Chapter 17

Pork, p.285; —— and onions à la Lucretius, ℞151; —— skin, cracklings, ℞251-55; —— udder, ℞251; —— tenderloin, ℞251-255; —— tails and feet, ℞251; —— fig-fed, ℞259; —— cutlets, Hunter Style, ℞263; —— paunch, ℞285; —— loin and kidneys, ℞286; —— shoulder, ℞287-88; —— fresh ham, ℞289; —— bacon, ℞290; —— Salt —— ℞290; —— forcemeat, ℞366

Porker, The ——’s Last Will and Testament, ℞376

Porridge, BooksIV,V, ℞172,178; —— and wine sauce, ℞179; —— another, ℞180

PORRUM, —US, leek, ℞93,96; “SECTILE ——”—Martial

PORTULACA, PORCILACA, purslane

POSCA, originally water and vinegar or lemon juice. It became an acid drink of several variations, made with wine, fruit juice, eggs and water

Pot Roast, ℞270

Potherbs, to keep, ℞25,188, seeOLUS

Potted Entrées, ℞54

POTUS, drink

PRAECOQUO, —OCTUS, —OCIA, “cooked beforehand,” also ripened too early, but the present kitchen term is “blanching,” or “parboiling.” Cf.PRAEDURO

PRAEDURO, to harden by boiling, to blanch, ℞119

Preserves, several in BookI

Preserving (keeping of) meats, ℞10-12; —— fried fish, ℞13; —— fruit, figs, prunes, pears, etc., ℞19-24,28, 29,30; —— grapes, ℞19; —— honey cakes, ℞16; —— mulberries, ℞24; —— oysters, ℞14; —— pomegranates, ℞20; —— pot herbs, ℞25; —— quinces, ℞21; —— sorrel, sour dock, ℞26; —— citron, ℞23; —— truffles, ℞27; —— vegetable purée, ℞106

Press, wine illustration, p.92

Processing, ℞19-24

PRUNA, live, burning coal

PRUNUM, plum; —— DAMASCENUM, p. from Damascus, ℞22; this variety came dried, resembling our large prunes. —— SILVESTRIS, sloe berry, which by culture and pruning has become the ancestor of plums, etc.

PTISANA, (better) TISANA, barley broth, rice broth, a gruel, ℞173-3,200-1; —— TARICHA, ℞173

Pudding, ℞60

PULLUS, PULLULUS, young animal of any kind but principally a pullet, chicken, ℞51,2-7,213,235-6, seq.; —— RAPTUS, note 1, ℞140

PULLUM PARTHICUM, ℞237; OXYZOMUM, ℞238; —— NUMIDICUM, ℞239; —— LASERATUM, ℞240; —— ELIXUM, ℞242; —— CUM CUCURBITIS, ℞243; —— CUM COLOCASIIS, ℞244; —— VARDANUM, ℞245; —— FRONTONIANUM, ℞246; —— TRACTOGALATUM, ℞247; —— FARSILIS, ℞248; LEUCOZOMUM, ℞250

PULMENTARIUM, any food eaten with vegetables, pulse or bread, or a dish composed of these ingredients, ℞67-71

PULMO, lung, ℞29

PULPA, —MENTUM, ℞42,134; also PULMENTUM

PULS, —E, PULTICULUM, BooksIV,V, a porridge, polenta, ℞178, seq.; PULTES JULIANAE, ℞178; —— OENOCOCTI, ℞179; —— TRACTOGALATAE, ℞181

PULTARIUS, a bowl, a “cereal” dish, ℞104

Pumpkin, B.III, ℞73-80; —— pie, ℞137; —— fritters, ℞176; —— like dasheens, ℞74; —— Alexandrine Style, ℞75; —— boiled, ℞76; —— fried, ℞77; ——78; —— mashed, ℞79; —— and chicken, ℞80

Purée of lettuce, ℞130

PYRETHRUM, —ON, Spanish camomile, pellitory

Q

QUARTARIUS, ameasure(which see), ¼ pint

Quenelles, ℞131

Quinces, ℞21,162

R

Rabbit, ℞54

Radishes, ℞102

Ragoût of brains and bacon, ℞147; —— financière, ℞166

RAIA, the sea-fish ray, or skate; also whip-ray; p.343, ℞403-4; Raie au beurre noir, ℞404

