Daily entries from the 17th century London diary
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“Whey or milk plasma is the liquid remaining after milk has been curdled and strained; it is a by-product of the manufacture of cheese or casein and has several commercial uses. Whey is used to produce ricotta and gjetost cheeses and is used to make many other products for human consumption and as an animal feed.” This and more: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whey
NB: it was a morning draught without distillation.
Whey was considered more wholesome than milk, a drink at this time was for the oldies and kiddies. noted by L&M The whey be the watery part.
Curd [the thick curdled part] the other part of the milk,left after the milk be skimmed [ie fat be used as cream for the strawberries].
Of course do not let thy blackbird get to the cream first.
The cream[fat]be skimmed off first, then he was first to the the milkmaid hauling her two large canisters to feed the hungary, is allowed to say I’ve got the cream of the crop.
whey
Whereas in previous centuries whey had been commonly used as pig food, it became a fashionable drink in the 17th c. (and even more so in the 18th c.), and even whey-houses were opened for its consumption. Sometimes herb or fruit juices were added, particularly in springtime.
Whey with salt added was used as a preserving liquid (pickle) — and was then referred to as “souse”, “souce” or “sowce”.
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http://www.kal69.dial.pipex.com/shop/pages/glosss.htm
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Whey with salt added sounds like sour lassi
Whey would keep longer than whole milk, but there must have been so much curdling of milk prior to refridgeration that having curds and whey was an everyday event - cf Little Miss Muffet!
So there be a business in whey;”…thence to the whay-house, and drank a great deal of whay…”