Moad
From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1725
Unknown Author
Moad
"In 1 gallon of Water dissolve 1p'. of Honey, & beat the Whites of 2 Eggs & put to It. boil It on the Fire & let It boil till It comes to a Gallon. scam It very well. Then boil 1 p'. of Raisins of the Sun stons, in a sufficient Quantity of Water, let them boil, till all the Goodness is out of them. & put It then to the Water & Honey, & let all settle in a Tub till perfectly cold. pour off all but the Dregs, into a Cask. Stop It down close. when thoroughly fine bottle It. & keep It well corkd."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in a typical 18th-century English format: no ingredient list, just a flowing narrative—compact and to the point, assuming the reader had a fair amount of culinary knowledge. Unusual or phonetic spelling (e.g., 'Moad.' for 'Mead', 'scam' for 'skim', 'stop It down') reflects period orthography. Quantities and times are given loosely, relying on observation—'till all the Goodness is out', 'till It comes to a Gallon.' This was standard, as precision measuring cups and modern thermostatic controls were unavailable, and skilled cooks judged by sight, taste, and experience.
Title
Cookbook of 1725 (1725)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1725
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful window into 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary volume whisks readers away with its charming recipes and savory secrets from a bygone era.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe comes from circa 1725, a period when homemade fermented beverages were standard fare in many English households. 'Moad.' is a variant spelling of 'mead,' a honey-fermented drink enjoyed since ancient times but particularly popular in Britain during times when grapes (and thus wine) were less abundant. With sugar still relatively expensive and honey plentiful in many rural settings, recipes like this offered both a sweet treat and a means of preserving the bounty of late summer.
In the early 18th century, this would have been made using large copper or brass kettles for boiling, wooden spoons for stirring, linen cloths or fine sieves for straining, and large wooden tubs for initial cooling and settling. The fermentation would take place in wooden casks or barrels, sealed with wax or wooden plugs. Bottling was done in glass bottles sealed with corks, often reinforced with twine or wax. Today, we can use stainless steel or enamel pots, fine-mesh strainers, glass fermentation vessels (demijohns or carboys), and modern corked bottles.
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings
20
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 1 gallon water
- 1 pound honey
- 2 egg whites
- 1 pound raisins (preferably sun-dried; seedless varieties such as Thompson are good; if unavailable, regular seeded raisins may be substituted with extra straining)
Instructions
- To make this delightful early 18th-century mead, start by dissolving 1 pound of honey in 1 gallon of water in a large pot.
- Lightly beat the whites of 2 eggs and stir them into the mixture.
- Bring it to a gentle boil, letting it simmer until it reduces back to about 1 gallon, and skim off any scum that forms at the top.
- While the honey mixture simmers, take 1 pound of seedless raisins (preferably sun-dried) and simmer them in enough water to cover (about 1.5 quarts) until they are plump and the liquid is richly flavored—about 10-15 minutes.
- Strain out the raisins and add this raisin liquid to your honey-water mixture.
- Cool the combined mixture in a fermentation-safe tub until perfectly cold.
- Carefully pour off the clear liquid from the sediment into a sanitized fermentation vessel (a carboy or demijohn), leaving the dregs behind.
- Seal tightly with an airlock.
- After fermentation and when the drink is clear, bottle carefully, sealing with corks.
- Store in a cool place.
Estimated Calories
140 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing this mead takes some time but is easy to do. You’ll spend a little while getting the ingredients ready, simmering the honey and raisins, and letting them cool before fermenting. Cooking is mostly simmering and stirring. Each glass is around 140 calories, and this recipe makes about 20 servings.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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