TIL the original recipe for milk paint was basically just milk and lime

I was reading a book on 18th century furniture from a library sale and it said they made paint by curdling milk with lime from a farm. I always figured it was more complex, but it was that simple. Has anyone here ever tried making a batch from scratch like that?

3 comments

3 Comments

emma_rodriguez307d ago

I always assumed it needed some kind of binder or oil. That recipe is surprisingly basic.

miles_robinson207d ago

Sounds too simple to be true, but maybe @roberth66 is onto something.

roberth667d ago

My grandma's old cookbook from the 1920s has a similar recipe with just flour and water. The lack of binder is actually the key to a flaky, crisp texture. It forces the layers to separate cleanly during frying.