Caudle

Caudle, reminiscent of modern-day eggnog, is a traditional British drink characterized by its thick consistency and sweetened alcoholic content. This drink rose to prominence during the Middle Ages, not only as a beverage of choice but also for its alleged therapeutic properties.

Origin and History

Caudle's earliest mention traces back to 1297, as cited by the Oxford English Dictionary (OED). Interestingly, the oldest known recipe, dated between 1300 and 1325, presents a straightforward mixture encompassing wine, wheat starch, raisins, and sugar. The inclusion of sugar was believed to moderate the wine's potency.

Merton College in Oxford documented an initiation ceremony in 1647, wherein caudle was characterized as a "syrupy gruel" enhanced with spices and either wine or ale.

Traditional Recipes

Over the centuries, various recipes for caudle have been chronicled, reflecting the evolution of the beverage:

• A late 14th-century method suggests amalgamating breadcrumbs, wine, sugar or honey, and saffron. The mixture is brought to a boil, enriched with egg yolks for thickness, and finally seasoned with sugar, salt, and ginger.
• A 15th-century English cookbook provides three diverse caudle concoctions:
• Heating ale or wine and thickening the liquid with egg yolks or ground almonds.
• Introducing optional flavorings such as sugar, honey, saffron, and ginger. Notably, one recipe expressly forbids the addition of salt.
• In the realm of old culinary literature, William Carew Hazlitt's work, Old Cookery Books and Ancient Cuisine, presents an assortment of caudle and posset recipes, showcasing the breadth of variations.
• The early 13th century also saw the emergence of a related recipe called skyr, further exemplifying the diverse derivatives of caudle in culinary history.

Caudle Resources
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