On food and cooking the science and lore of the kitchen ( PDFDrive ) 202

wringingthemoftenthroughasponge.
—SirHughPlatt,DelightesforLadies,
1605
EggsinSnow
Breaktheeggs,separatethewhitesfrom
theyolks,placetheeggsonaplatewith
somebutter,seasonthemwithsalt,place
onhotcoals.Beatandwhipthewhites
well,andjustbeforeservingthrowthemon
theyolkswithadropofrosewater,thefire
ironunderneath:sugar,thenserve.
Anotherway:Youmayputtheyolksin
the middle of the snow that is made with
your whipped whites, and then cook them
beforethefireonaplate.
FranỗoisPierredeLaVarenne,Le
Cuisinierfranỗois,1651
ToMakeItalianBiskets
Takeaquarterofapoundofsearsed
[sieved]Sugar,andbeatitinanAlabaster
MortarwiththewhiteofanEgg,anda


littleGumDragon[gumtragacanth]steept
inRosewatertobringittoaperfectPaste,
thenmoulditupwithalittleAnniseedand
agrainofMusk;thenmakeituplike
Dutchbread,andbakeitonaPye-plateina
warmOven,tilltheyrisesomewhathigh
andwhite,takethemout,buthandlethem
nottilltheybethroughlydryandcold.

—Queen’sClosetOpen’d,1655
PermanentReinforcementArawegg-white
foamwilleventuallycoarsen,settle,and
separate.Itmustthereforebereinforcedwhen
itisturnedintoafinaldish.Thismaybedone
byaddingotherthickeningingredients—
suchthingsasflour,cornstarch,chocolate,or
gelatin.Butifthefoamistobeusedrelatively
pure,asinameringueoraflourlesssoufflé,
theeggproteinshavetodothejob
themselves.Withthehelpofheat,theydo
beautifully.
Ovalbumin,themajorproteinineggwhite,
isrelativelyimmunetobeatinganddoesn’t