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This is a medicinal cordial to be taken for a "surfet" (= "surfeit"), i.e., after eating too much food, and most of the various herbs and spices used were considered aids to the stomach and digestion. This is also an unusual recipe in that it uses "strong ale" instead of wine, so the distillate I've used is whisky rather than a vodka or brandy.
The recipe does not call for any maceration time. Also, I had recently been having a discussion with someone on the SCA-brew list who had suggested that the heat of distillation should be taken into account when preparing period cordials. And I had previously noticed that a single distillation (as in this recipe) would result in a lower proof alcohol than we usually use for cordials. I combined these three notions by heating the mixture openly on the stove for 1/2 hour to (1) extract the flavors through decoction rather than maceration, (2) mimic the heat of distillation, and (3) reduce the final proof of the cordial.
Source:
To make Aqua composita for a surfet. [This edition says "surset"!]
Redaction: My estimate was that one handful was approximately 2 tablespoons of fresh herbs, and so "2 TB per 3 gallons" becomes "6 tsp. per 48 cups" which becomes "1/8 tsp. per cup" of liquid. I was unsure of the amount of 6 "crops" since the herbs mentioned don't seem to have noticeable heads and taking the tops of the stalks could end up being less or more than "a handful." But these three herbs are even more strongly recommended for stomach ailments than the first bunch, so I decided to consider this a larger amount and doubled the quantity used for the others. I didn't have a fresh elecampane root, and the flavor is very strong and somewhat bitter, so I used a small amount of dried root. I used dried licorice root in what seemed a reasonable quantity. Two ounces of anise seed is about ½ cup, so "½ cup per 3 gallons" becomes "24 tsp. per 48 cups" which becomes " ½ tsp. per cup" of liquid. The sugar is not called for, but similar medicinal cordials talk about people adding sugar when drinking it: "...and maketh fat folk to becom leane, or maketh fat the leane, if they drink it mixt with sugar" (1564? recipe from Maison Rustique).
Process:
Result:
Medicinal Qualities: According the general theory of humors, most bodily ills are the result of an imbalance in the body's quantities of blood (hot and moist), choler (hot and dry), phlegm (cold and moist), and melancholy (cold and dry). Culpeper more specifically assigns the production of these to the liver, and says that "Flegm is made of meat not perfectly digested." To counter phlegm, the ingredients in the medicine must be hot and dry, and Culpeper puts all of these herbs in those categories.
Rosemary Grieve: "Tonic, astringent, diaphoretic, stimulant. Oil of Rosemary has the carminative properties of other volatile oils and is an excellent stomachic...The young tops, leaves and flowers can be made into an infusion, called Rosemary Tea, which, taken warm, is a good remedy for removing headache, colic, colds and nervous diseases...." From Jadwiga Zajaczkowa's site "Jadwiga's Stillroom Book: On the Medieval and Renaissance Use of Herbs": "Banckes [Banckes' Herbal. Author unknown, published 1525] and Culpeper say it was used for stomach troubles and to clear the head...."
Fennel Grieve: "On account of its aromatic and carminative properties, Fennel fruit is chiefly used medicinally with purgatives to allay their tendency to griping and for this purpose forms one of the ingredients of the well-known compound Liquorice Powder. Fennel water has properties similar to those of anise and dill water: mixed with sodium bicarbonate and syrup, these waters constitute the domestic 'Gripe Water,' used to correct the flatulence of infants."
Hyssop Grieve: "Expectorant, diaphoretic, stimulant, pectoral, carminative. The healing virtues of the plant are due to a particular volatile oil, which is stimulative, carminative and sudorific....Hyssop Tea is also a grateful drink, well adapted to improve the tone of a feeble stomach, being brewed with the green tops of the herb...."
Thyme Grieve: "Antiseptic, antispasmodic, tonic and carminative....Thyme tea will arrest gastric fermentation. It is useful in cases of wind spasms and colic...."
