Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 30

The t.i.tle, implying a "sweet dish" is obviously wrong.

It may be remarked here that Apicius makes no mention of that marvelous citrus fruit, the lemon, nor of the orange, both of which are indispensable to modern cookery.

[169] MINUTAL OF FRUIT _MINUTAL EX PRaeCOQUIS_

IN A SAUCE PAN PUT OIL, BROTH AND WINE, FINELY CUT SHALLOTS, DICED COOKED PORK SHOULDER. WHEN THIS IS COOKED, CRUSH PEPPER, c.u.mIN, DRY MINT, DILL, MOISTEN WITH HONEY, BROTH, RAISIN WINE [and] A LITTLE VINEGAR, SOME OF THE GRAVY OF THE ABOVE MORSELS, ADD FRUITS THE SEEDS OF WHICH HAVE BEEN TAKEN OUT, LET BOIL, WHEN THOROUGHLY COOKED, SKIM, BIND, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE [1].

[1] This, rather than ? No. 168, deserves the t.i.tle, Sweet Minutal, for it is practically the same, with the addition of the fruit.

[170] MINUTAL OF HARE'S LIVERS _MINUTAL LEPORINUM_

THE WAY TO MAKE A MINUTAL OF HARE'S GIBLETS MAY BE FOUND AMONG THE HARE RECIPES [1].

[170a] IN A SAUCE PAN PUT OIL, BROTH AND WINE, FINELY CUT SHALLOTS, DICED COOKED PORK SHOULDER. WHEN THIS IS COOKED, CRUSH PEPPER, c.u.mIN, DRY MINT, DILL, MOISTEN WITH HONEY, BROTH, RAISIN WINE [and] A LITTLE VINEGAR, SOME OF THE GRAVY OF THE ABOVE MORSELS, ADD SEEDLESS FRUITS, LET BOIL, WHEN THOROUGHLY COOKED, SKIM, BIND, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.

[1] ? No. 386, Book VIII is one of these recipes.

This is one of the few instances where the ancient original makes any reference to any other part of the Apicius book.* After this bare reference, the original proceeds to repeat the text of the preceding formula verbatim.

* Cf. ? No. 165.

Brandt suggests a new t.i.tle for [170a] ANOTHER SWEET MINUTAL.

The G.-V. version differs but little from ? No. 169.

[171] RED APPLE MINUTAL _MINUTAL EX ROSIS_ [1]

MAKE THIS THE SAME WAY AS DESCRIBED IN THE FOREGOING, ONLY ADD MORE RAISIN WINE.

[1] List. Roses; Tor. _Rosatium_; this term, medieval Latin, does not exist in the ancient language.

Sch. _mala rosea_--rosy or red apple, most likely to be the correct interpretation. Cf. ? Nos. 136 and 167.

The above t.i.tle has led to the belief that the ancients made pies, etc., of roses, an idea that was much ridiculed in England after the publication of Lister's work in 1705.

We concur with Schuch's interpretation that rosy apples were used, remembering, however, that the fruit of the rose tree, the hip, dog-briar, eglantine is also made into dainty confections on the Continent today. It is therefore entirely possible that this recipe calls for the fruit of the rose tree.

IV

GRUELS _TISANAM VEL SUc.u.m_

[172] BARLEY BROTH, PAP, PORRIDGE, GRUEL _TISANA SIVE CREMORE_ [1]

CRUSH BARLEY, SOAKED THE DAY BEFORE, WELL WASHED, PLACE ON THE FIRE TO BE COOKED [in a double boiler] WHEN HOT ADD ENOUGH OIL, A BUNCH OF DILL, DRY ONION, SATURY AND COLOCASIUM [2] TO BE COOKED TOGETHER BECAUSE FOR THE BETTER JUICE, ADD GREEN CORIANDER AND A LITTLE SALT; BRING IT TO A BOILING POINT. WHEN DONE TAKE OUT THE BUNCH [of dill]

AND TRANSFER THE BARLEY INTO ANOTHER KETTLE TO AVOID STICKING TO THE BOTTOM AND BURNING, MAKE IT LIQUID [by addition of water, broth, milk]

STRAIN INTO A POT, COVERING THE TOPS OF THE COLOCASIA. NEXT CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, A LITTLE DRY FLEA-BANE, c.u.mIN AND SYLPHIUM [3] STIR IT WELL AND ADD VINEGAR, REDUCED MUST AND BROTH; PUT IT BACK INTO THE POT, THE REMAINING COLOCASIA FINISH ON A GENTLE FIRE [4].

