The Seigne of Urynes- what your urine said about your health in the 16th century, part.1

This is a transcription of the first half of a printed text from 1522. There is a second half that I'll work on later. 

I used this as part of my research into what medieval physicians had as part of their knowledge base for diagnosis and prognosis (understanding what disease and the course it would take).

Herbal hot chocolate

Herbal Hot Chocolate 

• 3 oz really good chocolate (the best you can afford)
• 2c milk of your choice (cow, almond, rice, coconut, etc)
• 1/4c cream (optional- cow or coconut)
• 2tsp dried herbs (combinations suggested below, or experiment)

Method

• Put your milk and herbs in a small sauce pan and heat gently and slowly (you don't want to scorch the milk and have it stick to the bottom of the pan
• Take it off the heat and let it cool while you chop the chocolate
• Strain the herbs out of the milk and back into the sauce pan. Add the chocolate.
• Heat again very slowly and over a low heat. The chocolate will melt. Whisk very frequently.
• Pour into a mug when it is quite warm to the touch, but not boiling.

List of good herbs and other ingredients- mint, bee balm, lemon balm, lemon verbena, sweet violet, rose, citrus (from organic peels), ginger, lavender, raspberry leaves

Herb combination suggestions- White chocolate and lavender, milk chocolate with citrus and ginger, white chocolate with sweet violet and rose, dark chocolate with raspberry leaves and mint, dark chocolate with lemon balm and ginger.

Hopefully this will help you get through the long, dark teatime of the soul in January and February... Along with garden catalogues.

Eggless tea cake (literally- tea)

Another British recipe from WWII. I love that this one uses tea, although since it also uses wheat flour I'll never be eating it. I may try to find a way to substitute in for the wheat somehow. Kitchen experiment time.

Eggless Fruit Cake

• 1.5 cups self raising flour (or plain flour with 3 teaspoons of baking powder added)
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• 1 level teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup of black tea (cold)
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 5 Tbsp sugar
• 1/3 cup dried fruit

Herbal cold and flu syrup

I'm a big fan of The Nerdy Farm Wife, and this recipe sounded like something good to pass along as everyone seems to be sick right now-

Ginger and lemon balm cold and flu syrup

I won't say 'enjoy', because if you're using it you're not feeling very well...

Use it in good health, perhaps?