Of Coffyns and Pyes

[Subdeacon Joe]

"Even on Halloween prying open the lid of a stiff, sealed coffin would be considered a ghastly endeavor. But in Medieval Europe, sawing the top off a well-executed coffin revealed something delicious. 

A coffin, spelled coffyn in 12th-century English, referred to self-standing pastry made from flour, water, and sometimes fat. Coffins preserved the foods they contained and were rarely eaten. During the Tudor period, the people loved pastry cases so much that they it was said: “If it’s good, tis better in a Coffyn.”

Early pastry coffins were constructed to be architecturally sound above all else, and often lacked seasoning or fat. In other words, they were bland, solid, often rectangular dough-boxes. Chefs raised and sealed the glutinous dough around concoctions that might sound peculiar to modern palates. 

High on that list was lamprey, the eel-like fish with spiraled teeth. At the time, the fish was so prized that, according to one medieval account, “After lampreys, all fish seem insipid to both the king and the queen.” Combined with mint and parsley, but also cinnamon, ginger, saffron, and ground almonds, the sweet-savory (and sometimes vinegary) concoction would be sealed inside a coffin for cooking. Once cooked, coffin lids could be removed or cut into and the contents eaten.

Edible coffins also housed the living: Using pastry coffins to entertain by covertly hiding birds, frogs, and people was a royal affair. These coffins could feature ornate designs made of dough and other, truly inedible flourishes, such as pigments derived from mercury and lead. 

Most historically memorable was likely the surprise pastry coffin of Sir Jeffrey Hudson, later dubbed Lord Minimus. The remarkably small person was “served” to King Charles I by the Duchess of Buckingham, which entailed him charging through the coffin’s crust dressed in a tiny suit of armor.

Ultimately, coffin containers made way for the sweet, flaky, and edible pie crusts we know today. As fat and sugar became more accessible, supple doughs like short crust with sweeter fillings found a place at the table. 

Not known for their indulgences, Puritans took special offense to the rectangular Christmas pies shaped like baby Jesus’s manger. Meanwhile, “cutting corners” by rolling out a round dough saved precious time for settlers in the New World, further transforming the medieval pastry box into the recognizable round pie. 

There are a few recipes 'To Make Pyes of Grene Apples' in A Proper Newe Booke of Cokerye was published in 1545

"Take your apples and pare them clean and core them as ye wyll a Quince, then make youre coffin after this maner, take a lyttle fayre water and half a dyche of butter and a little saffron and settle all this upon a chafyngdyshe tyll it be hoate then temper your flower with this sayd licuor, and the whyte of two egges and also make your coffyn and ceason your apples with Sinemone, Gynger and Suger ynoughe. Then putte them into your coffyn and laye halfe a dyshe of butter above them end so close your coffin, and so bake them."

You could easily use plums which are believed to have been discovered around two thousand years ago in Eastern Europe, or the Caucasus Mountains, near the Caspian Sea. Others say that the plum was carried to Western Europe by the Duke of Anjou as he returned from Jerusalem at the close of the 5th Crusade (1198-1204).  The Romans had about 300 varieties and they grew here in Britain in hedgerows.

The name “plum” is derived from Old English “plume”. At the Bodleian Library in Oxford, the MS Ashmole 1504 contains a picture of a plum tree dating to the early 1500s.

To English physicians, the plum was a cold and moist fruit that hindered digestion. They tended to recommend the plum as a laxative.

Ingredients to make a Tudor Plum Tart 

Put your prunes into a pot and put red wine or claret wine, and a little fair water. Stir them now and then, and they be boiled enough, put them into a bowl. Strain them with sugar, cinnamon and ginger. No instructions for the pastry or timings!

Modern version 

Heat oven to 200C/fan 180C/gas 6. Put the plums, sugar, wine and spices in a pan. Simmer until the sugar dissolves and the plums are juicy, 8-10 mins. Mix the cornflour with a little of the juice, then mix well into the fruit. Boil for a few mins, stirring, until thickened.

Roll out two-thirds of the pastry on a floured surface. Use to line a pie dish, letting the pastry hang over the edges a little. Fill with the plums. Roll out remaining pastry, about 2.5cm bigger than the dish, then drape over the plums. Pinch edges together well, then make a small hole in the top. Brush with egg and sprinkle with sugar. Can be assembled up to 1 day ahead.  Bake for 25-30 mins until golden brown, and serve hot with custard or cream

900g , stoned and thickly sliced plums/damsons or prunes

140g golden caster sugar , plus extra

Cinnamon stick  (or ground)

1 cup of red wine

2 tbsp fresh chopped ginger (or less if ground)

Cornflour to thicken

Egg

Shortcrust pastry – made yourself or bought."

 

 

 

[Alpo]

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye

4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a coffin

 

 

Doesn't quite scan for some reason.

 

 

I've heard both that the pie crust had live birds in it, and that it was a huge pie crust with two dozen little black boys - a choir. Hopefully not castrati.

 

When the pie was open the birds began to sing

[Pat Riot]

Now I am starting to truly appreciate Noah Webster. 

[Subdeacon Joe]

26 minutes ago, Alpo said:

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye

4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a coffin

 

 

Doesn't quite scan for some reason.

 

It's the filling and the Coffyn make up the pye.  You wouldn't say "

Sing a song of sixpence, a pocket full of rye

4 and 20 blackbirds baked in a crust," would you?

 

[Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967]

Any idea what "fayre water" might be...?  

[Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062]

25 minutes ago, Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967 said:

Any idea what "fayre water" might be...?  

 

 isn't that what "naughty" white peoples used to sell to the Indians .......   ?  

[Texas Joker]

Fair water, clean and good for drinking or cooking as opposed to foul water?

[Subdeacon Joe]

15 minutes ago, Texas Joker said:

Fair water, clean and good for drinking or cooking as opposed to foul water?

 

Exactly.  Drawn and likely let to settle overnight.