Hardly anyone thought about how cream came to be used in mixed drinks. It was ‘The Only William’ Schmidt who was the first to use cream in a new way. To understand the revolutionary nature of this, we need to delve deep into the history of cream drinks. Let’s start with the Posset.
Introduction
I love cream drinks. Unfortunately, they are served far too rarely. Yet cream offers an excellent opportunity to add the flavours ‘fatty’ and ‘umami’ to a drink. A cream drink is like a cream cake in liquid form: there is hardly anything better than a liquid dessert at the right time.
A look at the history of cream as an ingredient offers interesting insights. Surprisingly, no one seems to have tackled this subject in depth, otherwise we would know that we owe a great deal to the formative influence of a German-born bartender on bar culture: William Schmidt. He not only established the use of unusual liqueurs, but also the use of cream. But let’s start in the distant past: with Posset, Syllabub, Eggnog and Tom & Jerry. We need to understand them and their preparation in order to recognise William Schmidt’s revolutionary new use of cream.
Posset
Spelling
Let’s start with Posset, as it is probably the oldest of the four drinks. In historical sources, it is also referred to as Possate, Poshet, Poshoote, Possyt, Possot, Possenet, Postnet or Posnet. [11]
The oldest mention
It is already described in the ‘Boke of Nurture’, written around 1460 or 1470. It states: “Milke, crayme, and cruddes, and eke the Ioncate, þey close a mannes stomak and so doth þe possate.”[16-8] In modern English this reads as “Milk, cream, and curds, and also the junket, they close a man’s stomach, and so does the posset.”[9]
The variations
There were numerous variations, and modern authors state that Posset was usually made from milk, eggs and usually ale, barleywine (a strong English ale [2][3]) or wine. Other ingredients were also used, including cream, sugar, ginger, sweet wine, candied aniseed and figs. Bread, biscuits, oatmeal or almond paste were used to thicken the Posset. From the 16th century onwards, posset was generally made from citrus juice, cream and sugar, often with the addition of eggs and sometimes thickened with breadcrumbs. [1][4][11][12-553]
As the recipes in this post show, there was a wide variety of different recipes.
The addition of wine or ale leads to coagulation, [11][12-553] uand so the Posset is both a drink and a dessert. A thick, sweet layer floats on top of the liquid.
There were special Posset pots that allowed you to drink the liquid through a spout while eating the layer floating on top with a spoon. [4][12-553][12-554]
In my opinion, the best way to show the diversity of the traditional recipes and the wide range of variations of the posset is to quote the old recipes.
Kenelm Digby’s recipes
Kenelm Digby, born in 1603 and deceased in 1665, is credited as the author of a recipe book published posthumously in 1669. [14] However, he was not the actual author; the book appeared several years after his death and was published from his notes by a servant. This book is considered an excellent source of recipes of the time. [13] It may also be interesting to know that Kenelm Digby is credited with the development of the modern wine bottle and was granted a patent for it in 1662. His bottles were cylindrical in shape with a domed base and could be used to produce bottle-fermented champagne. [13][14]
Kenelm Digby’s collection of recipes contains several Posset recipes. In the third edition of his work, published in 1677, these are:
A plain and ordinary Posset. The Closet Of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt opened. 1677, page 104. [10-104]
“A plain ordinary Posset. Put a pint of good Milk to boil, as soon as it doth so, take it from the fire, to let the great heat of it cool a little; for doing so, the curd will be the tenderer, and the whole of a more uniform consistence. When it is prettily cooled, pour it into your pot, wherein is about two spoonfuls of Sack, and about four of Ale, with sufficient Sugar dissolved in them. So let it stand a while near the fire, till you eat it.”[10-104]
My Lord of Calisle’s Sack-Posset. The Closet Of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt opened. 1677, page 108. [10-108]
