Wassail (or Lambswool) - Untested

https://www.facebook.com/thetudorintruders/posts/pfbid0kgo4UEQL547Mcgx1kGmTqq291uxfjsVUpYjjHAfJdno4abs9WU2hD7A35MYkZiT5l

Wassail (alternatively called lambswool) was a popular traditional drink of the autumn and winter in Tudor times, especially around Christmas it was usually served in a large communal bowl (think punch bowl).

This is an updated version of a traditional Elizabethan recipe

3L. ale or stout or cider

12 small apples

3 tbsp honey

1/4 tsp freshly-ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp powdered cinnamon

2 tsp freshly-grated ginger

1. Bake the apples in a hot oven until they begin to split.
2. Divide your ale between two pots. Place about 3/4 in one pot and heat this gently until warm. Place the remainder in a second pot (which must be able to hold all the liquid), add the baked apples, honey and spices to this and bring to the boil.
3. Now pour the warmed ale into this and turn off the heat. Keep pouring the heated ale between the two pots until a large amount of froth has accumulated on the top (this is the Lamb's Wool).
4. Pour into a heated bowl and gather your guests around to drink.

Pork Belly with Lentils - Untested

https://www.cookingchanneltv.com/recipes/laura-calder/pork-belly-with-lentils-1959261

For several years I've avoided Laura Calder recipes, and I'd like to exorcise that demon. It's attached to feelings of shame and disappointment. When we were still living in downtown Vancouver, I was so excited about her show, really the only cooking show I've ever really liked. I so much enjoyed her take on things, at least the take presented by the persona in the show. Ben encouraged me to send her a fan letter and to invite her to dinner if ever she was in Vancouver. I doubted anything would come of it but I thought, meh, why not give it a try? A while later, in my fandom I looked for interviews with her, and found one done in Montreal II think), where she described receiving an invitation by a guy in Vancouver and described it as 'creepy' because it was an invitation to his and his partner's home. I have no idea if she was referring to me, but ever since, I've felt this shiver of shame run down my spine to think that my invitation might have made someone feel uncomfortable. I mean, I get it, some strange man inviting her to his place for dinner and all, but anyone who knows me would be, like, 'grrrrl, really?!?' I wish I'd followed my gut feeling and never sent that letter. Anywho, I continue to enjoy her recipes when I come across them, and I enjoy preparing the variations I've come up with from the ones I've already adopted. I suppose I should focus on that, on the gift she's given us with her lovely ideas.

This is a recipe of hers I've never made before, which I remember finding interesting on her TV show. Given that I have a lot of pork belly to work with at the moment, it seems like a perfect opportunity to try it.

For the belly

1 (3-pound) pork belly (not cured)

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

4 lrg carrots (280gr), peeled and cut into large chunks on the bias

3 onions (500gr), quartered

1 cup apple cider

Few fresh thyme sprigs

2 bay leaves

6 black peppercorns

1/4 cup honey

2 Tbsps Dijon mustard

1 Tbsp cider vinegar

For the lentils

1 cup French green lentils (du Puy lentils)

1 shallot

1 bay leaf

1 fresh thyme sprig

Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
2. Score the fat on the belly and season both sides with salt and pepper. Make a bed in a roasting pan with the carrots and onions. Lay the pork belly on top, skin-side up. Pour over the cider and a cup of water. Cook 30 minutes to get the fat running. Stir together the honey and Dijon with a spoonful of water. Brush the mustard mixture onto the fat, and lower the heat to 325 degrees F. Continue cooking, basting occasionally with the honey, for 3 hours.
3. An hour before the belly is done, start the lentils. Rinse the lentils in cold water, drain, and put in a saucepan with 1 1/2 cups water, the shallot, bay leaf and thyme. Bring to a boil, cover, and simmer gently until tender, 30 to 40 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure no more water is needed. Drain the lentils, and season with salt, and pepper. Set aside to reheat later.
4. Remove the belly from the oven when it's done, and transfer to a baking sheet. Return it to the oven at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes to crispen the skin.
5. Meanwhile, drain the juices from the roasting pan into a measuring cup, reserving the vegetables and keeping them warm. Pour the fat off the juices, using some to moisten the lentils and saving the rest for another use. Deglaze the roasting pan with the vinegar and reduce to a glaze, then add the cooking juices and cook down for a minute or two. Reheat the lentils gently.
6. Slice the belly and serve with the vegetables, and with the pork-fat moistened lentils.