Raisins, ℞ 30

RANAE, frogs, have been an article of diet for ages. Platina gives fine directions for their preparation. He recommends only frogs living in the water. RUBETAS ET SUB TERRA VIVENTES, UT NOXIAS REJICIO! AQUATILAS HAE SUNT DE QUIBUS LOQUOR

Platina skins the frogs, turns them in flour and fries them in oil; he adds fennel flower garnish and SALSA VIRIDA (green sauce, our ravigote or remoulade) on the side. No modern chef could do different or improve upon it. The fennel blossom garnish is a startling stroke of genius

Rankin, E. M., writer, seeCOQUUS

RAPA, RAPUM, rape, turnip, navew, ℞26,100-1

RAPHANUS SATIVUS, Horseradish, ℞102

Ray, fish, ℞403-4

RECOQUO, RECOCTUM, re-heated, warmed-up

Redsnapper, ℞448

Réduction, ℞145,168

Reference to other parts of the book by Apicius, ℞170,166

Relishes, ℞174-5

RENES, ℞286

Reynière, Grimod de la —— writer, p.3, seeMAPPA

RHOMBUS, fish, turbot

RHUS, a shrub called SUMACH, seed of which is used instead of salt

RISUM, rice, also ORYZA. The word RISUM is used by Platina who says: “RISUM, QUOD EGO ANTIQUO VOCABULO ORIZAM APPELLATUM PUTO.” This is one of the many philologically interesting instances found in Platina and Aegineta of the evolution of a term from the antique to the medieval Latin and finally emerging into modern Italian. What better proof, if necessary, could be desired than this etymology for the authenticity of the Apicius book? Its age could be proven by a philologist if no other proof were at hand

Roasts, Roasting, p.285, ℞266-70

Roman Beauty Apple, ℞136—— excesses, p.15

Roman Cook Stove, illustration, p.182—— economic conditions, p.15

Roman Vermouth, ℞3

ROSATUM, ROSATIUM, flavored with roses; —— VINUM, rose wine, ℞4-6; —— without roses, ℞6

Rose pie, seeMALUM ROSEUM, also ℞136,171—— custard, ℞136; —— pudding, ℞136; —— apple, ℞136

Rose wine, ℞4-6

ROSMARINUS, rosemary

Round sausage, ℞65

Roux, ℞172, seeAMYLARE

RUBELLIO, fish, ℞447

RUBRA TESTA, red earthen pot

RUMEX, sorrel, sour dock, monk’s rhubarb, ℞24

Rumohr, B., writer, pp.3,18

Rumpolt, Marx, cook, cf.Styrio

RUTA, rue; —— HORTENSIS, garden r.; —— SYLVESTRIS, wild r.; —— RUTATUS, prepared with r. Rue was very much esteemed because of its stimulating properties

Rye, ℞99

S

SABUCO, seeSAMBUCO

SACCARUM, SACCHARUM, sugar; distillate from the joints of the bamboo or sugar cane, coming from India, hence called “Indian Salt.” It was very scarce in ancient cookery. Honey was generally used in place of sugar. Only occasionally a shipment of sugar would arrive in Rome from India, supposed to have been cane sugar; otherwise cane and beet sugar was unknown in ancient times. Any kind of sweets, therefore, was considered a luxury

SAL, salt. Laxative salt, ℞29; “For many ills,”ibid.