“My Lord of Carlisle’s Sack-Posset. Take a pottle of Cream, and boil in it a little whole Cinnamon, and three or four flakes of Mace. To this proportion of Cream put in eighteen yolks of eggs, and eight of the whites; a pint of Sack; beat your eggs very well, and then mingle them with your Sack. Put in three quarters of a pound of Sugar into the Wine and Eggs, with a Nutmeg grated, and a little beaten Cinnamon; set the Basin on the fire with the Wine and Eggs, and let it be hot. Then put in the Cream boiling from the fire, pour it on high, but stir it not; cover it with a dish, and when it is setled, strew on the top a little fine Sugar mingled with three grains of Ambergreece, and one grain of Musk, and serve it up.” [10-108]
The third example is this one, which shows that not only fortified wine but also ordinary wine was used to make a posset:
An excellent Posset. The Closet Of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt opened. 1677 page 137. [10-137]
“An excellent Posset. Take half a pint of Sack, and as much Rhenish-Wine, sweeten them to your taste with Sugar. Beat ten yolks of Eggs, and eight of whites exceeding well, first taking out the Cocks tread, and if you will the skins of the yolks; sweeten these also and pour them to the Wine; add a stick or two of Cinnamon bruised, set this upon a Chasingdish to heat strongly, but not to boil; but it must begin to thicken. In the mean time boil for a quarter of an hour three pints of Cream seasoned duly with Sugar and some Cinnamon in it. Then take in off from boiling, but let it stand near the fire, that it may continue scalding-hot whiles the Wine is heating. When both are as scalding-hot as they can be without boiling, pour the Cream into the Wine from as high as you can. When all is in, set it up on the fire to stew for half an hour. Then sprinkle all about the top of it the juyce of a quarter of a Limon; and if you will, you may strew powder of Cinnamon and Sugar, or Ambergreece upon it.”[10-137]
Hannah Woolley’s recipes
Hannah Woolley’s books are another important source of old recipes. She was born in 1621, died around 1675 and is considered to be the first English female cookery writer. [6] She published numerous works between 1661 and 1674. [7] ‘The Queen-Like Closet’ was translated into German under the title ‘Frauenzimmers Zeitvertreib’. [7]
To make a Sack Posset. Hannah Wolley: The Cooks Guide. 1664, page 3. [5-3]
This exemplary recipe comes from her ‘Cooks Guide’ from 1664: “To make a Sackposset. Take a quart of thick cream, boyle it with whole spice, then take sixteen eggs, yolks and whites beaten very well, then heat about three quarters of a pint of sack, and mingle well with your eggs, then stir them into your cream, and sweeten it, then cover it up close for half an hour or more over a seething pot of water or over very slow embers, in a bason, and it will become like a cheese.” [5-3]
William Terrington’s recipes
The Posset fell into oblivion and was only revived in the 19th century and became a dessert based on cream, sugar and citrus fruits. [11] For this reason, a posset in Great Britain today is no longer understood to be a drink ‘like cheese’, but a light, creamy dessert that resembles a syllabub. [4][11]
Finally, some more modern British recipes should also be mentioned. William Terrington should serve as a reference. He mentions the following recipes in 1869:
Ale Posset. William Terrington: Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks. 1869, page 199. [8-199]
“Ale Posset. – To a quart of ale add a round of buttered toast; let it soak in the ale; grate nutmeg on the bread, also sugar; and 1 pint of sherry; serve hot.” [8-199]
Ale Posset, Sir Walter Raleigh’s. William Terrington: Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks. 1869, page 200. [8-200]
“Ale Posset, ›Sir Walter Raleigh’s.‹ – Take 1/2 pint of white wine (a dry sherry is best), 1/2 pint good clear ale; add quart of boiled cream, flavoured with spices; strain through a tammy. This and treacle posset is a favourite remedy for colds, being a hot ‘night-cap.’ “[8-200]
Pope’s Posset. William Terrington: Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks. 1869, page 202. [8-202]
“Pope’s Posset. – Bruise 1 lb. of Jordan almonds, which boil in a pint of boiling water for 20 minutes; add a bottle of Marsala and wine-glass of brandy, and 2 oz. white sugar; strain; add pint of boiling water to the residue, which again strain and mix with the liquor; serve hot.”[8-202]
All of these exemplary recipes may give us a good understanding of what is meant by a Posset. Another historical cream drink is the Syllabub, which will be the subject of the next part of this series.
