The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight OpenedDigby, Kenelm
History
The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened
Digby, Kenelm
Cooking -- Early works to 1800; Digby, Kenelm, Sir, 1603-1665; Liquors; Wine and wine making -- Early works to 1800
Doctor Bacon related to me, that Mr. Minito the Roman Apothecary, made him
some conserve of Roses, in this manner. He took twelve pounds (of sixteen
Ounces to the pound) of the best lump or Kitchin Sugar, and clarified it
very well with whites of Eggs, using Spring-water in doing this. He made
his reckoning, that his twelve pound of Sugar, came to be but nine pound,
when all the scum was taken away, and the Sugar perfectly clarified. Boil
it then to a Syrup, and when it is about half boiled, go roundly about your
Rose-leaves. They must be picked and the white nails cut off before-hand;
but begin not to beat them before your Syrup is half boiled. Then put
thirty Ounces (which is two pound and an half of Roses to every pound of
such Sugar) of your Red-Roses into the Mortar, and beat them well,
squeesing into them, as you beat them, some of the subtilest and best part
(which comes out first) of about two Limons, which brings out their colour
finely. You must have finished beating your Roses, by then the Sugar is
come by boiling to a high Syrup (for if you should let them lie still in
the Air, but a little while, they would grow black, and of ill colour) then
with your ladle put the Roses to the Sugar, and stir them very well in it,
to Incorporate all well and uniformly together. So let them boil on gently
(for all this while you take not your preserving pan from the fire, and a
thick scum of the Roses will rise, which you scum off from time to time
continually as it comes up, and reserve this in a pot by it self, for it
will be good hard Sugar of Roses, and may be about an eight or ninth part
of the whole. After it is clear from scum, and hath boiled near a quarter
of an hour with the Roses in it, and that you see by a drop upon a plate,
that it is of a due consistence; take your pan from the fire, and stir all
very well together, and put it into pots, which leave uncovered during ten
or twelve days, setting them in the hot strong Sun all the day long during
that time, to give the Roses a fine hard crust or candy at the top; but
under it, in the substance of the matter, it will be like a fine clear
Syrupy gelly. If the Sun favour you not, then you may use a stove. After
twelve days, tie covers of Paper, upon the pots.
Doctor Bacon useth to make a pleasant Julep of this Conserve of Roses, by
putting a good spoonful of it into a large drinking glass or cup; upon
which squeese the juyce of a Limon, and clip in unto it a little of the
yellow rinde of the Limon; work these well together with the back of a
spoon, putting water to it by little and little, till you have filled up
the glass with Spring-water: so drink it. He sometimes passeth it through
an Hypocras bag, and then it is a beautiful and pleasant Liquor.
_FINIS_
THE TABLE[2]
A
Scotch Ale from my Lady Holmbey 98
To make Ale drink quick 100
A very pleasant drink of Apples 100
Ale with Honey 104
Small Ale for the stone 105
Apple drink with Sugar, Honey, &c. 106
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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