Sala, George Augustus, writer, p.38

SALACACCABIA, SALACATTABIA, “salt” food boiled in the “caccabus,” ℞125-7,468-70

Salad, ℞109-11; —— dressing, ℞112-3; Italian —— ℞122

Salcisse, ℞41

SALINUM, salt cellar

Salmasius, Codex of ——, see Apiciana,III

SALPA, a sea-fish like stock-fish

SALSAMENTUM IN PORCELLO, ℞381

Salsicium, ℞41

SALSUM, pickled or salt meat, especially bacon; ℞10,41,147,149,150,428, seq.; —— CRUDUM, ℞151, cf.petits salés

Salt, laxative, ℞29; “for many ills,”ibid.; —— meat, to make sweet, ℞12; —— fish, ℞144, seq.,427, seq.; —— balls, ℞145

SALVIA, SALVUS, sage

SAMBUCUS, elder-tree, or e.-berry; ℞135

Sanitary measures, seeMAPPA

SAPA, new wine boiled down

SAPOR, taste, savor, relish; —— ROSELLINUS, rose extract, prepared rose flavor

SARCOPTES, title of BookII

SARDA, SARDELLA, small fish, sardine, anchovy, ℞146,419,420,480; —— CONDITAE, ℞480; SARDAM FARSILEM, ℞419; —— Sardine omelette, ℞146

Sarinus, Pompeiian innkeeper, p.7

SARTAGO, frying pan, flat and round or oblong, of bronze or of iron; some were equipped with hinged handles, to facilitate packing or storing away in small places, in soldiers’ knapsack, or to save space in the pantry. This, as well as the extension handle of some ancient dippers are ingenious features of ancient kitchen utensils. See alsoFRICTORIUM, and the illustrations of pans, pp.155,159

SATUREIA, savory, satury

Sauce pans, illustrations, pp.155,159,73,231

Sauces, ancient compared with modern, pp.22,24,26,27; —— for roasts, ℞267-70; —— for partridge, ℞499; —— crane and duck, ℞215; —— for fowl, ℞218-28

Sauces. Bread Sauce, ℞274; Brine, ℞284; —— for broiled fish, Alexandrine style, ℞437-39; —— for boiled fish, ℞433-6,454; —— for broiled mullet, ℞442-3; —— boiled meats, ℞271-3; —— for roasts, ℞267, seq.; English ——, ℞267; —— for broiled murenas, ℞448-51; Dill ——, ℞283; Herb —— for fried fish, ℞432; —— for Horned fish, ℞441; —— for lacertus, ℞455-7; —— perch, ℞446; —— redsnapper, ℞447; —— dory, ℞461-2; —— for suckling pig, ℞379; —— young tunny, ℞444-5,459; —— for tooth-fish, ℞460-1,486; —— shellfish, ℞397; —— for venison, ℞339,349; —— for wild sheep or lamb, ℞350; White ——, ℞276,277; Wine —— for fish, ℞464; Tasty —— for conger, ℞441; —— for tidbits, ℞276-82; —— for sea-scorpion, ℞463; —— for eel, ℞440,466-7

Saucisse, ℞41

Sauerbraten-Einlage, ℞11

Sausage, p.172, ℞41,45,60-65,139,165

Savonarola, Michaele, p.273

Scalding poultry, ℞233

Scallops, ℞46

SCANDIUS, chervil

SCARUS, a certain sea-fish esteemed as a delicacy, a parrot-fish

SCHOLA APITIANA, Apiciana, Nos.21,22,23, facsimile, p.206

Schuch, C. Th. editor, Apiciana, Nos.16-17, p.34,25,270seq.

Science confirming ancient methods, p.32

SCILLA, SCYLLA, SQUILLA, a shell-fish, a sea-onion, ℞43,485

SCORPIO, a sea-scorpion, ℞463,475

SCRIBLITA, SCRIBILITA, pastry, some kind of pancake, extra hot. Plautus and Martial, hence Scriblitarius, cake baker, cf.Coquus

SCRUPULUM, SCRI—, aweight, which see

Sealing vessels to prevent air from entering, ℞23,25

Sea Barb, ℞482-3; —— Bass, ℞158,447; —— Eel, ℞484; —— food, p.343; —— stew, Baian style, ℞432; —— mullet, ℞157; —— nettles, ℞162; —— perch, ℞447; —— pike, ℞158; —— urchin, ℞413-4; —— scorpion, ℞475