[1] Tor. _ptisana siue Cremore_.

[2] G.-V. _Colfium_; Tor. _colsium_ and _colesium_ (the different readings perhaps on account of the similarity of the "long" s with the f). Tor. spells this word differently every time he is confronted with it. Tac., Lan. _coledium_--unidentified. List.

_colocasium_, which see in notes to ? Nos. 74, 200, 216, 244, and 322, also Sch. p. 95.

[3] List. _sil frictum_; Tor. _silphium f._

[4] Tor. continuing without interruption. This formula is reported in ? No. 200.

[173] ANOTHER TISANA _TISANA TARICHA_ [1]

THE CEREAL [2] IS SOAKED; CHICKPEAS, LENTILS AND PEAS ARE CRUSHED AND BOILED WITH IT; WHEN WELL COOKED, ADD PLENTY OF OIL. NOW CUT GREEN HERBS, LEEKS, CORIANDER, DILL, FENNEL, BEETS, MALLOWS, CABBAGE STRUNKS, ALL SOFT AND GREEN AND FINELY CUT, AND PUT IN A POT. THE CABBAGE COOK [separately. Also] CRUSH FENNEL SEED, ORIGANY, SYLPHIUM AND LOVAGE, AND WHEN CRUSHED, ADD BROTH TO TASTE, POUR THIS OVER THE PORRIDGE, STIR IT TOGETHER AND USE SOME FINELY CHOPPED CABBAGE STEMS TO SPRINKLE ON TOP [2].

[1] Variants: _barrica_, _farrica_; List. _legendum, puto, Taricam; id. est Salsam_. Cf. ? 144, 149, 426-8. Lan., Tor., G.-V. _barricam_, not identified.

Sch. _farrica_--corn spelt; probably not far from the mark. We would venture to suggest that our "farina" is the thing here used, or any ordinary corn meal.

[2] This formula is repeated in ? No. 201.

V

HORS D'UVRES, APPETIZERS, RELISHES _GUSTUM_

[174] "MOVEABLE" APPETIZERS _GUSTUM VERSATILE_

THE MOVEABLE [1] APPETIZERS ARE THUS MADE: [2] SMALL WHITE BEETS, MATURE LEEKS, CELERY ROOTS [3] STEWED c.o.c.kLES [4] GINGER [5] CHICKEN GIBLETS, SMALL FOWL [6] SMALL MORSELS COOKED IN THEIR OWN LIQUOR [7].

OIL A PAN, LINE IT WITH MALLOW LEAVES AND A COMPOSITION OF DIFFERENT VEGETABLES, AND, IF YOU HAVE ROOM ENOUGH, BULBS, DAMASCUS PLUMS, SNAILS, TID-BITS [8] SHORT LUCANIAN SAUSAGE SLICED; ADD BROTH, OIL, WINE, VINEGAR PUT ON THE FIRE TO HEAT AND SO COOK THEM. MEANWHILE CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, GINGER, A LITTLE TARRAGON, MOISTEN IT AND LET IT COOK. BREAK SEVERAL EGGS IN A DISH, USE THE REMAINING LIQUOR IN THE MORTAR TO MIX IT WITH THE SAUCE IN THE DISH AND TO BIND IT. WHEN THIS IS DONE, MAKE A WINE SAUCE FOR IT AS FOLLOWS: CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, MOISTENED WITH BROTH, RAISIN WINE TO TASTE; IN A SMALL SAUCE PAN PUT A LITTLE OIL [with the other ingredients] HEAT, AND BIND WITH ROUX WHEN HOT. NOW [unmould] UPSET THE DISH ON A PLATTER, REMOVE THE MALLOW LEAVES, POUR OVER THE WINE SAUCE, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE [9].

[1] Moveable, either because it is one show piece that is carried from one guest to another, or, as here indicated, a dish that is to be unmoulded or turned out of its mould or pan before service.

[2] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[3] Celery roots, i.e. the thick bulbs. G.-V. _apios, bulbos_--celery, onions; note the comma after _apios_.

[4] Periwinkles, also snails.

[5] Tac., Lan. _gingibera_; Tor. _zinziber_; Vat. Ms.

_gibera_; G.-V. _Gigeria_; Hum. _id._--giblets. Wanting in List.

[6] List. _avicellas_; Vat. Ms. _aucellare_ and _scellas_; Tac., Lan. _id._; Tor. _pullorum axillas_--chicken wings (?); G.-V. _ascellas_.

[7] _ex iure._

[8] _isitia_--quenelles of forcemeat, etc.