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
Boil what quantity of Spring-water you please, three or four walms, and
then let it set the twenty four hours, and pour the clear from the
settling. Take sixteen Gallons of the clear, and boil in it ten handfuls of
Eglantine-leaves, five of Liverwort, five of Scabious, four of Baulm, four
of Rosemary; two of Bay-leaves; one of Thyme, and one of Sweet-marjoram,
and five Eringo-roots splitted. When the water hath drawn out the vertue of
the herbs (which it will do in half an hours boiling,) let it run through a
strainer or sieve, and let it settle so, that you may pour the clear from
the Dregs. To every three Gallons of the Clear, take one of Honey, and with
clean Arms stripped up, lade it for two or three hours, to dissolve the
honey in the water; lade it twice or thrice that day. The next day boil it
very gently to make the scum rise, and scum it all the while, and now and
then pour to it a ladle full of cold water, which will make the scum rise
more: when it is very clear from scum, you may boil it the more strongly,
till it bear an Egge very high, that the breadth of a groat be out of the
water, and that it boil high with great walms in the middle of the Kettle:
which boiling with great Bubbles in the middle is a sign it is boiled to
it's height. Then let it cool till it be Lukewarm, at which time put some
Ale yest into it, to make it work, as you would do Ale. And then put it up
into a fit Barrel first seasoned with some good sweet White-wine (as
Canary-sack) and keep the bung open, till it have done working, filling it
up with some such honey-drink warmed, as you find it sink down by working
over. When it hath almost done working, put into it a bag of thin stuff
(such as Bakers use to bolt in) fastened by a Cord at the bung, containing
two parts of Ginger-sliced, and one apiece of Cinamon, Cloves and Nutmegs,
with a Pebble-stone in it to make it sink; And stop it up close for six
Months or a year, and then you may draw it into bottles. If you like
Cardamon-seeds, you may adde some of them to the spices. Some do like Mint
exceedingly to be added to the other herbs. Where no yeast is to be had,
The Liquor will work if you set it some days in the hot Sun (with a cover,
like the roof of a house over it, to keep wet out, if it chance to rain)
but then you must have great care, to fill it up, as it consumeth, and to
stop it close a little before it hath done working, and to set it then
presently in a Cool Cellar. I am told that the Leaven of bread will make it
work as well as yest, but I have not tryed it. If you will not have it so
strong, it will be much sooner ready to drink; As if you take six parts of
water to one of Honey. Some do like the drink better without either herbs
or spices, and it will be much the whiter. If you will have it stronger,
put but four Gallons and a half of water to one of honey.
You may use what Herbs or Roots you please, either for their tast or
vertue, after the manner here set down.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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