Sea-scorpion with turnips, ℞475

Sea water, ℞8

Seasoning, seeflavoring

Secrecy in recipes, pp.29,30

Seeds, Summary of, p.236

SEL, seeSIL

SEMINIBUS, DE, p.236

Seneca, Roman philosopher, pp.3,11,15

SEPIA, cuttle-fish, ℞406-9

SERPYLLUM, wild thyme

Service berry, ℞ 159—— pan with decorated handle, illustration, p.73—— dish for eggs, p.93

SESAMUM, sesame herb or corn

SESELIS, SEL, SIL, hartwort, kind of cumin

SETANIA, a kind of medlar, also a certain onion or bulb

SEXTARIUS, ameasure, which see, ℞1

Sforza Ms. ApicianaXIII

Shellfish, ℞397,412

Shell-shaped Dessert Dish, p.125

Shircliffe, Arnold, Dedication, p.273

Shore Dinner, ℞46

Sicardus Ms. ApicianaXIV

Signerre Rothomag., editor, pp.258, seq., also seeTacuinus

Signerre, Colophon, p.260

SIL, seeSESELIS

SILIGO, winter wheat, very hard wheat

SILIQUA, shell, pod, husk

SILPHIUM, SYLPHIUM, same asLASERPITIUM, which see, ℞32

SILURUS, supposed to be the river fish sly silurus, or sheat-fish, also called the horn-pout, or catfish, ℞426

SIMILA, —AGO, fine wheat flour

SINAPIS, mustard

“Singe,” ℞55

SION, —UM, plant growing in the marshes or on meadows, water-parsnip

SISYMBRIUM, water cress

SITULA, hot water kettle

Skate, ℞403-4

Slang in ancient text, p.19

Slaughter, cruel methods of, ℞259,260

Slaves grinding flour, illustration, p.60

Sloe, seePRUNUM

Smelts, ℞138-39

SMYRNION, —UM, a kind of herb, common Alexander

Snails, ℞323-5

Soda, use of —— to keep vegetables green, ℞66

Soft cabbage, ℞103-6

SOLEA, flat fish, the sole, ℞154,487; SOLEARUM PATINA,ibid.

SORBITIO, from SORBEO, supping up, sipping, drinking, drought; any liquid food that may be sipped, a drink, a potion, a broth, a sherbet, Fr. SORBET

Sorrel, ℞26

Sour Dock, ℞26

Soups, ℞178, seq.

Sow’s womb, matrix, udder, belly, ℞59,172,251-8

Soyer, Alexis, chef,35

Sparrow, seePASSER

Spätzli, ℞247

Spelt, ℞58-9

Spengler, O., writer, p.17

SPICA, a “spike,” ear of corn, top of plants, the plant spikenard, SPICA NARDI

Spiced Fruit, ℞177

Spices, Summary of, pp.234-5; spicing, ancient and modern, ℞15,276-77,385, seq.

Spiny lobster, ℞54,485

Spoiling, to prevent food from—see BookI, and Preserving, to prevent birds from spoiling, ℞229-30,233

SPONDYLIUM, —ION, a kind of plant, cow-parsnip, or all-heal. Also called SPHONDYLIUM and FONDULUM. It is quite evident that this term is very easily confused with the foregoing, a mistake, which was made by Humelbergius and upheld by Lister and others. For comparison see ℞46,115-21,183,309,431

SPONDYLUS, the muscular part of an oyster or other shellfish, scallop, for instance; also a species of bivalves, perhaps the scallop, ℞46

SPONGIOLA, rose gall, also the roots of asparagus, clottered and grown close together

SPONGIOLUS, fungus growing in the meadows, a mushroom, cf.SPONDYLIUMand notes pertaining thereto

Sprats, ℞138-9

Sprouts, cabbage ——, ℞89-92

Squab, ℞218-27, cf.Pipio

Squash, ℞73-80

Squill, ℞485

Squirrel, ℞396

Stag, ℞339-45

Starch, in forcemeats, sausage, etc., ℞50

Starr, Frederick, seeintroduction

STATERAE, steelyards for measuring

Sternajolo, writer, Apiciana, No.28, p.273

Stewed Lacertus, ℞152; —— meats, p.285, ℞356, seq.

