Handwritten recipe

Share

  • Intro

    This extract shows a handwritten note scribbled on the inside of a recipe book. The note was probably written by the original owner of the book. It describes two methods with which to draw thorns from the skin. The first uses pig's liver, lavender, and bacon grease, and the second uses crushed hawthorn bark and red wine.

     

    The late 1500s was the first time that cookery books began to be regularly published and acquired. It was also the first time that cookery books were directed at a female audience. However, literacy rates among women were very low, so it is likely that these books would only have been purchased by the privileged few. In any case, only the higher echelons of society would have had regular access to valuable key ingredients such as sugar, spices, hothouse-grown fruits or plentiful livestock.

     

    Shelfmark: Sloane 1832, f.7v-8

  • Image

  • Transcript

    Handwritten recipe

    Another way to draw out any Thorne, Stubb or Iron in any places ~

    Take the gall of a hogge, bean flowers, Lavender and Bacon grease and myngle these well together and fry them well and lay the same to the place greved. Luke warme use it everye day till it be come fourth and hole.

     

    Another way to draw out a Thorne ~

    Take barke of Haw=thorne tree and stampe it well in a morter with redd wyne and seeth well for a longe tyme and then take it and laye it playster wise to the place soe grived as hott as the patient may suffer it and it will take away the swellinge and ranck imge of it, and then the thorne will come fourth.

    [signature]

     

    The Booke of cookery

    Brawne is best from a fortenight before Mighelmas till Lent. Beife and Bakon is good all times, the yere. Mutton is good at all times, but from Easter to midsommer it is woorst. A fat Pigge is ever in season. A gose is worst in midsommer moone, and best in stubble time, but whé they be yonge Green Geese, than they be best. Veale is best in January and Februarye and all other times good.

    Lambe and young Kidde is best betwene Christmast and Lent, and good from Easter to whitsontide. Kyd is ever good. Hennes be good at all tymes but best from November to lent. Fat Capons be ever in season. Pecockes be ever good: but when they be young and of a good stature, they be as good as fesantes, and so be young groncis. Sinettes bee best betwene all Halowen day and Lent. A Mallard is good after a froste, till Candelmas, so is a Teale

Explore more timeline content: