flipHypocras with Burgundy Wine
Hypocras with Burgundy Wine
Why this dish? Francis I appreciated the wines of the Loire and Burgundy. At the end of banquets, hypocras — sweetened, spiced wine filtered through a cloth — was served as a digestif and a mark of refinement. It was the closing gesture of great tables.
A generous red wine, sweetened with honey and infused with cinnamon, ginger and grains of paradise, then filtered until clear and velvety. A festive drink, warm on the palate.
When the tablecloths are lifted and the pies broken, here comes my hypocras, and that is when a banquet becomes royal! I want it made of good Burgundy wine, sweetened with honey, and laden with cinnamon and maniguette to set the tongue ablaze. My cupbearers strain it through Hippocrates' sleeve until it is clear as ruby. Drink a cup to my health, but soberly, for it warms the blood more than you think!
- •Red Burgundy wine — a pitcher (base)
- •Honey (or sugar) — as needed (sweetness)
- •Cinnamon stick — a piece (dominant spice)
- •Ginger — a little (warmth)
- •Grains of paradise — a few grains (signature spice)
- •Cloves and nutmeg — a hint (perfume)
Hypocras with Burgundy Wine
A generous red wine, sweetened with honey and infused with cinnamon, ginger and grains of paradise, then filtered until clear and velvety. A festive drink, warm on the palate.
Why this dish? Francis I appreciated the wines of the Loire and Burgundy. At the end of banquets, hypocras — sweetened, spiced wine filtered through a cloth — was served as a digestif and a mark of refinement. It was the closing gesture of great tables.
When the tablecloths are lifted and the pies broken, here comes my hypocras, and that is when a banquet becomes royal! I want it made of good Burgundy wine, sweetened with honey, and laden with cinnamon and maniguette to set the tongue ablaze. My cupbearers strain it through Hippocrates' sleeve until it is clear as ruby. Drink a cup to my health, but soberly, for it warms the blood more than you think!
Ingredients (period version)
- Red Burgundy wine — a pitcher (base)
- Honey (or sugar) — as needed (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — a piece (dominant spice)
- Ginger — a little (warmth)
- Grains of paradise — a few grains (signature spice)
- Cloves and nutmeg — a hint (perfume)
Ingredients
- Full-bodied red wine (Burgundy or other) — 1 litre (base)
- Honey — 120 g (sweetness)
- Cinnamon stick — 1 stick (main spice)
- Fresh ginger — 3 thin slices (warmth)
- Grains of paradise (or cardamom + pepper) — 4-5 crushed grains (signature spice)
- Cloves — 2 cloves (perfume)
- Nutmeg — a grating (perfume)
Method
- Gently heat the wine with the honey without boiling, until honey dissolves.
- Add all spices, remove from heat, cover and infuse 1 to 2 hours off the heat.
- Strain carefully through a fine cloth (or coffee filter) to obtain a clear liquid.
- Serve chilled or slightly warm, in small cups.
How it was made : Hypocras was filtered through a "Hippocrates' sleeve", a conical cloth bag that gave it its name. A medicinal-festive drink, it was believed to have digestive virtues. Recipes varied according to wealth: expensive sugar for the rich, honey for others.
The contemporary twist : Offer it in a "summer cold" version, well iced in a carafe, with a strip of bitter orange zest for freshness.
Sources : Le Viandier de Taillevent · Le Ménagier de Paris (c. 1393) · Platine en françois (1505)
Francis I · Charactorium
