Herb Caudle with Oatmeal
A warm, slightly sour broth, thickened with oatmeal, scented with bitter garden herbs and sweetened with a spoonful of honey. It was given to feverish and weakened people.
A warm, slightly sour broth, thickened with oatmeal, scented with bitter garden herbs and sweetened with a spoonful of honey. It was given to feverish and weakened people.
When fever takes a neighbour, I prepare a caudle that warms the blood. I cook a little oatmeal in small ale, add hyssop and sage from the plot, a dash of vinegar and a spoonful of honey to make it go down. Drink it hot, in small sips, and it restores strength to the weak. That is all my secret, my child — herbs and good sense, nothing more, whatever people say.
- •Oatmeal — a spoonful (nourishing thickener)
- •Small ale (or water) — a bowl (warm liquid)
- •Hyssop, sage, yarrow — a few sprigs (medicinal virtues and bitterness)
- •Cider vinegar — a dash (tonic acidity)
- •Honey — a spoonful (sweetness and comfort)
Herb Caudle with Oatmeal
A warm, slightly sour broth, thickened with oatmeal, scented with bitter garden herbs and sweetened with a spoonful of honey. It was given to feverish and weakened people.
Why this dish? In villages like Hatfield Peverel, women knew the garden herbs for healing — knowledge which, misunderstood, fuelled accusations of witchcraft. This warming caudle, made with oatmeal and herbs, is the folk remedy given to the sick and to women after childbirth.
When fever takes a neighbour, I prepare a caudle that warms the blood. I cook a little oatmeal in small ale, add hyssop and sage from the plot, a dash of vinegar and a spoonful of honey to make it go down. Drink it hot, in small sips, and it restores strength to the weak. That is all my secret, my child — herbs and good sense, nothing more, whatever people say.
Ingredients (period version)
- Oatmeal — a spoonful (nourishing thickener)
- Small ale (or water) — a bowl (warm liquid)
- Hyssop, sage, yarrow — a few sprigs (medicinal virtues and bitterness)
- Cider vinegar — a dash (tonic acidity)
- Honey — a spoonful (sweetness and comfort)
Ingredients
- Rolled oats or oatmeal — 30 g (thickener)
- Light beer or light broth — 400 ml (warm base)
- Sage and thyme (or hyssop) — 4-5 leaves (herbs)
- Cider vinegar — 1 tsp (acidity)
- Honey — 1 tbsp (sweetness)
- Salt — 1 pinch (balance)
Method
- Dissolve the oatmeal in the cold light beer (or broth) to avoid lumps.
- Heat gently, stirring for 8 to 10 min, until the mixture thickens slightly.
- Add the herbs, let infuse for 5 min off the heat, then strain if you prefer a smooth texture.
- Stir in the vinegar, honey, and pinch of salt. Taste: it should be bitter, sweet, and sour at once.
- Serve very hot in a cup, to be drunk in small sips.
How it was made : The caudle — a warm broth thickened with oatmeal or egg, enriched with ale and spices or herbs — was a common household remedy given to the sick, women after childbirth, and convalescents. The 'cunning women' of the villages held this knowledge of plants, on the dangerous border between folk medicine and accusations of witchcraft, as shown by Agnes's trial in 1566.
The contemporary twist : Reimagined as an evening 'tonic infusion' — oats, sage, honey, and a hint of vinegar — it is the peasant ancestor of golden milk.
Sources : C. Anne Wilson, Food and Drink in Britain (1973) · Peter Brears, Cooking and Dining in Tudor and Early Stuart England (2015)
Agnes Waterhouse · Charactorium