A Early Medieval Cherry Recipe

March 26, 2025

A Early Medieval Cherry Recipe

FOR TO MAKE CHIRESEYE

Hands down, cherries are my favorite summer fruit. As expected, they were very popular in medieval England. Their brief season must have been a bright spot in the epicurean calendar. Here is a recipe from The Book of Currie, written in the 11^th century for a cherry dish fit for a queen.

Tak Chiryes at the Fest of Seynt John the Baptist and do away the stonys grynd hem in a morter and after frot hem wel in a seve so that the Jus be wel comyn owt and do than in a pot and do ther'in feyr gres or Boter and bred of wastrel ymyid [1] and of sugur a god party and a porcioun of wyn and wan it is wel ysodyn and ydressyd in Dyschis stik ther'in clowis of Gilofr' and strew ther'on sugur.

Here is my translation:

Take cherries at the Feast of St John the Baptist and remove the stones. Grind them in a mortar and then put them through a sieve until the juice comes out. Put them in a pot with grease or butter and stale bread, minced small. Add a good part of sugar and a portion of wine. When the bread is moistened put in dishes, add cloves (clous de girofle in French) and top with sugar.

This sounds rather like a summer pudding with the bread. The recipe does not specify if it should be eaten hot or cold, but I imagine it served cold. I think it would be pretty tasty!