Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 24

[127] OTHER SALACACCABIA _ALITER_

HOLLOW OUT AN ALEXANDRINE LOAF OF BREAD, SOAK THE CRUMBS WITH POSCA [a mixture of water, wine, vinegar or lemon juice] AND MAKE A PASTE OF IT. PUT IN THE MORTAR PEPPER, HONEY [1] MINT, GARLIC, FRESH CORIANDER, SALTED COW'S CHEESE, WATER AND OIL. WINE [2] POURED OVER BEFORE SERVING [3].

[1] Wanting in Tor.

[2] G.-V. _insuper nivem_--chilled on snow (like the preceding formula). Tac. _insuper vinum_; Sch. _id._

[3] A panada as is found in every old cookery book.

Today it remains as a dressing for roast fowl, etc.

Quoting from "A Collection of Receipts in Cookery, Physick and Surgery," London, 1724:

"Panada for a Sick or Weak Stomach. Put the crumbs of a Penny White-Loaf grated into a Quart of cold Water, set both on the Fire together with a blade of Mace: When 'tis boil'd smooth, take it off the fire and put in a bit of Lemon-peel, the juice of a Lemon, a gla.s.s of Sack [Spanish Wine] and Sugar to your Taste. This is very Nourishing and never offends the Stomach. Some season with b.u.t.ter and Sugar, adding Currants which on some occasions are proper; but the first is the most grateful and innocent."

Mrs. Gla.s.se, a quarter century later, in her famous book [The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, London, 1747, 1st ed.] omits the wine, but Mrs. Mason, at about the same time, insists on having it with panada.

The imaginary or real relation between the sciences of cookery and medicine is ill.u.s.trated here.

II

DISHES OF FISH, VEGETABLES, FRUITS AND SO FORTH _PATINae PISCIUM, HOLERUM & POMORUM_

[128] EVERYDAY DISH _PATINA QUOTIDIANA_ [1]

MAKE A PASTE OF STEWED BRAINS [calf's, pig's, etc.] SEASON WITH PEPPER, c.u.mIN, LASER, BROTH, THICKENED WINE, MILK AND EGGS [2] POACH IT OVER A WEAK FIRE OR IN A HOT WATER [BATH].

[1] Tac. _quottidiana_; List. _cottidiana_.

[2] List. _ovis_--with eggs, which is correct. Tor.

_holus_; Lan. _olus_--herbs, cabbage.

Cf. ? No. 142.

[129] ANOTHER DISH, WHICH CAN BE TURNED OVER [A Nut Custard]

_ALITER PATINA VERSATILIS_

THE DISH, CALLED TURN-OVER, IS THUS MADE [1] CRUSH VERY FINE WALNUTS AND HAZELNUTS [2] TOAST THEM AND CRUSH WITH HONEY, MIX IN PEPPER, BROTH, MILK AND EGGS AND A LITTLE OIL [3].

[1] Tor.

[2] List. _torres eas_--toast them (wanting in Tor.) which is the thing to do. Cf. No. 143, practically a repet.i.tion of this. Cf. 301.

[3] This laconic formula indicates a custard poached, like in the preceding, in a mould, which, when cooled off, is unmoulded in the usual way. This _patina versatilis_ is in fact the modern _creme renversee_, with nuts.

It is characteristic of Apicius for incompleteness and want of precise directions, without which the experiment in the hands of an inexperienced operator would result in failure.

[130] ANOTHER _ALITER PATINA_

ANOTHER DISH IS MADE OF THE [1] STRUNKS OF LETTUCE CRUSHED WITH PEPPER, BROTH, THICKENED WINE, [add] WATER AND OIL, AND COOK THIS; BIND WITH EGGS, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE [2].

[1] Tor.

[2] Very much like a modern soup, puree of lettuce.