Sage Grieve: "Stimulant, astringent, tonic and carminative. Has been used in dyspepsia, but is now mostly employed as a condiment....It is highly serviceable as a stimulant tonic in debility of the stomach and nervous system and weakness of digestion generally."
Horehound Grieve: "White Horehound has long been noted for its efficacy in lung troubles and coughs...."
Pennyroyal Grieve: "Its action is carminative, diaphoretic, stimulant and emmenagogic, and is principally employed for the last-named property in disorders caused by sudden chill or cold. It is also beneficial in cases of spasms, hysteria, flatulence and sickness, being very warming and grateful to the stomach."
"Red Mint" Grieve on "peppermint": "the French varieties of M. piperita are not identical with those cultivated in England. The variety cultivated in France is known as 'Red Mint' and can grow on certain soils where the true Peppermint does not grow....Peppermint oil is the most extensively used of all the volatile oils, both medicinally and commercially. The characteristic anti-spasmodic action of the volatile oil is more marked in this than in any other oil, and greatly adds to its power of relieving pains arising in the alimentary canal. From its stimulating, stomachic and carminative properties, it is valuable in certain forms of dyspepsia, being mostly used for flatulence and colic. It may also be employed for other sudden pains and for cramp in the abdomen; wide use is made of Peppermint in cholera and diarrhoea. It is generally combined with other medicines when its stomachic effects are required, being also employed with purgatives to prevent griping." From Jadwiga Zajaczkowa's site "Jadwiga's Stillroom Book: On the Medieval and Renaissance Use of Herbs": "Mint was considered sovereign for stomach aliments....Banckes [Banckes' Herbal. Author unknown, published 1525] mentions mint, white mint and red mint (garden mint). Banckes suggests a mouthwash of mint steeped in wine or vinegar for toothache, and rubbing the powder on the teeth for a 'sweet mouth'; also suggests it to restore appetite and for all digestive disturbances." From Cindy Renfrow's excerpts from John Gerard's Herball or General Historie of Plantes, in 1633 : "Garden Mint taken in meat or drinke warmeth and strengtheneth the stomacke...and causeth good digestion."
Marjoram Grieve: "Its properties are stimulant, carminative, diaphoretic and mildly tonic; a useful emmenagogue....In the commencement of measles, it is useful in producing a gentle perspiration and bringing out the eruption, being given in the form of a warm infusion, which is also valuable in spasms, colic, and to give relief from pain in dyspeptic complaints."
Elecampane Grieve: "'Julia Augustus,' said Pliny, 'let no day pass without eating some of the roots of Enula, considered to help digestion and cause mirth.' ...Diuretic, tonic, diaphoretic, expectorant, alterative, antiseptic, astringent and gently stimulant....Gerard tells us: ''It is good for shortnesse of breathe and an old cough, and for such as cannot breathe unless they hold their neckes upright.' And further: 'The root of Elecampane is with good success mixed with counterpoisons, it is a remedy against the biting of serpents, it resisteth poison. It is good for them that are bursten and troubled with cramps and convulsions.' 'The wine wherein the root of Elicampane hath steept,' says Markham (Countrie Farme 1616), 'is singularly good against the colicke.' "
Licorice Grieve: "The action of Liquorice is demulcent, moderately pectoral and emollient....Fluid Extract of Liquorice is employed almost exclusively as a vehicle for disguising the taste of nauseous medicines, having a remarkable power of converting the flavour of acrid or bitter drugs, such as Mezereon, Quinine or Cascara."
Anise Seeds Grieve: "Turner's Herbal, 1551, says that 'Anyse maketh the breth sweter and swageth payne.' ... Carminative and pectoral....The stimulant and carminative properties of Anise make it useful in flatulency and colic. It is used as an ingredient of cathartic and aperient pills, to relieve flatulence and diminish the griping of purgative medicines...."
Glossary for Grieve (from NutritionFocus.com):
alterative: gradually alters or changes a condition by gradually restoring health and normalcy |
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