Eggs a la Switz

While reading through many old cookbooks to select recipes for the many different breakfast histories I stumble across an occasional recipe which doesn’t have a place in this history, but fascinating enough to be worth sharing.

This is one of those intriguing recipes. I don’t know if it has a history. I don’t know that it has been in the kitchen for the past couple of centuries. But, it might strike a chord with you; it might be a recipe which some adventurous day I may want to try in my home. I am guessing this recipe may have been one familiar to cooks in Switzerland. It has the usual sugars and spices of its era, as well as using orange juice for flavoring.

[1730] Eggs a la Switz

TAKE the Yolks of a Dozen Eggs whole from the Whites, poach them in white Wine and Salt; then have ſcalded Spinach minc’d, and toſs it up with a little Cream and thick Butter, and the Yolk of an Egg or two to bind it a little: ſeaſon it with Pepper, Salt, and Nutmeg, and ſqueeze in the Juice of an Orange; lay it hot in your Diſh; lay the Yolks of Eggs over it, and waſh them over with the Yolk of an Egg and thick butter beat together, and dredge them over with the Raſpings of a French Manchet, and give it a Brown over with an hot Iron, and ſtick fry’d Toaſts between the Eggs: Garniſh with Orange or Lemon. [Carter, Charles, “Complete Practical Cook”, p82 (Printed for W Meadows::London)]

Progress is continuing with my Breakfast recipes, a lot of cleanup, most of the needed research completed – just a bit left to finish. Still looking for a publisher. 

538 blog Recognition

Today my work was mentioned on the new Digest blog, part of the 358 publications. When the first Digest post was made a couple of weeks ago I contacted the reporter, Anna Maria Barry-Jester, to comment on her discussion of Toast, sharing with her what (at that time) was my earliest discovery of a Sops recipe mentioning making toast. With my permission she shared the recipe, with my translation from Middle English, in her blog posting today and providing me with attribution. 

Her narration caused an epiphany for me. While I've perused, then ignored, Sops recipes in the past, I had not made any association between them and Toast, nor other modern recipes, breakfast or otherwise. I now realize there are a number of recipes which makeup our Breakfast menu today which fit the definition of Sops. As I reviewed my recipes I discovered phrase fragments and other references in several which already mentioned a connection with Sops. I have been busy reorganizing my chapter on Toast, renaming it Sops and Toast. It is always fun to have my knowledge horizons expanded, and thereby yours, once my book is published. 

Of course, after sharing my recipe, I ended up tweaking the translation yet again, shared here for your pleasure (and before my book is published it could change again):

[1430] Soupes Jamberlayne {Middle English}

Take Wyne, Canel, an powder of Gyngere, an Sugre, an of eche a porcyoun, þan take a ſtraynoure & hange it on a pynne, an caſte ale þer-to, an let renne twyis or þryis throgh, tyl it renne clere; an þen take Paynemaynne an kyt it in maner of brewes, an toſte it, an wete it in þe ſame lycowre, an ley it on a dyſſhe, an caſte blawnche powder y-now þer-on; an þan caſte þe ſame lycour vp-on þe ſame ſoppys, an ſerue hem forth in maner of a potage. [Harlaien MS 279 xxviii / Thomas, Austin, “Two Fifteenth Century Cookery Books”, p11 (Early English Text Society::London) 1888] 

Translation:

Sops Chamberlain

Take Wine, Cinnamon, and powder of Ginger, and Sugar, and of each a portion; then take a strainer, & hang it on a peg, And cast ale thereto, and let run twice or thrice through, till it runs clear; and then take good Bread, and cut it in a manner of bread for broth, and toast it, and wet it the same liquor, and lay it in a dish, and cast ground spices blended with sugar enough thereon; And then cast the same liquor upon the same sops, and Serve them forth for a good porridge.

blawnche powder – ‘white powder’, blend of ground spices with sugar, especially ginger

sops – pieces of fried or toasted bread in liquid