Historical Hot Chocolate, 1631

Thoughts:

This is the most decadent hot cocoa I have ever encountered.

Made thick and creamy by the emulsified ground nuts, it pours beautifully. There is a hint of robust smoky spiciness lent by the chipotle that compliments the chocolate, giving it a warm mouth feel no matter what temperature you serve it. The spice lingers on the back of the tongue, allowing the other flavors a turn. The anise is subtle, but with a distinct small bite, and traces of the cinnamon are there also. The annato doesn’t have much flavor, but adds a wonderful rich depth of color.

This recipe was probably intended to be made with water, and possibly even served cold. I like using milk as the base, as it increases the creaminess of the drink. When it’s cold the oils from the nuts rise to the top in a very thin sheen.

*Fun Fact: drinking chocolate did not violate the terms of fasting, as dictated by the Catholic Church. Win!*

Recipe for Historical Hot Chocolate

“Take one hundred cocoa beans, two chillies, a handful of anise seed and two of vanilla (two pulverized Alexandria roses can be substituted), two drams of cinnamon, one dozen almonds and the same amount of hazelnuts, half a pound of white sugar and enough annatto to give some color. And there you have the king of chocolates.” -Curioso tratado de la naturaleza y calidad del chocolate (A Curious Treatise of the Nature and Quality of Chocolate), 1631

Cook’s Notes: Although nuts ground in a food processor can work in a pinch, I recommend using pre-ground flour, which will be a finer consistency that one can usually get at home. If you’d like it spicier, feel free to tweak the chili types/proportions to taste!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup ground cocoa, unsweetened
1 dried chili pepper (chipotle), ground or chopped fine
1 anise star
1/2 vanilla bean, or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. almond flour
1 tsp. hazelnut flour
2 Tbs. sugar
1 tsp. ground annato for color
pinch of cayenne (optional)
2 cups milk

Combine all the ingredients with the milk in a medium saucepan. Heat gently for around 5 minutes, but do not bring to a boil. Strain into cups, and enjoy!

Blandissory

“Four master pyromancers conjured up beasts of living flame to tear at each other with fiery claws whilst the serving men ladled out bowls of blandissory, a mixture of beef broth and boiled wine sweetened with honey and dotted with blanched almonds and chunks of capon.” -A Storm of Swords

Thoughts:

This is a great example of how sweet and savory elements are often combined in a medieval dish. The chicken and broth, and to some extent even the wine are more commonly served as savory dishes, while cinnamon, ginger, and honey are more often associated with sweet dishes, like cookies and desserts.

This dish is quirky, and while not especially appealing in appearance, it is actually quite tasty. The almond and rice flours thicken the broth to a consistency just shy of a medium gravy. The chicken is wonderfully soft and flavorful, a great textural counterpoint to the occasioinal crunch of the almonds.

Also, while the text excerpt calls for beef broth, I found that this is a wonderful way to use a second day roast chicken. Simply pick off any remaining meat, and boil down the carcass for broth. Very economical, and in keeping with the traditional practices of not letting anything go to waste. Of course, if you’re a Lannister, you needn’t worry about such things…

All in all, a quirky dish, but not without its merits. Medieval food surprises yet again!

Recipe for Blandissory

Makes: about 2 servings Prep: 5-10 minutes

Blaundesore to potage. Take almondes and grynde hom when thai byn blounchet and tempur hom, on fysshe day wyth wyn, and on flesheday with broth of flesh, and put hit in a pot, and therto floure of rys, and let hit boyle ; then take the braune of hennes, or of capons, and bray hom, and tempur hit up with the broth of the capons, and do hit in the pot, and colour hit with saffron; and do therto gynger mynced, and powder of canel, and sugur ynogh, and serve hit forth, and florish hit with white annys. –Ancient Cookery (England, 1425)

Cook’s Notes: I used red wine because it’s what I had open, but a white wine would make for a very pretty dish, especially with the saffron to color it.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup Ground almonds
2 cups meat broth
1 cup wine
2 Tbs. rice flour
~1 cup shredded and chopped cooked chicken meat
pinch of saffron (if using white wine)
pinch ground ginger
pinch ground cinnamon
1-2 Tbs. sugar or honey
blanched almonds for garnish (~1/4 cup)

Combine ground almonds with wine/broth, and bring to a boil. Gradually add the rice flour, whisking to avoid creating clumps. Add the chicken, spices, and honey, and stir for around 2 minutes.