Blackberry Cordial - Untested

Food in England by Dorothy Hartley, p. 428

"Take new cider straight from the press and equal parts of blackberry juice. Strain both together and mix with as much honey as will float an egg. Boil gently 15 minutes in an earthenware pot. When cool, barrel it, but do not fill the barrel. In March bottle it; it will be fit for use six weeks after bottling."

NOTES:

I sent this to Katie and Matthew and they made some interesting observations. Here's our e-mail exchange so far. Research continues (eventually, probably, maybe).

On Sat., Jul 18, 2020 at 8:41 PM Roland Maurice <rolandmaurice@yahoo.ca> wrote:

I found this curiosity in Dorothy Hartley's 1954 Food in England:
"Take new cider straight from the press and equal parts of blackberry juice. Strain both together and mix with as much honey as will float an egg. Boil gently 15 minutes in an earthenware pot. When cool, barrel it, but do not fill the barrel. In March bottle it; it will be fit for use six weeks after bottling."

On Mon., July 20, 2020 4:06 PM Katie Selbee <katieselbee@gmail.com> wrote:

Wow! I love this. I guess it's like a simple syrup? I love the "float an egg" instruction :D

On Mon., Jul. 20 at 5:07 p.m. Roland Maurice <rolandmaurice@yahoo.ca> wrote:

I think it’s meant to ferment, since it’s barreled and left until March. I assumed, considering the source since Ms Hartley collected olde timey recipes in the UK, that this is done when apples are being pressed for cider and there are still fresh blackberries on the bushes. So that would be, what? August? September? And then barreled for 6, 7 months?

On Mon., Jul. 20 at 10:58 p.m. Katie Selbee <katieselbee@gmail.com> wrote:

That’s what I thought at first but then I re-read about the 15 minutes of boiling...that would pasteurize it and kill all the yeast! And the pressure of fermenting that huge amount of sugar would likely blow a sealed barrel even if only partially filled...I think some context or instruction for this recipe has been lost! It’s very fascinating!

On Tue., Jul. 21 at 10:27 a.m. Roland Maurice <rolandmaurice@yahoo.ca> wrote:

Interesting. I get it, and it didn't occur to me. I wonder what the boiling is for. Without boiling there's be yeast from the apples, I suppose from the blackberries, and also from the honey (oh, Barry's honey! Imagine!). It didn't get boiled, does the partially filled barrel make sense? And that brings up a question - with bread making, you use a wooden bowl or trough to knead and do the first rise and you rinse, you don't wash it. That's because it captures the bread yeast and it continues to inoculate any bread you make in it (which is why old bread troughs are so valuable). Is it the same with wood barrels you brew stuff in? Could it be that the original recipe boiled everything but it still brewed because it was made in a barrel that was already inoculated with the right yeasts? If there are links to medieval recipes, I know that people thought that fresh fruit and veg were unsafe to eat because they were riddled with disease, so everything was cooked; maybe this is a holdover from that? Anyway, I think I'll slowly keep exploring these interesting questions.

Test 1 - Pork Tenderloin Braised with Apples

https://www.tasteslovely.com/apple-onion-braised-pork-tenderloin-paleo-whole30/
https://www.thespruceeats.com/how-to-cook-pork-p2-995227

1-A cast iron skillet with a lid is highly recommended to make this, but if you don't have one, a heavy bottomed pan (with a lid) will do just fine.

