Auter Maner Leche Lumbarde

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: Harleian MS. 279 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Honey and Egg Loaf with Sweet Wine Syrup

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Take fayre Hony, and clarifi yt on the fyre tylle it wexe hard; then take harde yolkes of Eyroun, & kryme a gode quantyte ther-to, tyl it be styf y-now; an thanne take it vppe, & ley it on a borde; then take fayre gratyd Brede, & poudre pepir, & molde it to-gederys with thine hondys, tyl it be so styf that it wole ben lechyd; then leche it; then take wyne & pouder Gyngere, Canelle, & a lytil claryfyid hony, & late renne throw a straynour, & caste this Syryp ther-on, when thou shalt serue it out, instede of Clerye.

- Austin, Thomas. Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books. Harleian MS. 279 & Harl. MS. 4016, with extracts from Ashmole MS. 1429, Laud MS. 553, & Douce MS 55. London: for The Early English Text Society by N. Trübner & Co., 1888.

MODERN RECIPE:

• ½ C honey
• 8 hard-boiled egg yolks
• 1½ C white bread crumbs
• 1/8 tsp black pepper

• ½ C wine
• 2 tsp honey
• 1/8 tsp each powdered ginger and cinnamon

2. In a bowl, mash the egg yolks to a smooth paste. Stir the boiled honey and pepper into the paste, blending thoroughly. Stir in the bread crumbs, kneading the mixture by hand.

3. Scrape the mixture into a lightly oiled mold or bowl. Refrigerate, and turn out for serving.

4. To make the syrup, in a bowl, stir together wine, honey and spices. Pour the syrup over the Leche Lumbarde before serving, or serve along side.

Serves four to six.

NOTES ON THE RECIPE:

This is a dish similar to medieval gingerbread.

Auter Maner Leche Lumbarde is featured in A Dinner of Lombardy