A Boke of Gode Cookery Presents
Medieval Recipe Translations

For to make chireseye

PERIOD: England, 14th century | SOURCE: Diuersa Servicia | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Cherry pudding decorated with flowers


ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

For to make chireseye, tak chiryes at þe feast of Seynt Iohn þe Baptist, & do awey þe stonys. Grynd hem in a morter, & after frot hem wel in a seue so þat the ius be wel comyn owt; & do þan in a pot & do þerein feyre gres or botor & bred of wastel ymyid, & of sugur a god perty, & a porcioun of wyn. & wan it is wel ysodyn & ydessyd in dyschis, stik þerin clowis of gilofre & strew þeron sugur.

- Hieatt, Constance B. and Sharon Butler. Curye on Inglish: English Culinary Manuscripts of the Fourteenth-Century (Including the Forme of Cury). New York: for The Early English Text Society by the Oxford University Press, 1985.


GODE COOKERY TRANSLATION:

For to make Cherries, take cherries at the feast of Saint John the Baptist, & do away the stones. Grind them in a mortar, and after rub them well in a sieve so that the juice be well coming out; & do then in a pot and do there-in fair grease or butter & bread of wastel minced, & of sugar a good part, & a portion of wine. And when it is well cooked & dressed in dishes, stick there-in clove flowers & strew there-on sugar.


INGREDIENTS:

  • Fresh cherries - pits removed. The Feast of St. John the Baptist was June 25th - these would have been cherries picked at this time.
  • Cherry juice - to use only if you don't get enough juice from the cherries themselves.
  • Butter - very soft or melted. Medieval butter was creamier than modern varieties.
  • Unseasoned bread crumbs or finely minced white bread - "wastel" bread was a very fine white bread.
  • Sugar
  • Wine - a semi-sweet red or white. If alcohol is a problem, try using grape juice with a little red wine vinegar added.
  • Small pink flowers - for decoration only. Be sure to use something non-poisonous - candy flowers will work fine if nothing else is available.
DIRECTIONS:

Purée the cherries by either finely mashing or using a blender or food processor. Place in a large pot and add enough cherry juice to make a very wet mixture. Blend in butter and wine. Beat in bread, enough to thicken the cherries to a thick pudding-like consistency. Add sugar to taste - it should be sweet. Bring the cherries to a soft boil, then reduce heat and cook for several minutes, stirring often to prevent sticking. Place the pudding in serving dishes, decorate with the flowers, sprinkle sugar on top, then serve.

HINT: take leftover pudding, place in a bread pan, and bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean and the top is slightly firm to the touch. Delicious!

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For to make chireseye © 2000 James L. Matterer

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