Pour into your serving dish, sprinkle with almonds, and serve!

Hansel & Gretel – Crumbcake

Hansel and Gretel, by Arthur Rackham, 1909

You probably know the basics of the Hansel and Gretel story: the standard wicked stepmother, a fantastic candy house, a child-eating witch, and the happy ending.

This familiar tale was recorded by the Brothers Grimm in 1812. It may date back to the Great Famine of the early 14th century, when many poorer families gave in to desperate strategies for survival. It also has elements in common with many other more obscure fairy tales, such as following a trail through the woods, abandoned children, and witches who eat children.

The idea of an entire house made of gingerbread and candy, simultaneously enticing and forbidden, stayed with me as a child, and is similar to the 14th century account of the Land of Cockayne, a fantastic medieval utopia. That house will be revisited in a later post, but for now, I’ll stick with the breadcrumbs.

The first time Hansel and Gretel are banished into the woods, they leave behind them a trail of white pebbles that helps guide them back home. The second time, unable to get pebbles, they use breadcrumbs. Later, they lose their way after discovering that birds have eaten all of the crumbs.

You will devour this crumb cake just as readily:

Despite the fact that a little goes a long way, you may be tempted to overindulge, given the wonderful combination of crust and cake. The rich, buttery crumble top contains warm spices, with just enough sugar to give it a bit of crunch. The cake itself is moist and flavorful, the ideal companion to coffee or tea.

Try it with breakfast, or with afternoon tea, or even as an accompaniment to after-dinner coffee hour.

Crumb Cake Recipe

Makes 1 8×8″ cake

Prep: 30 min. * Topping: 20 min. * Baking: 35 min

Cake:

1 1/4 cups cake flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, cut into 6 pieces
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup buttermilk
Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)

Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons butter, melted and still warm
1 3/4 cups cake flour

To make the topping, combine the sugars, cinnamon, and melted butter. Add the flour and stir until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to cool for about 15 minutes.

For the cake, preheat oven to 325° F. Grease an 8” square baking dish and line with parchment, allowing extra to hang over the sides. This extra will help lift the cake out of the pan once it is baked.

In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the softened chunks of butter one piece at a time, incorporating thoroughly until the mixture looks like breadcrumbs, with no large chunks remaining. Add the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk, then beat together until light and fluffy.

Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan, spreading it evenly. Break apart the crumb topping and sprinkle over the top of the batter in an even layer.

Bake until the crumbs are golden, and a toothpick comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for at least 30 minutes more, then remove the cake from the pan by lifting out the parchment.

Serve warm or at room temperature. Ice cream makes a wonderful accompaniment.

Cinderella – Edible Mice

A thoroughly compelling rags-to-riches story, Cinderella has inspired countless films, ballets, books, and songs. I went on a brief fairytale/Disney kick when I got home from Walt Disney World last winter, and am just now getting back to finishing off a few of those posts.

The earliest type of Cinderella story dates as far back as the ancient Greeks, and the account by Strabo in the 1st century BCE. In that story, a large eagle drops a beautiful sandal into the lap of a king, who searches the lands until he finds the woman to whom it belongs. The Chinese version from 860 involves a magical fish, but also has the crucial lost slipper element. The first Italian version, Cenerentola, was published in 1634, followed by Charles Perault’s in 1697, which first introduces the glass slippers. The Brothers Grimm didn’t write their version, “Aschenputtel”, until the 19th century, in which the fairy godmother is actually a magical tree. WILD.

Like so many of the older stories, the Disney version of this classic tale involves crucial help from animals, most notably mice. These peanut butter mice are so gobbleable that they won’t last long! These were a favorite snack of mine as a child, and I still occasionally indulge. ;)

Edible Mice Recipe

Note: This version doesn’t include a tail, but there are many varieties of candy that could easily fit the role.

