[Sca-cooks] "Fresh" Cheese Question

[Elise Fleming]

Greetings!  I'm messing around with a 15th-century "tart owte of lente"
recipe which calls for "nesshe" (fresh) cheese.  Robin, at Hampton Court,
said to use either Cheshire or Wensleydale cheese.  However, in looking
through the Florilegium, it would seem that these aren't "fresh" cheeses. 
Would you agree?  In one of Bear's old posts he mentions using "farmer's
cheese" for fresh cheese, and others suggest that if that isn't available,
to drain cottage cheese as an approximation.  I also saw that someone
suggested using fresh mozzarella for "fresh cheese" in a recipe.  So... if
I wanted to try another version of the "tart owte of lente", what would you
think about using a) fresh mozzarella; b) farmer's cheese (if available);
c) drained cottage cheese?  Has anyone made a baked cheese tart using any
of these?

I've made the tart three ways so far, using Cheshire, Wensleydale and
Double Gloucester.  All are darned expensive.  I thought I might try Colby
(which isn't period, but which is cheaper) because it's a little "crumbly"
which is what someone suggested.  Any comments before I head back out to
the grocery store??  Thanks!

Alys Katharine

Elise Fleming
alysk at ix.netcom.com
http://home.netcom.com/~alysk/