For The Broath Thereof

This recipe hails from the manuscript collection of John King, dating roughly between 1625 and 1725, a period that straddles the tail end of the English Renaissance and the early Georgian era. During this time, broth was not only a staple at the table but also a way to display wealth through the use of wine, rare spices, and sugar. Such enriched broths would have graced aristocratic feasts, accompanying boiled meats—a popular preparation in grand households. The inclusion of both sugar and dried fruits reflects the courtly taste for sweet-spiced flavors in savory dishes, a fashion inherited from medieval culinary traditions. This broth would likely have been ladled with pride over the best cuts of beef or mutton at a well-set table.

Back in the day, cooks would have used large brass or copper cauldrons suspended over an open hearth, regulating temperature with coal or wood fires. Bone marrow would be scooped from split beef bones with a long spoon. Spices like mace would be pounded in a mortar and pestle. Liquids, once boiled, might be ladled out with wooden or pewter spoons, and the finished broth strained through linen cloths or simple sieves if needed. Serving would typically involve a sturdy ladle and heavy deep bowls, with the broth poured directly over pieces of boiled meat carved at the high table.