1 1/2 lb pork tenderloin
1+1 Tbsps vegetable oil
1+1 tsps salt
1+1 tsps pepper
2 medium yellow onions, sliced 1/4″ thick
2 medium green apples, cored, peeled and sliced 1/4″ thick
1 cup chicken stock
1/2 cup dry apply cider or unsweetened apple juice
2 Tbsps apple cider vinegar

1. Before adding the oil to brown the tenderloin, preheat your cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
2. Pat the tenderloin dry, and season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp pepper. 
3. Add 1 Tbsp of oil to the skillet. Sear the tenderloin until golden brown on all sides and set aside.
4. To the still hot pan, add the remaining Tbsp of oil. Add the apples, onions, and last tsps of salt pepper. Sautee, stirring frequently, until the apples and onions begin to soften and brown.
5. Place the tenderloin on top of the apples and onions. 
6. Add the chicken stock, apple cider and vinegar. Cover and simmer for about 10-15 minutes, or when the internal temperature reaches at least 135F.
7. Remove from heat and let rest, covered, for about 10 minutes. This last step is important - the meat will continue to cook as it cools, the juices spreading evenly throughout but, more importantly, the temperature will continue to rise until it reaches about 145F, the recommended temperature for safe eating.

Grilled Pork Tenderloin - Testing

https://www.lobels.com/pork-tenderloin-marinated-in-apple-cider/p/RCP0111

1 - July 29 2018 Made full marinade recipe for only 1 tenderloin, so it made a lot of reduction. Good, with sort of warming Chriztmassy flavour - ok as a summer dish but the holiday connotation makes it seem more suitable for cooler weather. Made adjustments that require testing.

3 Pork Tenderloins, each 3/4 to 1 pound, trimmed
1 cup apple cider
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. cloves
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground mace
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
A good pinch of salt
Black pepper, to taste

1. Combine the cider, brown sugar, cloves, cinnamon, mace, cardamom, salt and pepper in a small saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring, for 4 or 5 minutes, or until the flavors blend. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
2. Put the tenderloins in a shallow glass or ceramic dish and pour the marinade over them. Cover and set aside at room temperature for no longer than 30 minutes, or refrigerate for as long as 4 hours. If they have been refrigerated, let the tenderloins stand at room temperature for about 15 minutes before grilling.
3. Prepare a charcoal or gas grill. The coals should be moderately hot to hot.
4. Lift the tenderloins from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Grill the tenderloins for 15 to 20 minutes, turning with tongs only once, when the meat releases from the grill, otherwise keeping the lid closed. Grill the tenderloins until cooked through and the internal temperature reaches 150° to 155°F. Let the pork rest for about 10 minutes before slicing; the temperature will rise to 160°F during the resting period. 
5. While the meat is cooling bring the marinade to a boil then, over a rapid simmer, reduce the volume by half.
6. Slice the tenderloin thinly and serve with the reduction drizzled over it.

Test 2 - Terrine de pommes Grand'mère

This is a mashup of the following 2 recipes, which I've tried to translate into Imperial measurments:
http://www.750g.com/terrine-de-pommes-grandmere-r41498.htm
http://madame.lefigaro.fr/recettes/terrine-de-pommes-grand-mere-100901-202345

1 - A successful first try. I used Erica's old apples from last fall (it was March 19, 2018 when I made it) and followed the recipe to a T (except for letting the apples cool; and how to add the butter and eggs). I baked it in a bread loaf pan, and I wonder how it would turn out in a shallower pan? However, it turned out much more custardy and less solid than I expected. I wonder if the age of the apples and the variety and the amount of time they dried in the oven were not quite right? I wonder about letting the apples dry more, or even doing a short round in a dehydrator, and then baking them, if they would re-absorb some of the sugar, butter and egg and make a more dense thing?

2 - I did not make the crème anglaise and if it's to be a pudding on its own, the crème anglaise is essential. All by itself, it is a bit flat. I even tried it with just some cream, and it was just fine. So then I had this huge pot of apple pudding. What to do? I made apple turnovers! And it was great as the stuffing because it was dryer and more solid and less sweet than the other apple turnovers I've had tend to be. This may become a turnover recipe instead of a pudding recipe.