Prep: 20 minutes * Chilling: 1 hour

Yield: 10 to 12 mice

Ingredients:

1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 cup powdered milk
1/2 cup honey
sliced almonds, for ears
sprinkles, for noses
1 cup cinnamon sugar, or 1 cup white or dark chocolate chips, for dipping (optional)

Mix the peanut butter, dry milk, and honey together in a medium mixing bowl. Roll into small balls, about the size of a large marble, then pinch into teardrop shapes. At this point, either leave them plain, or roll in cinnamon sugar. Press a sprinkle onto the point of the teardrop for a nose, then insert two almond slices for ears. Make the eyes with a toothpick. You may also press the shape of a curling tail into the back of the mouse using a toothpick.

To cover with chocolate, place the plain balls in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill. Line a baking sheet with wax paper. Melt the chocolate in a small bowl in the microwave, then nestle it in a slightly larger bowl filled with hot water. Remove the mice from the fridge, and dip them one at a time in the chocolate, allow the excess to drip off, then place them on the wax paper. Before the chocolate sets, add the nose and ears, using a knife to make a small hole for the ears in the chilled peanut butter, if necessary. Once the chocolate is set, gently poke holes for eyes with a toothpick, and if you like, drizzle a little extra chocolate on the back for a tail.

Sweetsleep

“‘This will give you dreamless sleep,’ Maester Luwin said as he pulled the stopper from the jar. ‘Sweet, dreamless sleep.'” -A Clash of Kings

Sweetsleep Infusion Mixture

This post will benefit from a small bit of back story.

Several months ago, after suffering from bouts of fitful sleeping, I sought a remedy in the form of the huge bulk herb bins at a local co-op. I played around with a few combinations, finally settling on the one below. Then, being one of the biggest geeks I know, I started referring to it as “Sweetsleep”.

This version of Sweetsleep is true to its name, if not strictly like the concoction described in the books. The biggest difference: ours won’t result in death. I’d say that’s a pretty good improvement. It does, however, result in a nice knockout sleep (although not strictly dreamless), and is absolutely delicious with honey.

And for extra fun, why not get a fabulous IatC Sweetsleep Jar to put it in?

Sweetsleep Recipe

Cook’s Notes: I usually just wing the amounts on this one, with a pinch here and there, going by intuition. However, that makes for a lousy recipe, so the measurements below should be just about right.

Ingredients:

3 Tbs. dried chamomile
3-5 small dried rosebuds
2 tsp. willow bark
2 tsp. lemonbalm
1 tsp. valerian
1 tsp. saigon cinnamon, or a cinnamon stick to stir with
honey to taste

Combine all ingredients in a medium teapot, then add 3-4 cups of boiling water. Allow to steep for several minutes, then pour through a strainer into serving mugs. Adjust sweetness to taste with honey, and enjoy!

Makes enough for ~ 3 small mugs.

Stewed Plums

“In the airy chambers beneath the rookery, his girl served them boiled eggs, stewed plums, and porridge, while Pycelle served the pontifications.” -A Clash of Kings

Stewed Plums

Our Thoughts:

These stewed plums are like a simpler version of our Medieval Plum Mousse recipe. The fruit breaks down and mixes with the honey and cinnamon, resulting in mushy spoonfuls of delightfulness. It’s a great way to used plums that are slightly underripe or out of season, and make them into a wonderful topping for a dessert (Ice Cream! Cake!), or as a sweeter side for a slice of meat.

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Daenerys Targaryen's ideal meal

We were swamped with terrific ideas and suggestions for this meal. Combining our ideas with yours, this is what we’ve got:

We started with Kati’s idea that the meal would have to include lots of small dishes of nibbles for Dany to daintily pick at. Dylan is also probably correct in that there would have to be a “crap ton of fresh fruit”. We shopped at the local Asian market for some extra strange fruit varietals.

As per the suggestion of many, we served some spiced lamb over a bed of mixed grains. Also savory, the tea eggs from our Meereenese Breakfast. Equally exotic were the roasted grapes- half raisins with a burst of sweetness.

