The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Opened

<p>Digby makes use of ingredients including flowers vegetables meats herbs spices alcohol fruits and berries eggs milk grains and honey.</p><p><br></p><p>Foreign influence can be seen in recipes such as Pan Cotto as the Cardinals use in Rome and A savoury and nourishing boiled Del Conte di Trino a Milano which calls for costly ambergris dates raisins currants and sugar; the bird is boiled inside an ox bladder.</p><p><br></p><p>Advice is given that diverges from the recipe headings onto related topics. In Tea with Eggs it is advised not to let tea soak too long in hot water which makes it extract into itself the earthy parts of the herb but The water is to remain upon it no longer then whiles you can say the <em>Miserere</em> Psalm very leisurely.</p><p><br></p><p>Thus you have only the spiritual parts of the Tea. Similarly under Pan Cotto the author gives general advice upon breakfasting recommending juyce of Orange cream of oatmeal or barley and ending Two poched eggs with a few fine dry-fryed Collops of pure Bacon are not bad for breakfast or to begin a meal.</p><p><br></p><p>Instructions are given to feed Chickens and other poultry.</p><p><br></p><p><em>The Closet Opened </em>begins with a section on brewing soft and alcoholic drinks. There are many recipes for mead and metheglin and some for ale cider and wines from fruits including cherry and strawberry.</p><p><br></p><p>It then provides recipes for sallats eggs potage meat pie and meat and vegetable pasties cooked and prepared meats syllabub cakes pies puddings and other desserts.</p><p> </p>