Book of Days Tales

Today is the birthday (1527) of English mathematician, astronomer, and occultist, John Dee who worked for many years as advisor to queen Elizabeth I, including recommending that she build up colonies in North America, and supposedly coining the name (and idea) “British empire.” He fell out of favor when James ascended the throne in 1603 and died in poverty and obscurity.  His birthday is an excuse to look at Elizabethan recipes which often involved meat with fruit and spices, including cinnamon, cloves, and allspice – think Christmas mince pies.  Here is a recipe which you can make with chicken if you want to play around with Elizabethan ideas.  It comes from Thomas Dawson’s The Good Huswifes Jewell. You will have to experiment with the quantities yourself although it does not seem complicated, except when it come to the almonds. I would pound or grind a tablespoon or two of blanched almonds to make a thickener (or use almond flour).  You might also find it difficult to get good marrow bones, which were a common ingredient in soups and gravies in Tudor times.  The idea here is to simmer the bones with the chicken, and then scoop out the marrow to make the gravy. A sop is a large chunk of bread or toast.

TO BOIL A CAPON IN WHITE BROTH WITH ALMONDS

Take your capon with marrow bones and set them on the fire, and when they be clean skimmed take the fattest of the broth put it in a little pot with a good deal of marrow, prunes, raisins, dates, whole maces and a pint of white wine.  Then blanch your almonds and strain them.  With them thicken your pot and let it seethe [simmer] a good while.  When it is enough serve it upon sops with your capon.