Over the summer, I have been busy in the archives looking at the receipt books of local women with the intention of focusing mainly on medical recipes and what these are able to reveal about the sharing and acquiring of medicinal knowledge in their time. An accidental sideline of this that has really caught my eye (and sometimes, made me a little hungry) are the food recipes that were also recorded side-by-side within the same medium. So, after an unintended summer break from blogging, I thought I'd kick start the new year with a bit of a foodie treat live from the 18th century for you all!
I've chosen the curry because of how peculiar some aspects of the method/equipment might seem to us, but also because I felt it revealed something a little bit unexpected about the already international culinary influences seeping through to at least the noble English households at this time. The pudding is, admittedly, a bit of a simple classic, but if anyone would like to have a go - I'd love a full review!
A note on the source: These recipes have been taken from the recipe book of Henrietta Harley, Countess of Oxford dated 1743. I'm in the process of finding out more, so if anyone has anything to share in this area or about Henrietta herself, please do! I have tried to transcribe as close to the original as possible, punctuation (or rather, lack of) and all.
Image: Henrietta Harley, Countess of Oxford, 1716.
To Make a Pepper Curry
Take a Fowle Flea it, put it in a Stewpan with as much water as will cover it, put to it 14 Corns of whole Pepper, an Onion, & 2 Cloves of Garlick, Let it Boyl 'till the fowle is tender, Strain it through a hair Sieve, put the Broth into the Stewpan again, put it to a Quarter of a lb: of Butter rub'd in a Little Flower, let it Just Boyl 'till it looks Brown, then put the fowle to it, & Mix it all well together, Set it on the fire till 'tis the Thickness of Cream, & Serve it up with a Plate of Boyl'd Rice, & one with a Pancake made only with 2 Eggs, & a Sauce of Different Pickles.
N.B You may make your Curry of Pidgeons, Ducks, Rabbits or what meat you Please, or fish
Puddings By Mrs Rowney
Take a Penny Loaf cut it very thin, put to it a Pint & 1/2 of Milk, Boyl it and Break it fine & put 1/2 a lb: of Butter, & 5 eggs, half a lb: of Sugar & a Little Nutmeg.
