For Qualing of Mylk

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: MS Harley 5401 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: How to thicken milk

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

For Qualing of Mylk. Cast þerto a litil flour & styre it wele.

- Hieatt, Constance B. "The Middle English Culinary Recipes in MS Harley 5401: An Edition and Commentary." Medium Ævum vol. 65, no. 1 (1996): 54-71.

GODE COOKERY TRANSLATION:

For Curdling of Milk. Cast there-to a little flour & stir it well.

INGREDIENTS:

• milk
• flour

Thoroughly blend, with a wire whisk, a spoon, or even a food processor, milk and flour into a smooth mixture; thicken to any desired consistency.

Qualing means curdling; while the modern definition of curdle means simply sour or to make sour, a more archaic use was as a word for thicken, which is what is meant here.