William Terrington: Cooling Cups and Dainty Drinks. Collection of Recipes for „Cups“ and Other Compounded Drinks, and of General Information on Beverages of All Kinds. London & New York, George Routledge & Sons, 1869.
https://archive.org/details/closetofeminentl00digb/page/n5/mode/2up Kenelme Digby: The Closet Of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digby Kt opened: whereby is discovered several ways for making of metheglin, syder, cherry-wine, &c., together with excellent directions for cookery, as also for preserving, conserving, candying, &c. The Third Edition Corrected. London, 1677.
Introduction
I love cream drinks. Unfortunately, they are served far too rarely. Yet cream offers an excellent opportunity to add the flavours ‘fatty’ and ‘umami’ to a drink. A cream drink is like a cream cake in liquid form: there is hardly anything better than a liquid dessert at the right time.
A look at the history of cream as an ingredient offers interesting insights. Surprisingly, no one seems to have tackled this subject in depth, otherwise we would know that we owe a great deal to the formative influence of a German-born bartender on bar culture: William Schmidt. He not only established the use of unusual liqueurs, but also the use of cream. But let’s start in the distant past: with Posset, Syllabub, Eggnog and Tom & Jerry. We need to understand them and their preparation in order to recognise William Schmidt’s revolutionary new use of cream.
Posset
Spelling
Let’s start with Posset, as it is probably the oldest of the four drinks. In historical sources, it is also referred to as Possate, Poshet, Poshoote, Possyt, Possot, Possenet, Postnet or Posnet. [11]
The oldest mention
It is already described in the ‘Boke of Nurture’, written around 1460 or 1470. It states: “Milke, crayme, and cruddes, and eke the Ioncate, þey close a mannes stomak and so doth þe possate.” [16-8] In modern English this reads as “Milk, cream, and curds, and also the junket, they close a man’s stomach, and so does the posset.” [9]
The variations
There were numerous variations, and modern authors state that Posset was usually made from milk, eggs and usually ale, barleywine (a strong English ale [2] [3]) or wine. Other ingredients were also used, including cream, sugar, ginger, sweet wine, candied aniseed and figs. Bread, biscuits, oatmeal or almond paste were used to thicken the Posset. From the 16th century onwards, posset was generally made from citrus juice, cream and sugar, often with the addition of eggs and sometimes thickened with breadcrumbs. [1] [4] [11] [12-553]
As the recipes in this post show, there was a wide variety of different recipes.
The addition of wine or ale leads to coagulation, [11] [12-553] uand so the Posset is both a drink and a dessert. A thick, sweet layer floats on top of the liquid.
There were special Posset pots that allowed you to drink the liquid through a spout while eating the layer floating on top with a spoon. [4] [12-553] [12-554]
In my opinion, the best way to show the diversity of the traditional recipes and the wide range of variations of the posset is to quote the old recipes.
