Posset facts for kids

A glass of the modern lemon posset dessert, served with almond bread

A posset was once a popular British hot drink. It was made by mixing milk with wine or ale. This caused the milk to curdle, and spices were often added. People sometimes drank posset as a remedy for minor illnesses.

Later, around the 1500s, posset changed. It became a cold, set dessert. This dessert is made with cream, sugar, and citrus fruits. Today, you can still find this type of posset. It is similar to another dessert called syllabub.

What is a Posset?

A posset pot from the Netherlands, made in the late 1600s or early 1700s.

To make the old-fashioned posset drink, milk was heated until it boiled. Then, wine or ale was mixed in. This made the milk curdle, meaning it separated into curds and whey. People usually added spices like nutmeg and cinnamon.

Many believed posset could help with small sicknesses. For example, it was thought to be good for a cold. It was also seen as a general comfort drink. Just like today, some people drink hot milk to help them sleep.

A Look Back at Posset

A posset pot from England, made in 1661.

The word "posset" has been around since the 1400s. Old Latin books mention words that mean "poshet" or "possyt." Early recipes from the 1400s show how to make it. You would boil milk, add wine or ale, and let it cool. Then, you would take out the thick curds. These curds were seasoned with ginger, sugar, and sometimes sweet wine.

In the 1500s, posset recipes changed. They started using lemon or other citrus juices, cream, and sugar. Sometimes, eggs were added to the mix. Some recipes even used breadcrumbs to make the drink thicker.

Special Posset Sets

"Posset sets" were popular gifts. These were special collections of dishes and tools. They were used for mixing and serving possets. Valuable sets, often made of silver, were passed down through families. A set usually included a posset pot, bowl, or cup. It also had a container for mixing and spoons.

One very famous posset set was given as a gift in 1554. The Spanish ambassador gave it to Queen Mary I of England and King Philip II of Spain. This set is thought to have been made by Benvenuto Cellini. It was crafted from crystal, gold, precious gems, and enamel. You can see it today at Hatfield House in England. It has a large, covered bowl, other vessels, a covered container, spoons, and forks.

Today, the word "posset" mostly refers to a cold, set dessert. This dessert is based on the 1500s version. It contains cream and lemon, much like a syllabub. The word is also used to describe the milk that babies sometimes bring up after feeding.

Posset in Stories and Books

Posset has appeared in many famous stories and plays:

• In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, Lady Macbeth uses special possets. She gives them to the guards outside Duncan's room. This makes the guards fall into a very deep sleep. Lady Macbeth says:

The doors are open, and the surfeited grooms

Do mock their charge with snores. I have drugg'd their possets

That death and nature do contend about them,

Whether they live or die.

• David Balfour, a character in Robert Louis Stevenson's book Kidnapped, talks about possets. He uses the word to mean being treated very well or pampered. He says he was so tired that the hot smell of heather and the sound of bees were like "possets" to him, helping him to doze off.

• In the 1973 BBC show based on M. R. James’s Lost Hearts, a posset was suggested as a remedy for the character Stephen. This happened after he saw a ghost.

• Kay Harker in John Masefield's book The Box of Delights drinks a posset. He takes it to help clear his head. The local police inspector suggests it. This posset is described as a big drink of hot milk, egg, treacle, and nutmeg.

• In the book Incarceron, the Warden mentions that Claudia used to give her tutor, Jared, sweet treats and possets. This shows how much she cared for him.

• In The Silver Chair by C. S. Lewis, the queen of Harfang asks that Jill Pole be given many comforting things. These include "possets and comfits and caraways and lullabies and toys."

• In Mary Renault's novel The Persian Boy, Bagoas gives Alexander the Great an egg posset. It has honey, wine, and cheese. This helps Alexander break a long fast.

• In the 2015 BBC show Poldark, Verity Poldark mentions her duties. These include giving "possets" to the servants when they are sick.

• In James Michener's novel Chesapeake, possets were served before bed on the Eastern Shore. They were thought to help with sleep and digestion.

• In Season 3, episode 10 of the show “Upstairs, Downstairs”, Georgina gets a hot posset. This happens after a long day in cold weather during a Christmas episode.

See also

In Spanish: Posset para niños