Looking more into making stuff like fruit wines and cheese based on historic recipes (I am rebuilding my historic recipes site). Most brewing recipes I can figure out but I was somewhat confused by the 1658 cheese recipe (below) and particularly the terms; "Cheese-Mot", "Suiker", and "Grasse". The recipe as such seems rather bland? Or what can one expect?
If anyone can shed some light on these terms, I'd be forever grateful.
Quote_To make the Lady Albergaveres Cheese._
To one Cheese take a Gallon of new Milk, and a pint of good Cream, and
mix them well together, then take a Skillet of hot water as much as will
make it hotter then it comes from the Cow, then put in a spoonfull of
Rennet, and stir it well together and cover it, and when it is come,
take a wet Cloth and lay it on your Cheese-Mot, and take up the Curd and
not break it; and put it into your Mot; and when your Mot is full, lay
on the Suiker, and every two hours turn your Cheese in wet Cloathes
wrung dry; and lay on a little more wet, at night take as much salt as
you can between your finger and thumb, and salt your Cheese on both
sides; let them lye in Presses all night in a wet Cloth; the next day
lay them on a Table between a dry Cloth, the next day lay them in
Grasse, and every other day change your Grasse, they will be ready to
eat in nine dayes; if you will have them ready sooner, cover them with a
Blanket.
Very interesting.
My first thought was that Cheese-mot might be cheese mould and that Grasse could be grass or perhaps straw. This seems to be confirmed by this site. (http://www.shakespearesengland.co.uk/2010/03/page/4/)
Maybe the Grasse was used as a draining mat.
Suiker remains a mystery.
The recipe would seem to be for a fairly fresh, soft, creamy cheese. It is a bit hard to be sure what it would be like without more detail such as pressing weight.
That "mot" is "mould" seems a most reasonable assumption, coming to think of it. Also that "Grasse" is used for draining.
Thanks, I've got a couple more recipes to add shortly.