Hippocras Against Venoms
Red wine infused with cinnamon, ginger, grains of paradise and clove, sweetened with honey and strained, served warm at the end of the meal. Sweet and powerfully spiced.
Red wine infused with cinnamon, ginger, grains of paradise and clove, sweetened with honey and strained, served warm at the end of the meal. Sweet and powerfully spiced.
I was said to be able to poison well water with a single glance, and to wither wine in the cup. So the lords boiled their wine with honey, cinnamon and grain of paradise, then passed it through Hippocras's sleeve to drive out all venom. They drank it warm and fiery at the end of feasts, persuaded that no creature could corrupt so spiced a brew. Drink, mortal, and forget for a moment that I lurk at the bottom of your well.
- •Red wine — a pint (base)
- •Honey — to taste (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon — one stick (master spice)
- •Ginger — a piece (warmth)
- •Grains of paradise (melegueta) — a few grains (noble pungency)
- •Clove — two or three (aroma)
Hippocras Against Venoms
Red wine infused with cinnamon, ginger, grains of paradise and clove, sweetened with honey and strained, served warm at the end of the meal. Sweet and powerfully spiced.
Why this dish? The cockatrice was credited with the power to poison well water and wither wine with a single glance. At the end of banquets, hippocras, a spiced and warm wine, was therefore served, reputed to drive all venom from the cup.
I was said to be able to poison well water with a single glance, and to wither wine in the cup. So the lords boiled their wine with honey, cinnamon and grain of paradise, then passed it through Hippocras's sleeve to drive out all venom. They drank it warm and fiery at the end of feasts, persuaded that no creature could corrupt so spiced a brew. Drink, mortal, and forget for a moment that I lurk at the bottom of your well.
Ingredients (period version)
- Red wine — a pint (base)
- Honey — to taste (sweetness)
- Cinnamon — one stick (master spice)
- Ginger — a piece (warmth)
- Grains of paradise (melegueta) — a few grains (noble pungency)
- Clove — two or three (aroma)
Ingredients
- Full-bodied red wine — 750 ml (base)
- Honey — 4 tbsp (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 (master spice)
- Fresh ginger — 3 slices (warmth)
- Grains of paradise (or pepper + cardamom) — 1/2 tsp (pungency)
- Cloves — 3 (aroma)
Method
- Pour the wine into a saucepan with the honey and all the spices.
- Heat gently without boiling, at a simmer, for 10 to 15 minutes to infuse.
- Let it rest off the heat, covered, for another 15 minutes to intensify the flavor.
- Strain carefully (through a fine cloth, the "Hippocras sleeve").
- Serve warm in small cups, at the end of the meal.
- Non-alcoholic version: replace the wine with red grape juice and reduce the honey.
How it was made : Hippocras (from "Hippocrates' sleeve," the filtering bag) is one of the best-documented medieval beverages: Taillevent's Viandier and the Ménagier de Paris give its recipe, based on wine, sugar or honey and a mixture of costly spices (cinnamon, ginger, grains of paradise, clove). It was considered digestive and beneficial, and was served at the "issue of the table."
The contemporary twist : Serve it steaming in a dark cup placed near a small mirror: it was claimed the cockatrice died only upon seeing its own reflection.
Sources : Le Viandier de Taillevent (14th c.) · Le Ménagier de Paris (c. 1393)
Cockatrice · Charactorium