Stewpots, illustrated, pp.183,209,223,235

String beans and chick-peas, ℞209

STRUTHIO, ostrich, ℞210-11

Studemund, W., writer, p.19

Stuffed pumpkin fritters, ℞176; —— chicken or pig, ℞199; —— boned kid or lamb, ℞360

STURNUS, a starling, stare; Platina condemns its meat as unfit, likewise that of the blackbird (cf.MERULA); he pronounces their flesh to be “devilish.” “STURNI, QUOS VULGO DIABOLICAM CARNEM HABERE DICIMUS.” Yet three-hundred years later, French authorities recommend this sort of food. Viger, La Nouvelle Maison Rustique, Paris, 1798, Vol. iii, p. 613, tells how to catch and fatten STURNI. “After a month [of forced feeding] they will be niceand fat and good to eat and to sell; there are persons who live of this trade.” He praises the crow similarly

These instances are cited not only as a commentary upon the taste of the Southern people and their habits which have endured to this day but also to illustrate the singular genius of Platina. Also the following notes toSTYRIOtend to show how far advanced was Platina in the matter of food as compared with the masters of the 18th century in France

STYRIO, STIRIO, STURIO, ℞145, sturgeon; probably the same fish as known to the ancients as ACIPENSER or STURIO. (A. SIVE S. OBLONGO TEREDEQUE—Stephanus à Schonevelde, in Ichthyologia, Hamburg, 1624). There can be no doubt that the sturgeon or sterlet is meant by this term, for Platina calls the eggs of the fish “caviare.” “OVA STIRIONIS CONDITUM QUOD CAUARE UOCANT.” Eloquently he describes his struggle with the changing language. The efforts of this conscientious man, Platina, to get at the bottom of things no matter how trivial they may appear, are highly praiseworthy

He writes “DE STIRIONE. TRAHI PER TENEBRAS NŪC MIHI VIDEOR, QUANDO HORŪ, DE QUIBUS, DEINCEPS DICTURUS SUM, PISCIŪ, NULLUS CERTUS UEL NOMINIS, UEL NATURAE EXISTAT AUTOR. NEGLIGENTIAE MAIORUM & INSCITIAE ID MAGIS, QUÀM MIHI ASCRIBENDUM EST. VTAR EGO NOUIS NOMINIBUS NE DELICATORUM GULAE PER ME DICANT STETISSE, QUO MINUS INTEGRA UTERENTUR UOLUPTATE.”

As for the rest, Platina cooks the sturgeon precisely in our own modern way: namely in water, white wine and vinegar. And: “SALEM INDERE MEMENTO!—don’t forget the salt!”

Compare him with France 350 years later. As for caviare, A. Beauvilliers, in his L’Art du cuisinier, Paris, 1814, treats this “ragoût” as something entirely new; yet Beauvilliers was the leading restaurateur of his time and a very capable cook, save Carême, the best. Beauvilliers has no use for caviare which he calls “Kavia.” Says he: “LES RUSSES EN FONT UN GRAND CAS ET L’ACHETENT FORT CHER [The Russians make a big thing of this and buy it very dearly] CE RAGOUT, SELON MOI, NE CONVIENT QU’ AUX RUSSES—this stew, according to my notion, suits only the Russians or those who have traveled thereabouts.”

Shakespeare, in speaking about “Caviare to the General” apparently was more up-to-date in culinary matters than this Parisian authority. A search of the eight volumes (Vol. I, 1803) of the famous Almanach des Gourmands by Grimod de la Reynière, Paris, 1803, seq., fails to reveal a trace of caviare

A German cook, a hundred years after Platina, Marx Rumpolt in “Ein new Kochbuch, Franckfort am Mayn, bey Johan Feyrabendt, 1587” on verso of folio XCVII, No. 9, gives an exact description of caviare and its mode of preparation. He calls it ROGEN VOM HAUSEN. The HAUSEN is the real large sturgeon, the Russian Beluga from which the best caviare is obtained. Rumpolt, whose book is the finest and most thorough of its kind in the middle ages, and a great work in every respect, remarks that caviare is good eating, especially for Hungarian gentlemen

“... SO ISSET MAN JN ROH / IST EIN GUT ESSEN / SONDERLICH FÜR EINEN VNGERISCHEN HERRN.”

