Recipe Manuscript

To Make A Winter Cheese

Name: To Make A Winter Cheese
Prep time: PTPT1H15M
Cook time: PTPT24H
Yield: 40
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 20 liters whole raw milk (from 8-10 cows, or the equivalent in high-quality, whole milk); 1-2 liters heavy cream (preferably unpasteurized; substitute pasteurized if needed); 30 ml strained juice of fresh marigold flowers (or substitute with a few drops of a food-safe yellow natural dye, but marigolds are traditional); 70-80 ml rennet (check modern rennet packaging for correct dosage per liter); Fine sea salt, to taste (about 40-50 grams total, divided for salting in stages)

1703

From the treasured pages of The Lady Cravens Receipt Book

Written by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Other

Original Recipe • 1703

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make A Winter Cheese

"Take the morning milk of 8 or 10 Cows & ye cream of ye night's milk, put it together to warme as milk from ye cow, & before you put ye runnet to it collout it with ye Juice of mary-gold flowers, pounded & straind to it, when it is come enough let it be broke weell & then put into a deep cheesefatt or hoop, turning it carefully, & when it is fitt to salt; salt it a little at a time, 2 or 3 times, then let it be weell prest a day & a night according to ye thickness of ye Cheese. June or July are ye best months to make them in, for they will be the milder cheese, & when you take them out of ye cheesefatt put a cloth a bout it for a little time."

Note on the Original Text

This recipe uses period spelling ('ye' for 'the', 'runnet' for rennet) and expects the reader to have significant practical dairy knowledge. Measurements are vague or given according to livestock rather than precise weights, as literacy in scales or standardized units wasn't common. Verbs are sparse ('let it come enough'), placing the onus on the cook's experience. The original text is poetic and direct, weaving together process and timing in a way that asks cooks to trust their senses and judgement—a hallmark of early manuscript recipes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Lady Cravens Receipt Book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

The Lady Cravens Receipt Book (1703)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Era

1703

Publisher

Coome Abbey

Background

A delectable manuscript brimming with 18th-century English delights, Lady Craven's receipt book whisks readers from luscious cakes and puddings to savory feasts and creamy cheeses. Elegantly organized and sprinkled with recipes from an illustrious social circle, this culinary collection offers a sumptuous taste of aristocratic home economics.

Kindly made available by

Penn State University

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe is drawn from Lady Elizabeth Craven's personal receipt book, compiled between 1702 and 1704—a time when English aristocratic households managed elaborate dairies. Cheese making was a seasonal pursuit, governed by the quality of milk and the rhythms of rural estate life. 'Winter Cheese' refers not to when it was made, but to a cheese intended for storage and consumption during the colder months, benefiting from summer's rich milk. Recipes in the collection often bear attributions, reflecting an active exchange of culinary knowledge within elite circles, providing a window not only into what was eaten, but also who shared the table and kitchen.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in the early 18th century, cheese making called for large copper or earthenware pans for heating milk, wooden or metal cheese hoops (moulds), muslin or linen cloth for draining, heavy wooden cheese presses for expelling whey, and sturdy wooden spoons for breaking up curds. The kitchen would also have relied on an open hearth for gentle and controlled heat, along with a cool, well-ventilated dairy room for maturing the cheese safely.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr 15 mins

Cook Time

24 hrs

Servings

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

5¼ gallons whole raw milk (from 8-10 cows, or the equivalent in high-quality, whole milk)
1-2 quarts heavy cream (preferably unpasteurized; substitute pasteurized if needed)
2 tablespoons strained juice of fresh marigold flowers (or substitute with a few drops of a food-safe yellow natural dye, but marigolds are traditional)
4⅔–5⅓ fluid ounces rennet (check modern rennet packaging for correct dosage per quart)
Fine sea salt, to taste (about 1½–1¾ ounces total, divided for salting in stages)

Instructions

To make a 'Winter Cheese' in the spirit of Lady Craven, gather about 5¼ gallons of freshly drawn morning milk from 8-10 cows, and add 1-2 quarts of cream skimmed from the previous night's milk.
Warm both together gently in a large pot until they reach approximately 99°F—the warmth of fresh milk from the cow.
Before adding your rennet, stir in a small quantity (about 2 tablespoons) of the strained juice from marigold petals, which infuses a delicate herbal note and a characteristic yellow hue.
Add enough rennet, as per the manufacturer's instructions (usually about ½–¾ teaspoon per quart), stir well, and let the curds form.
Once set, break up the curd gently with a slotted spoon, then carefully transfer it into a deep cheese mould or hoop lined with cheesecloth.
Turn the cheese in the mould to ensure even draining, and when it is firm enough to handle, salt the surface lightly, repeating this 2-3 times with small amounts of fine salt to season and preserve.
Press the cheese under a steady weight for 24 hours, adjusting for the thickness.
After pressing, bind the cheese in a clean cloth for a short period to set its shape before aging.
The best time to make this cheese is in June or July, ensuring a milder and more aromatic result.

Estimated Calories

320 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30 minutes to heat the milk and add the rennet, and another 45 minutes to form and cut the curds. Draining, salting, and pressing takes about 24 hours, but most of that time the cheese is resting. This large batch will produce about 2 standard wheels of cheese, each yielding 20 servings. Each serving is about 80 grams with around 320 calories.

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.