To Make Whey Drincke

This recipe originates from the early 17th century and is attributed to Mary Baumfylde, who compiled her recipe book in 1626. Such 'whey drinks' were popular in England as part of domestic medical practice—a blend of practical cookery and herbal healing. Housewives and gentlewomen recorded these kinds of recipes not just for nourishment, but also as tonics or mild remedies, believed to promote health and cleanse the body. Baumfylde’s book bridges an age where the kitchen was also the medicine cabinet, and ingredients reflected the seasonal bounty and local flora. The recipe lived on in household manuscripts for generations, echoing through the age well into the 18th century, adapting as tastes and medical beliefs changed.

In its day, this drink would be prepared over an open hearth or in a brick kitchen fireplace, using a large cauldron or brewing pot. Herbs were gathered fresh from the garden or hedgerow, possibly chopped with a simple iron knife. Measuring was done by eye and hand—a 'handful' or an 'ounce' meant what it could hold or what local weights provided. Everything would be boiled together, then strained through coarse linen or a sieve into a cool vessel for drinking. Straining cloths and large wooden spoons were staples in every well-equipped kitchen of the time.