Kenelm Digby’s recipes
Kenelm Digby, born in 1603 and deceased in 1665, is credited as the author of a recipe book published posthumously in 1669. [14] However, he was not the actual author; the book appeared several years after his death and was published from his notes by a servant. This book is considered an excellent source of recipes of the time. [13] It may also be interesting to know that Kenelm Digby is credited with the development of the modern wine bottle and was granted a patent for it in 1662. His bottles were cylindrical in shape with a domed base and could be used to produce bottle-fermented champagne. [13] [14]
Kenelm Digby’s collection of recipes contains several Posset recipes. In the third edition of his work, published in 1677, these are:
I would like to quote these as examples:
“A plain ordinary Posset. Put a pint of good Milk to boil, as soon as it doth so, take it from the fire, to let the great heat of it cool a little; for doing so, the curd will be the tenderer, and the whole of a more uniform consistence. When it is prettily cooled, pour it into your pot, wherein is about two spoonfuls of Sack, and about four of Ale, with sufficient Sugar dissolved in them. So let it stand a while near the fire, till you eat it.” [10-104]
“My Lord of Carlisle’s Sack-Posset. Take a pottle of Cream, and boil in it a little whole Cinnamon, and three or four flakes of Mace. To this proportion of Cream put in eighteen yolks of eggs, and eight of the whites; a pint of Sack; beat your eggs very well, and then mingle them with your Sack. Put in three quarters of a pound of Sugar into the Wine and Eggs, with a Nutmeg grated, and a little beaten Cinnamon; set the Basin on the fire with the Wine and Eggs, and let it be hot. Then put in the Cream boiling from the fire, pour it on high, but stir it not; cover it with a dish, and when it is setled, strew on the top a little fine Sugar mingled with three grains of Ambergreece, and one grain of Musk, and serve it up.” [10-108]
The third example is this one, which shows that not only fortified wine but also ordinary wine was used to make a posset:
“An excellent Posset. Take half a pint of Sack, and as much Rhenish-Wine, sweeten them to your taste with Sugar. Beat ten yolks of Eggs, and eight of whites exceeding well, first taking out the Cocks tread, and if you will the skins of the yolks; sweeten these also and pour them to the Wine; add a stick or two of Cinnamon bruised, set this upon a Chasingdish to heat strongly, but not to boil; but it must begin to thicken. In the mean time boil for a quarter of an hour three pints of Cream seasoned duly with Sugar and some Cinnamon in it. Then take in off from boiling, but let it stand near the fire, that it may continue scalding-hot whiles the Wine is heating. When both are as scalding-hot as they can be without boiling, pour the Cream into the Wine from as high as you can. When all is in, set it up on the fire to stew for half an hour. Then sprinkle all about the top of it the juyce of a quarter of a Limon; and if you will, you may strew powder of Cinnamon and Sugar, or Ambergreece upon it.” [10-137]
Hannah Woolley’s recipes
Hannah Woolley’s books are another important source of old recipes. She was born in 1621, died around 1675 and is considered to be the first English female cookery writer. [6] She published numerous works between 1661 and 1674. [7] ‘The Queen-Like Closet’ was translated into German under the title ‘Frauenzimmers Zeitvertreib’. [7]
This exemplary recipe comes from her ‘Cooks Guide’ from 1664: “To make a Sackposset. Take a quart of thick cream, boyle it with whole spice, then take sixteen eggs, yolks and whites beaten very well, then heat about three quarters of a pint of sack, and mingle well with your eggs, then stir them into your cream, and sweeten it, then cover it up close for half an hour or more over a seething pot of water or over very slow embers, in a bason, and it will become like a cheese.” [5-3]
William Terrington’s recipes
The Posset fell into oblivion and was only revived in the 19th century and became a dessert based on cream, sugar and citrus fruits. [11] For this reason, a posset in Great Britain today is no longer understood to be a drink ‘like cheese’, but a light, creamy dessert that resembles a syllabub. [4] [11]
Finally, some more modern British recipes should also be mentioned. William Terrington should serve as a reference. He mentions the following recipes in 1869:
“Ale Posset. – To a quart of ale add a round of buttered toast; let it soak in the ale; grate nutmeg on the bread, also sugar; and 1 pint of sherry; serve hot.” [8-199]
“Ale Posset, ›Sir Walter Raleigh’s.‹ – Take 1/2 pint of white wine (a dry sherry is best), 1/2 pint good clear ale; add quart of boiled cream, flavoured with spices; strain through a tammy. This and treacle posset is a favourite remedy for colds, being a hot ‘night-cap.’ “ [8-200]
“Pope’s Posset. – Bruise 1 lb. of Jordan almonds, which boil in a pint of boiling water for 20 minutes; add a bottle of Marsala and wine-glass of brandy, and 2 oz. white sugar; strain; add pint of boiling water to the residue, which again strain and mix with the liquor; serve hot.” [8-202]
All of these exemplary recipes may give us a good understanding of what is meant by a Posset. Another historical cream drink is the Syllabub, which will be the subject of the next part of this series.
Sources
explicit capitulum
*