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
Take Sweet-marjoram, Sweet-bryar-buds, Violet-leaves, Strawberry-leaves, of
each one handful, and a good handful of Violet flowers (the dubble ones
are the best) broad Thyme, Borrage, Agrimony, of each half a handful, and
two or three branches of Rosemary, The seeds of Carvi, Coriander, and
Fennel, of each two spoonfuls, and three or four blades of large-mace. Boil
all these in eight Gallons of running-water, three quarters of an hour.
Then strain it, and when it is but blood-warm, put in as much of the best
honey, as will make the Liquor bear an Egg the breadth of six pence above
the water. Then boil it again as long as any scum will rise. Then set it
abroad a cooling; and when it is almost cold, put in half a pint of good
Ale-barm; and when it hath wrought, till you perceive the barm to fall,
then Tun it, and let it work in the barrel, till the barm leaveth rising,
filling it up every day with some of the same Liquor. When you stop it up,
put in a bag with one Nutmeg sliced, a little whole Cloves and Mace, a
stick of Cinnamon broken in pieces, and a grain of good Musk. You may make
this a little before Michaelmas, and it will be fit to drink at Lent.
This is Sir Edward Bainton's Receipt, Which my Lord of Portland (who gave
it me) saith, was the best he ever drunk.
TO MAKE A SMALL METHEGLIN
Take four Gallons of water, and set it over the fire. Put into it, when it
is warm, eight pounds of honey; as the scum riseth, take it clean off. When
it is clear, put into it three Nutmegs quartered; three or four Races of
Ginger sliced; Then let it boil a whole hour, Then take it off the fire,
and put to it two handfuls of ground Malt; stir it about with a round
stick, till it be as cold as wort, when you put yest to it. Then strain it
out into a pot or Tub, that hath a spiggot and faucet, and put to it a pint
of very good Ale-yest; so let it work for two days; Then cover it close for
about four or five days, and so draw it out into bottles. It will be ready
to drink within three weeks.
TO MAKE MEATH
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