[131] VEGETABLE AND BRAIN PUDDING _PATINA FRISILIS_ [1]

TAKE VEGETABLES, CLEAN AND WASH, SHRED [2] AND COOK THEM [3] COOL THEM OFF AND DRAIN THEM. TAKE 4 [calf's] BRAINS, REMOVE [the skin and]

STRINGS AND COOK THEM [4] IN THE MORTAR PUT 6 SCRUPLES OF PEPPER, MOISTEN WITH BROTH AND CRUSH FINE; THEN ADD THE BRAINS, RUB AGAIN AND MEANWHILE ADD THE VEGETABLES, RUBBING ALL THE WHILE, AND MAKE A FINE PASTE OF IT. THEREUPON BREAK AND ADD 8 EGGS. NOW ADD A GLa.s.sFUL [5] OF BROTH, A GLa.s.sFUL OF WINE, A GLa.s.sFUL OF RAISIN WINE, TASTE THIS PREPARATION. OIL THE BAKING DISH THOROUGHLY [put the mixture in the dish] AND PLACE IT IN THE HOT PLATE, (THAT IS ABOVE THE HOT ASHES) [6]

AND WHEN IT IS DONE [unmould it] SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE [7].

[1] List. _frictilis_; Vat. Ms. _fusilis_; G.-V. _id._; Lan. _frisilis_.

_Patina frisilis_ remains unexplained. None of the various readings can be satisfactorily rendered. If the vegetables had remained whole the dish might be compared to a _chartreuse_, those delightful creations by the Carthusian monks who compelled by the strictest rules of vegetarianism evolved a number of fine vegetable dishes.

On the other hand, the poached mixture of eggs and brains is akin to our _farces_ and _quenelles_; but in modern cookery we have nothing just like this _patina frisilis_.

[2] Wanting in List.

[3] and [4] Wanting in Tor.

[5] _Cyathum._

[6] Sentence in () ex Tor.

[7] This and some of the following recipes are remarkable for their preciseness and completeness.

[132] ANOTHER COLD ASPARAGUS [and Figp.e.c.k.e.r] DISH _ALITER PATINA DE ASPARAGIS FRIGIDA_

COLD ASPARAGUS PIE IS MADE IN THIS MANNER [1] TAKE WELL CLEANED [cooked] ASPARAGUS, CRUSH IT IN THE MORTAR, DILUTE WITH WATER AND PRESENTLY STRAIN IT THROUGH THE COLANDER. NOW TRIM, PREPARE [i.e. cook or roast] FIGp.e.c.k.e.rS [2] [and hold them in readiness]. 3 [3] SCRUPLES OF PEPPER ARE CRUSHED IN THE MORTAR, ADD BROTH, A GLa.s.s OF WINE, PUT THIS IN A SAUCEPAN WITH 3 OUNCES OF OIL, HEAT THOROUGHLY. MEANWHILE OIL YOUR PIE MOULD, AND WITH 6 EGGS, FLAVORED WITH NOGARUM, AND THE ASPARAGUS PREPARATION AS DESCRIBED ABOVE; THICKEN THE MIXTURE ON THE HOT ASHES. THEREUPON ARRANGE THE FIGp.e.c.k.e.rS IN THE MOULD, COVER THEM WITH THIS PUReE, BAKE THE DISH. [When cold, unmould it] SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.

[1] Tor.

[2] Lan. and Tac. _ficedulas curtas tres_; Tor. _curtas_ f.--three figp.e.c.k.e.rs cut fine. G.-V. _F. curatas. Teres in ..._ (etc.)--Prepared _F._

[3] List. six; G.-V. _id._

[133] ANOTHER ASPARAGUS CUSTARD _ALIA PATINA DE ASPARAGIS_

ASPARAGUS PIE IS MADE LIKE THIS [1] PUT IN THE MORTAR ASPARAGUS TIPS [2] CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, GREEN CORIANDER, SAVORY AND ONIONS; CRUSH, DILUTE WITH WINE, BROTH AND OIL. PUT THIS IN A WELL-GREASED PAN, AND, IF YOU LIKE, ADD WHILE ON THE FIRE SOME BEATEN EGGS TO IT TO THICKEN IT, COOK [without boiling the eggs] AND SPRINKLE WITH VERY FINE PEPPER.

[1] Tor.