Roste Lobsters Old Elizabethan
Recipe

To Roste Lobsters
Take two fair Lobsters alive, wash them clean, and stop the holes as you do to boil, then fasten them to a Spit, the insides together; make a good fire, and strew Salt on them, and that will kill them quickly, bast them with Water and Salt till they be very red, then have ready some Oysters stewed and cut small; put them into a Dish with melted Butter beaten thick with a little water, then take a few spoonfuls of the Liquor of the stewed Oysters, and dissolve in it two Anchovies, then put it to the melted Butter, then take up your Lobsters, and crack the shells that they may be easie to open

Roste Lobsters Old Elizabethan Recipe
The above Old recipe is taken from for Roste Lobsters is written in totally different way to today's recipe books.

• There were no lists of ingredients - these were included as part of the text
• Food and ingredient measurements were extremely basic - quantities were not often specified.
• Temperature control was difficult and therefore not specified.
• Cooking times were vague - and left to the cook to decide.
• It was assumed that the reader would already have some knowledge of cooking

The History of the Recipe Book

• Some of the language might be referred to as 'Olde English'
• The art of cooking and the recipe was passed verbally from one generation to the next
• The first printed book ever to be published in English was in 1474.
• Most Elizabethan women were unable to read.
• The idea of a Recipe Book was an entirely new concept
• The first Recipe Books to be printed in England which included many old Elizabethan and Medieval recipes were called:
  • 1545 - 'A Propre new booke of Cokery'
  • 1588 - 'The Good Huswifes Handmaid for Cookerie in her kitchen'
  • 1596 - 'The Good Hyswife's Jewell'
  • 1610 'Mrs. Sarah Longe her Receipt Booke'

Roste Lobsters Old Elizabethan Recipe

The above Old recipe is taken from the book by Hannah Woolley (1622-1675) printed at the White Lion in Duck-Lane, near West-Smithfield, London in 1672 entitled:

The Queen-like Closet
OR
RICH CABINET
Scored with all manner of
RARE RECEIPTS
FOR
Preserving, Candying and Cookery

The contents of www.elizabethan-era.org.uk are subject to Copyright Laws - the name of the Website Author is Linda Alchin. The referencing protocol is suggested as follows:

Alchin, L.K.
 Elizabethan Era
e.g. Retrieved May 16 2012 from www.elizabethan-era.org.uk

The content of Elizabethan Era is free but solely for educational purposes. Reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.". We would respectfully direct our visitors to our Elizabethan Era Copyright page and Elizabethan Era Privacy Statement regarding the Terms of Use of this history site, both may be accessed from the links provided at the bottom of this page.

Queen Elizabeth's Coat of Arms

Roste Lobsters Old Elizabethan Recipe

Privacy Statement

© 2017 Siteseen Ltd

Cookie Policy

By Linda Alchin