Note E458 — 90.

"Fyrmente is made of whete and mylke, in the whiche, yf flesshe be soden, to eate it is not commendable, for it is harde of dygestyon; but whan it is dygested it doth nowrysshe, and it doth strength a man."—Andrew Boorde's Dyetary, E.E. Text Soc. ed. F. J. Furnivall, p. 263. The following recipe for making Furmenty is from the Liber Cure Cocorum, ed. Morris, p. 7:

Furmente. Take wete, and pyke [pick] hit fayre (and clene) And do hit in a morter shene; Bray hit a lytelle, with water hit spryng [sprinkle] Tyl hit hulle, with-oute lesyng. Þen wyndo [winnow] hit wele, nede þou mot; Wasshe hit fayre, put hit in pot; Boyle hit tylle hit brest, þen Let hit doun, as I þe kenne. Take now mylke, and play hit up To hit be thykkerede to sup. Lye hit up with yolkes of eyren [eggs], And kepe hit wele, lest hit berne [burn]. Coloure hit with safron and salt hit wele, And servys hit forthe, Syr, at þe mele; With sugur candy þou may hit dowce, If hit be served in grete lordys howce. Take black sugur for mener menne; Be ware þerwith, for hit wylle brenne [burn].

The following recipes for the manufacture of Furmenty are given in Pegge's Forme of Cury, pp. 91 and 121: 1. For to make Furmenty, "Nym [Take] clene wete, and bray it in a morter wel that the holys [hulls] gon al of and seyt [seethe] yt til it breste and nym yt up, and lat it kele [cool] and nym fay re fresch broth and swete mylk of Almandys or swete mylk of kyne and temper yt al, and nym the yolkys of eyryn [eggs], boyl it a lityl and set yt adoun and messe yt forthe wyth fast venyson and fresch moton." 2. For to make Formenty on a Fische-day, "Tak the mylk of the Hasel Notis, boyl the wete wyth the aftermelk til it be dryyd, and tak and colour yt wyth Saffroun, and the ferst mylk cast therto and boyle wel and serve yt forth." In Mr. Peacock's Glossary of Manley, etc., we have: "Frumerty, a preparation of creed-wheat [wheat simmered until tender] with milk, currants, raisins and spices in it."