[Sca-cooks] athol brose

[Stefan li Rous]

Gytha "Nac Mac Feegle!"  Karlsdotter asked:
> Ok, an actual couple of serious questions from me:
>
> 1)  Does anyone here have a good recipe for athol brose, and
>
> 2)  is athol brose period?

Well, the following is from the beverages-msg file in the Florilegium.

--
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris            Austin, Texas          stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****

> From: James and/or Nancy Gilly <KatieMorag at worldnet.att.net>
> To: sca-cooks at eden.com
> Subject: sca-cooks Re: Atholbrose.
> Date: Thu, 10 Apr 1997 23:31:56 +0000
>
> At 04:55 10-4-97 +0000, Sianan wrote:
> >Does any of the brewers hiding out there know the recipe for Atholbrose?
> >It's a favourite for highland gatherings.
> >
> >  I know it involves oat starch, whiskey, sugar and cream, but that's all I
> >know, my understanding of the brewers art being limited.
> >
> >-Sianan
>
> Atholl Brose
>
> It was very common to mix whisky with honey in the past and equally common
> to mix liquid with oatmeal.  Bringing the two together in this potent way is
> credited to a Duke of Atholl during a Highland rebellion in 1475, who is
> said to have foiled his enemies by filling the well which they normally
> drank from with this ambrosial mixture, which so intoxicated them that they
> were easily taken.
>
> Some traditional recipes leave in the whole oatmeal while this one, reputed
> to have come from a Duke of Atholl, uses only the strained liquid from
> steeping the oatmeal in water.
>
> 6 oz / 175 g medium oatmeal (1-1/2 c)
> 4 tablespoons heather honey
> 1-1/2 pt / 3/4 L whisky (3-3/4 c)
> 3/4 pt / 450 ml water (2 c)
>
> Put the oatmeal into a bowl and add the water.  Leave for about an hour.
> Put into fine sieve and press all the liquid through.  (Use the remaining
> oatmeal for putting into bread or making porridge - see p. 26).  Add honey
> to the sieved liquid and mix well.  Pour into a large bottle and fill up
> with the whisky.  Shake well before use.
>
> Uses
>
> May be drunk as a liqueur; is often served at festive celebrations such as
> New Year, or may be mixed with stiffly whipped cream and served with
> shortbread as a sweet.
>
> (*Scottish Cookery*, by Catherine Brown, p 28.  Richard Drew Publishing,
> Glasgow, 1990.  Copyright 1989 by Catherine Brown)
>
> Slainte -
>
> Alasdair mac Iain of Elderslie          Argent, a chevron cotised azure
> Dun na Leomhainn Bhig                   surmounted by a sword and in chief
> Barony of Marinus                       two mullets sable