For a sweet finish, we followed Total Zelanity’s observation that Tyroshi Honeyfingers needed to be included. Add to that a side of Anne Clark’s suggested yogurt with honey and pomegranate, and some honey-cinnamon roasted chickpeas.

Our drinks consultant recommends a South African mead, such as the coffee, fig, or chili varietals from IQhilika, or a spicy Corsican witbier such as Pietra Columba. We also served up some of our home brewed persimmon wine. For a non alcoholic beverage, we suggest a minty green tea- a superior shade of green can be had by brewing matcha with fresh mint sprigs.

Our Thoughts:

Dany really feasts like a queen (or a khaleesi, if you prefer). The grapes on their own are wonderful, but for a really incredible experience, combine a bite of yogurt, roasted grape, and lamb. The three combine for a really amazing flavor. The extra fresh fruits are luscious, but in my opinion, can’t hold their own against the amazingness that is Tyroshi Honeyfingers. I mean, fried dough, soaked in honey. Yes.

We also employed an old Jacobite tradition for toasting: Fill a small glass with water. Take your beverage of choice, and, while passing it over the water, say, “To the Queen”. In this way, any Targaryen loyalist in Westeros can secretly toast Daenerys, their queen over the water. :)

Honorable Mention:

Doug suggested Ethiopian-style lamb tips, from lamb plundered from the weak Lhazareen

Min’s suggestion of something flambeed

EVERYTHING in Tami’s extensive list of courses

Faris’ suggestion of a course for each of the seven kingdoms, so she could metaphorically devour them

kkw for playing to my weakness for Turkish cuisine

Nate’s suggestion of a vintage Madeira, because it and Dany have gotten better with travel, are complex, and survive exposure to extreme heat

Wassail

Wassail

Our Thoughts:

Incredible.

I struggled to find a wassail recipe that really appealed to me, so naturally, I made one up. The resulting beverage is cider perfected. It tastes of autumn, crisp winds, and the Wolfswood. The alcohol combination manages to disappear completely into the cider (danger! danger!), although the ale gives just the slightest fizz. It starts out subtle, then builds almost instantly to a spiced cider explosion.

I’ve heard of adding tea to wassail, and look forward to experimenting with that, but in the meantime, this is a new winter staple at The Inn.

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Melon and Hard Cooked Eggs

“But the only sound was the wind in the fruit trees, and the only creatures in the gardens were a few pale moths. Missandei returned with a melon and a bowl of hard-cooked eggs, but Dany found she had no appetite.” (Dance with Dragons)

Roman Melon and Boiled Tea Eggs

Our Thoughts:

We paired a Roman recipe for melons with a previously successful recipe for tea eggs. The result is a very quirky, flavorful light breakfast, full of unexpected tastes. The sweetness of the melon competes with the spicy, peppery sauce, finishing with just the slightest tang of vinegar and mint. The eggs are a subtle experience, dark and smoky with a great spiced flavor. If you can come by duck eggs, they up the ante on this dish, but it’s also wonderful made with chicken eggs.

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Tyroshi Honeyfingers

“…we seldom had enough coin to buy anything…well, except for a sausage now and again, or honeyfingers…do they have honeyfingers in the Seven Kingdoms, the kind they bake in Tyrosh?”

-A Game of Thrones

Our Thoughts

The Roman recipe is a curiosity. They fried to a crispily crunchy on the outside while still leaving a bit of chew on the inside. The pieces were easy to cut into shapes, and could probably even be rolled into logs. The flavor is really all about the honey, but the pinch of pepper and cinnamon on top adds a slight level of complexity.

The Modern recipe knocked our socks off. These fritters are like Winnie-the-Pooh-gasms. Between the spiced sauce and the incredibly luscious texture, we ended up gobbling them and shamelessly licking our fingers.

The winner? We had imagined Tyroshi Honeyfingers to be sort of a tasty sweet street food. The Roman variety is fun because of its historical significance and ease of shaping, but wouldn’t be easy to make in a dusty alleyway. The modern version is SO good and is made basically like carnival fried dough, so fits our loose criteria for a great honeyfinger. Modern Wins!

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