a little salt; shake them till the water drains off, send them hot to table, with melted butter in a cup.

Another Mead recipe, this one from 1803:

To make Mead.
To thirteen gallons of water, put thirty pounds of honey, boil and scum it well, then take rosemary, thyme, bay-leaves, and sweet-briar, one handful altogether, boil it an hour, put it into a tub, with a little ground malt; stir it till it is new milk warm; strain it through a cloth, and put into the tub again; cut a toast, and spread it over with good yeast, and put into the tub also; and when the liquor is covered over with yeast, put it up in a barrel: then take of cloves, mace and nutmegs, an ounce and a half; of ginger, sliced an ounce; bruise the spice, tie it up in a rag, and hang it in the vessel, stopping it up close for use.

Here are two links that have proved to be invalueable in my research on foods from the past:

http://www.godecookery.com/trscript/trscri...pt.html#recipes


http://www.gti.net/mocolib1/kid/food.html

A food timeline? Absolutely genius! I can't thank you enough Shadows. It just hadn't even occured to me to search for something like this online.

Found this while doing research:

PIPEFARCES
by Cindy Renfrow

It never ceases to amaze me that supposedly new and exciting recipes can be so very old in origin. Take, for example, the recent craze for fried mozzarella sticks. 10 years ago they were nowhere to be found. Now suddenly almost every Italian-American restaurant offers them, and they're available in a heat-n-eat form from the supermarket as well. Amazing. Especially when you consider that one form of this recipe dates back to at least the 14th century! This recipe for fried cheese sticks, or "pipefarces", appears in Le Ménagier de Paris, a French work of c. 1393.

PIPEFARCES. Prenez des moyeux d'oeufs et de la fleur et du sel, et un pou de vin, et batez fort ensemble, et du frommage tranchié par lesches, et puis la frisiez dedans une paelle de fer et du sain dedens. Aussi en fait l'en de mouelle de beuf.1

(STUFFED STRAWS) PIPEFARCES. Take the yolks of eggs and flour and salt and a little wine and beat them well together and cheese cut into strips and then roll the strips of cheese in the paste and fry them in an iron pan with fat therein. One does likewise with beef marrow.2

PIPEFARCES

2 egg yolks
2 Tablespoons white wine
5 Tablespoons all-purpose flour
dash salt, or to taste
1/2 pound muenster cheese, cut into 1/2-inch by 1/2-inch slices*
oil

Heat the oil in a deep pan until hot. Beat together the egg yolks and wine. Add the flour and salt, and beat until smooth. Dip the cheese in the batter, and coat it completely with a thin layer of batter. Fry the cheese sticks in the oil until the cheese sticks float and appear golden. Remove and drain on paper towels. Serve hot.

Makes about 10 cheese sticks.

Here is a very old way of poaching eggs. I have included the original, a translation and a modern method.


To make egges in moneshine

PERIOD: England, 1545 | SOURCE: A Propre new booke of Cokery | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Egg yolks poached in rosewater



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To make egges in moneshine.

Take a disshe of rose water and a dissh full of suger and set them vpon a chafyngdisshe & let them boyle / than take the yelkes of eight or nyne egges new layde and put them thereto euery one from other / and so let them harden a litel / and so after this maner serue them foarth and cast a lytell Sinamon and Suger vpon them.



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To make eggs in moonshine.

Take a dish of rosewater and a dish full of sugar and set them upon a chafingdish & let them boil / then take the yolks of eight or nine eggs new laid and put them thereto every one from other / and so let them harden a little / and so after this manner serve them forth and cast a little Cinnamon and Sugar upon them.



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Roswater
Sugar
Egg yolks
Cinnamon
In a frying pan or a skillet (or whatever sort of pan you prefer to use for poaching eggs) bring the rosewater & sugar to a boil; reduce heat to a very soft simmer. Carefully add the egg yolks one at a time, keeping them separate, and cook just until the yolks harden. Remove from the liquid with a slotted spoon, place on a serving dish or bowl, and garnish with sugar & cinnamon.

Recipe Name: CHOWNING'S TAVERN WELSH RAREBIT W/ BEER
Category: 18TH CENTURY
Serves: 4

SOURCE CHOWNING'S TAVERN

12 ounces beer divided
dash of cayenne pepper
or
Tabasco Sauce
2 Tblsp cornstarch mixed with
4 ounces of the beer
1/2 teaspo dry mustard
1 tables butter
1/2 teaspo salt
1 pound sharp cheddar cheese
grated
1/2 teaspo Worcestershire sauce


Simmer 8 ounces of the beer. Stir in dissolved cornstarch solution and return to a simmer. Reduce heat to low. Add butter and cheese and stir until smooth. Add all remaining ingredients. Place in ovenproof serving dish. Brown quickly under broiler and serve immediately over thick toast with broiled tomato wedges.


Note: Any cheese mixture that is left can be refrigerated and used as an excellent spread for crackers or toast.