3 - Woopsie, I have found places where the instructions could be made more clear, which I will do right away. I skipped steps because I glossed over them.

4.4 lbs. apples 

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

1/4 cup Calvados (or brandy)

(Optional: 2 Tbsps. apple cider, if you have it)

3/4 cup butter, chopped

1/2 cup sugar 

4 eggs

1 recipe of crème anglaise 

1. Preheat oven to 225F and prepare a bain-marie.
2. Peel and core the apples and rough chop them. 
3. On the stove top, cook them with the Calvados and lemon juice (and apple cider if using) for about 10 minutes to allow the Calvados and juice to get taken up by the apples.
4. On a cookie sheet an oven-proof dish, bake the apples, uncovered, for 30 minutes, to allow it to dry out. NOTE - Should this be longer to dehydrate the apples? Does this matter on the freshness of the apple?
5. Once the stewed apples have dried out a bit, place in an oven-ready container that will fit in your bain marie. Mix in the butter and stir until it is completely melted and incorporated. Set aside to allow to cool enough so that when you add the eggs, it won's cook them right away.
6. Increase the oven temperature to 325F and put in the bain marie pan to heat up the water.
7. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs with the sugar until the mixture grows pale.
8. Once the apple mixture is cool enough, add the egg and sugar mix and stir until thoroughly combined. 
9. Grease a (what kind of pan? It makes about a cup more than my bread pans can take - how would it be in a gratin dish or lasagna dish? - a large dish makes it difficult to use a bain marie...) and pour in the mixture.
10. Bake, setting the dish in the bain-marie, for 40 minutes or until the egg has set. The internal temperature in the center should be 170°F for complete doneness.
11. Serve the warm terrine with a drizzle of crème anglaise (and maybe a filet of honey?).

Untested - Tarte tatin

Part 1
1 Pie Crust recipe
Part 2 - the filling

7-9 apples, such as Gala, Boscoop or Pink Lady 

4 oz. of sugar

1/2 cup of butter
1 tsp. cinnamon powder (optional)

1/4 cup Calvados or Apple cider (optional)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1. Make the pie dough and refrigerate as you prepare the filling.
2. Peel, core and slice the apples lengthwise into eighths.
3. In an oven-proof skillet, add the sugar, the butter in pinches, the vanilla and, if using, the Calvados or apple cider. (is it better to start with everything or to only have the sugar and add the rest once it starts to caramelize?)
4. On medium heat, cook this mixture until it starts to turn golden, which is the sign that it's turning into caramel. Don't worry if the liquid colours unevenly.
5. NOTE: Be very careful not to touch the caramel or try to taste it - it's super boiling hot and can seriously burn you!
6. Remove the pan from the heat source and add the apples, with the cut-sides facing up (you'll be turning the dish upside-down to serve, which is what makes a Tarte Tatin so distinctive). Try to crowd in the apples since they will decrease in size as they cook.
7. Put the pan back on the heat source and cook for another 15 - 20 minutes, or until the apples are soft. Remove the pan from the heat source and allow it to cool.
8. Heat the oven to 375F.
9. Roll out the pie dough and cover the cooled apples with it, tucking it into the sides of the pan.
10. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the crust is a deep golden.
11. To transfer the pie to a plate, allow it to cool about 30 minutes but don't let it get cold, otherwise the caramel may solidify in your skillet! When it's still warm, turn a serving plate upside-down over the skillet and flip the pie over onto it. This is a heart-stopping moment, but I have faith that you can do it! 

http://allrecipes.fr/recette/9289/tarte-tatin---la-fleur-de-sel-de-gu-rande.aspx
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/fruit-recipes/the-world-famous-tarte-tatin/#c36cY3yHHdDpis22.97
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/anne-burrell/apple-tart-tatin-recipe.html
http://www.canadianliving.com/food/classic_tarte_tatin.php
http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Tarte-Tatin-104777