Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 32

CHAP. IV. BEANS OR PEAS IN THE POD.

CHAP. V. BARLEY BROTH.

CHAP. VI. GREEN BEANS, BAIaeAN BEANS.

CHAP. VII. FENUGREEK.

CHAP. VIII. GREEN STRING BEANS AND CHICK-PEAS.

I

MEAL MUSH, MUSH, PULSE, PAP, PORRIDGE, POLENTA _DE PULTIBUS_ [2]

[178] JULIAN MEAL MUSH _PULTES JULIANae_ [3]

JULIAN PULSES ARE COOKED THUS: SOAK WELL-CLEANED SPELT, PUT IT ON THE FIRE; WHEN COOKED, ADD OIL. IF IT THREATENS TO BECOME THICK, CAREFULLY THIN IT DOWN. TAKE TWO COOKED BRAINS AND HALF A POUND OF MEAT GROUND AS FOR FORCEMEAT, CRUSH THIS WITH THE BRAINS AND PUT IN A POT. CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE AND FENNEL SEED, MOISTENED WITH BROTH, A LITTLE WINE AND PUT IT ON TOP OF THE BRAIN AND MEAT. WHEN THIS FORCEMEAT IS HEATED SUFFICIENTLY, MIX IT WITH THE SPELT [finish boiling] TRANSFER INTO SERVICE DISH, THINNED. THIS MUST HAVE THE CONSISTENCY OF A HEAVY JUICE [4].

[1] List. _Osprios_; G.-V. _Ospreon_--cookery of leguminous plants.

[2] _Puls_--formerly a simple porridge of various kinds of cereals or legumes, eaten by the Romans before bread came into use. _Puls_ remained in use after the introduction of bread only as a food of the poor. It was also used at sacrifices. The _pultes_ and _pulticulae_ given by Apicius are ill.u.s.trations of the ever-present desire to improve--to glorify, as it were, a thing which once was or still is of vital importance in the daily life of humans. The _nouveaux-riches_ of the ancient and the modern world cannot find it easy to separate themselves from their traditions nor are they wont to put up with their plainness, hence the fancy tr.i.m.m.i.n.gs.

The development of the American pie is a curious a.n.a.logy in this respect. We see in this the intricate working of human culture, its eternal strife for perfection. And perfection is synonymous with decay. The fare of the Carthusian monks, professed, stern vegetarians, underwent the same tortuous evolution.

[3] Named for Didius Julia.n.u.s, the emperor who was a vegetarian. Of course, his majesty could not live on a plain porridge, hence the Apician artistry. The _pultes_ were popular with the many professed vegetarians though the obliging cooks mixed finely ground meat in this and other porridges.

Our various cream soups and legume purees--those most salubrious creations of modern cookery are no doubt lineal descendants from the Apician _pultes_. They are so scarce comparatively because they require all the ingenuity and resourcefulness of a gifted cook to be perfect.

[4] Dann. remarks that this formula is wanting in List.

Both Lister's first and second editions have it.

[179] GRUEL AND WINE _PULTES NOCOCTI_

PORRIDGE AND WINE IS THUS MADE: [1] FLAVOR THE PULSE WELL WITH WINE [2] AND IMMERSE IN THE JUICE DAINTY MORSELS [3].

[1] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[2] Tor. _Oenogari_; G.-V. _Oenococti_.

[3] Tor. _cupedias_; _copadia_.

[180] SIMILAR _SIMILAM_ [1]

OR FLAVOR COOKED SPELT WITH THE LIQUOR OF DAINTY PIECES OF PORK, OR CAPON [2] COOKED IN WINE [3].

[1] Tac. _inulam_; Tor. _mulam_--misreading.

[2] Tor.; List. _apponis_.

[3] For practical reasons we have separated the text of ? Nos. 179 and 180 which appears as one in the texts.

[181] MILK TOAST _PULTES TRACTOGALATae_ [1]

PUT A PINT OF MILK AND SOME WATER ON THE FIRE IN A NEW [clean] POT; BREAK ROUND BREAD INTO IT [2] DRY, STIR WELL TO PREVENT BURNING; ADD WATER AS NECESSARY [3].

[1] Tor. _pulticula tractogala_.

[2] List. _tres...o...b..culos tractae_; Tor. _teres sorbiculos tractae_.

_Tractum_ is a piece of pastry, a round bread or roll in this case, stale, best suited for this purpose.

[3] The text continues without interruption.

[182] HONEY PAP _SIMILITER_

HONEY AND MEAD ARE TREATED SIMILARLY, MIXED WITH MILK, WITH THE ADDITION OF SALT AND A LITTLE OIL.

[178-183] PULSE _PULTES_ [1]

[1] Tor. _Alia pulticula_.

This is a verbatim repet.i.tion of ? No. 178.

II

LENTILS _LENTICULA_ [1]

[183] LENTILS AND COW-PARSNIPS _LENTICULA EX SPONDYLIS SIVE FONDYLIS_ [2]

PUT THE LENTILS IN A CLEAN SAUCE PAN [and cook with salt]. IN THE MORTAR CRUSH PEPPER, c.u.mIN, CORIANDER SEED, MINT, RUE, AND FLEA-BANE, MOISTENED WITH VINEGAR, ADD HONEY AND BROTH AND REDUCED MUST, VINEGAR TO TASTE AND PUT THIS IN A SAUCE PAN. THE COOKED COW-PARSNIPS CRUSH, HEAT [mix with the lentils] WHEN THOROUGHLY COOKED, TIE, ADD GREEN [fresh olive] OIL AND SERVE IN AN APPROPRIATE DISH [3].

[1] Tor. _De Lenticula et Castaneis_.

[2] List. again: _ex spongiolis sive fungulis_. See notes to ? Nos. 115-120 and 431.

[3] _Boletar_--a "mushroom" dish. G.-V. _in boletari_; Tac. _insuper oleum uiridem mittis_; Tor.

_inuolutari_--unidentified.

[184] LENTILS [1] AND CHESTNUTS _LENTICULAM DE CASTANEIS_ [2]

TAKE A NEW SAUCE PAN, PLACE THEREIN THE CHESTNUTS CAREFULLY CLEANED [3] ADD WATER AND A LITTLE SODA AND PLACE ON THE FIRE TO BE COOKED.

THIS DONE, CRUSH IN THE MORTAR PEPPER, c.u.mIN, CORIANDER SEED, MINT, RUE, LASER ROOT AND FLEA-BANE MOISTENED WITH VINEGAR, HONEY AND BROTH; ADD VINEGAR TO TASTE AND POUR THIS OVER THE COOKED CHESTNUTS, ADD OIL AND ALLOW TO BOIL. WHEN DONE CRUSH IT IN THE MORTAR [4]. TASTE TO SEE IF SOMETHING IS MISSING AND IF SO, PUT IT IN, AND AT LAST ADD GREEN [fresh virgin] OIL.