urn too: which if by some little
inadvertence it should do, and that some black burned substance sticketh to
the bottom of the skillet, pour all the good matter from it into a fresh
skillet (or into a basin whiles you scoure this) and renew boiling till it
be very thick; All which is to make the barley very tender and pulpy, and
will at least require two or near three hours. Then pour to it three pints
of good Cream, and boil them together a little while, stirring them always.
It will be sometime before the cold Cream boil, which when it doth, a
little will suffice. Then take it from the fire, and season it well with
Sugar. Then take a quarter of a pint of Sack, and as much Rhenish-wine (or
more of each) and a little Verjuyce, or sharp Cider, or juyce of Orange,
and season it well with Sugar (at least half a pound to both) and set it
over Coals to boil. Which when it doth, and the Sugar is well melted, pour
the Cream into it; in which Cream the barley will be settled to the bottom
by standing still unmoved, after the Sugar is well stirred and melted in
it, or pour it through a hair-sieve; and you may boil it again, that it be
very hot, when you mingle them together; else it may chance not curdle.
Some of the barley (but little) will go over with it, and will do no hurt.
After you have thus made your Posset, let it stand warm a while that the
curd may thicken: but take heed it boil not, for that would dissolve it
again into the consistence of Cream. When you serve it up, strew it over
with Powder of Cinnamon and Sugar. It will be much the better, if you strew
upon it some Ambergreece ground with Sugar. You may boil bruised sticks of
Cinnamon in the Cream, and in the Sack, before you mingle them. You must
use clear Char-coal-fire under your vessels. The remaining barley will make
good barley Cream, being boiled with fresh Cream and a little Cinnamon and
Mace; to which you may add a little Rosemary and Sugar, when it is taken
from the fire: or butter it as you do wheat. Or make a pudding of it,
putting to it a Pint of Cream, which boil; then add four or five yolks, and
two whites of Eggs, and the Marrow of two bones cut small, and of one in
lumps: sufficient Sugar, and one Nutmeg grated. Put this either to bake
raw, or with puff-past beneath and above it in the dish. A pretty smart
heat, as for white Manchet, and three quarters of an hour in the Oven. You
may make the like with great Oat-meal scalded (not boiled) in Cream, and