[Sca-cooks] Browet of Almayne in Utilis Coquinario

[Alexander Clark]

I've suspected for years that recipe 22 in Curye on Inglysch part III,
"Utilis Coquinario" (UC) was really two recipes.  Now I've found both of
them in other sources.

The first recipe appears in John Crophill's Commonplace Book (MS Harleian
1735) as the second recipe, and appears to be closely related to recipes in
the Liber Cure Cocorum (recipe 14 in Morris's edition) and A Noble Boke of
Festes Ryalle and Cokery (recipe 219).  This recipe is the bruet of Almayne.

The second recipe turns up as number 28 in MS Arundel 334, AKA Ancient
Cookery (sometimes misnumbered 344).  Its title is "Rose to potage."  In
comparison it tends to read like a loose paraphrase, but little of
substance is different except for the addition of canel and maces.  These
spices tended to be added to various recipes in Arundel 334 compared with
earlier versions of the same recipes.  And the UC version, which does not
clearly indicate that the recipe is supposed to be rosee, allows blood to
be substituted for saunders as a coloring.

So apparently the first recipe is supposed to end with the word "sugre" (in
a phrase exactly matched in Harleian 1735), and the second begins with
"roset" for a title.  By the way, this recipe for rosee differs from most
English recipes by that name in that it contains no parts of roses, but is
like some French recipes in that it is colored pink.

-- 
Henry of Maldon/Alex Clark