SUCCIDIA a side of bacon or salt pork

SUCCUM, SUCUM, ℞172,200

Suckling Pig, seePORCELLUS

Sugar and pork, ℞151; use of —— in ancient Rome, seeSACCARUM

Suidas, writer, p.11

SUMEN, ℞257; —— PLENUM, ℞258

Sumptuary laws, p.25, ℞166

Sumptuous dishes, ℞285

Sweet dishes, home-made, ℞294-6

Sweet MINUTAL, ℞168

SYRINGIATUS, ℞360

T

TABLE, adjustable, illustration, p.138; —— round,id., p.122

Tacuinus, editor-printer, p.258; quoted in recipes8seq.; Facs. of Title Page, 1503, p.262; Facs. of opening chapter, p.232

TAMNIS, —US, TAMINIUS, wild grape

TANACETUM, tansy

Taranto, Tarentum, city, ℞165; —ian sausage, ℞140; —— Minutal, ℞165; see alsoLONGANO

Taricho, Tarichea, town, ℞427, seq.

Taro, dasheen, ℞74,154,172,200,244,322; seeCOLOCASIA

Tarpeius, a Roman, ℞363

TEGULA, tile for a roof, also a pan, a plate of marble or of copper; Ger. TIEGEL

Tempting Dish of Peas, A ——, ℞192

TERENTINA, ℞338

Tertullian, writer, p.3

TESTA, —U, —UM, an earthen pot with a lid, a casserole

TESTICULA CAPONUM, ℞166

TESTUDO, TESTA, turtle, tortoise. Platina praises the sea-turtle as good eating

TETRAPES, —US, four-footed animals; title of BookVIII

TETRAPHARMACUM, a course of four dishes, or a dish consisting of four meats. In modern language, a “Mixed Grill,” a “Fritto Misto,” a “Shore-Dinner”

THALASSA, the sea; title of BookIX, treating of fish

Theban ounce, ℞3

THERMOPOLIUM, a tavern, specializing in hot drinks

THERMOSPODIUM, a hot-plate, a hot dish carrier, a BAIN-MARIS, illustrations, pp.72,90

THINCA, a fish, moonfish (?) “OLIM MENAM APPELLATAM CREDIDERIM”—Platina

Thudichum, Dr., writer, p.18

THUS, TUS, frankincense, or the juice producing incense, Rosemary (?); also the herb ground-pine, CHAMAEPITYS, ℞60

Thrush, p.265, ℞497

THYMBRIA, savory; seeSISYMBRIUM,SATUREIAandCUNILA; also seeTHYMUS

THYMUS, thyme. Platina describes THYMUS and THYMBRIA with such a love and beauty that we cannot help but bestow upon him the laurels worn by the more well-known poets who became justly famous for extolling the fragrance of less useful plants such as roses and violets

THYNNUS, tunny-fish, ℞426,457-8

Tidbits, p.285, ℞261, seq.; —— of lamb or kid, ℞355

TISANA, seePTISANA, ℞172-3,200-1

Title pages, Venice, 1503, p.262; Lyons, p.263; Zürich, p.265; London, p.267

Toasting, ℞129

Tooth-fish, ℞157

Torinus, Albanus, editor of the Apicius and Platina editions of 1541, text, p.14—— quoted, ℞1,2,8, seq., assailed by Lister, seeL.—— facsimile of Title page 1541, p.220

TORPEDO, —IN, —INE, ℞403-4

TORTA, cake, tart; —— ALBA, cheese cake

Toulouse garnish, compared, ℞378

TRACTOGALATUS, a dish prepared with milk and paste (noodles, spätzli, etc.); —— PULLUS, a young chicken pie

TRACTOMELITUS, a dish prepared with honey paste; a gingerbread or honeybread composition

TRACTUM, ℞181

Traianus, a Roman, ℞380; also Traganus, Trajanus

Traube, writer, p.19

Trimalchio, fictitious character by Petronius, whose “Banquet” is the only surviving description of a Roman dinner, unfortunately exaggerated because it was a satire on Nero, pp.8,11


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