Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 44

[270] ROAST NECK [1]

_a.s.sATURAS IN COLLARI_

PUT IN A BRAISIeRE [2] AND BOIL PEPPER, SPICES, HONEY, BROTH; AND HEAT THIS WITH THE MEAT IN THE OVEN. THE NECK PIECE ITSELF, IF YOU LIKE, IS ALSO ROASTED WITH SPICES AND THE HOT GRAVY IS SIMPLY POURED OVER AT THE MOMENT OF SERVING [3].

[1] A piece of meat from the neck of a food animal, beef, veal, pork; a muscular hard piece, requiring much care to make it palatable, a "pot roast."

[2] A roasting pan especially adapted for braising tough meats, with closefitting cover to hold the vapors.

[3] Tor. combines this and the foregoing formula. G.-V.

_sicc.u.m calidum_, for hot gravy. Perhaps a typographical error for _succ.u.m_.

VI

BOILED, STEWED MEATS, AND DAINTY FOOD _IN ELIXAM ET COPADIA_

[271] SAUCE FOR ALL BOILED DISHES _JUS IN ELIXAM OMNEM_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, RUE, SILPHIUM, DRY ONION, WINE, REDUCED WINE, HONEY, VINEGAR, A LITTLE OIL, BOILED DOWN, STRAINED THROUGH A CLOTH AND POURED UNDER THE HOT COOKED MEATS [1].

[1] A very complicated sauce for boiled viands. Most of the ingredients are found in the Worcesters.h.i.+re Sauce.

[272] SAUCE FOR BOILED VIANDS _JUS IN ELIXAM_

MAKE IT THUS: [Tor.] PEPPER, PARSLEY, BROTH, VINEGAR, FIG-DATES, ONIONS, LITTLE OIL, POURED UNDER VERY HOT.

[273] ANOTHER _JUS IN ELIXAM_

CRUSH PEPPER, DRY RUE, FENNEL SEED, ONION, FIGDATES, WITH BROTH AND OIL.

[274] WHITE [bread] [1] SAUCE FOR BOILED VIANDS _JUS CANDIDUM IN ELIXAM_

WHITE SAUCE FOR BOILED DISHES IS MADE THUS: [2] PEPPER, BROTH, WINE, RUE, ONIONS, NUTS, A LITTLE SPICE, BREAD SOAKED TO THE SATURATION POINT, OIL, WHICH IS COOKED AND SPREAD UNDER [the meat].

[1] Our present bread sauce, somewhat simpler, but essentially the same as the Apician sauce, is very popular with roast partridge, pheasant and other game in England.

[2] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[275] ANOTHER WHITE SAUCE FOR BOILED VIANDS _ALITER JUS CANDIDUM IN ELIXAM_

ANOTHER WHITE SAUCE FOR BOILED DISHES CONTAINS: [1] PEPPER, CARRAWAY, LOVAGE, THYME, ORIGANY, SHALLOTS, DATES, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH AND OIL.

[276] WHITE SAUCE FOR DAINTY FOOD _IN COPADIIS _[1]_ JUS ALb.u.m_

TAKE c.u.mIN, LOVAGE, RUE SEED, PLUMS FROM DAMASCUS [2] SOAK IN WINE, ADD HONEY MEAD AND VINEGAR, THYME AND ORIGANY TO TASTE [3].

[1] Lacking definite description of the _copadia_ it is hard to differentiate between them and the _offelae_.--_Cupedia_ (Plaut. and Goll.), nice dainty dishes, from _cupiditas_, appet.i.te, desire for dainty fare. Hence _cupedinarius_ (Terent.) and _cupediarius_ (Lamprid.) a seller or maker of dainties, a confectioner.

[2] _Damascena_; they correspond apparently to our present stewed (dried) prunes. It is inconceivable how this sauce can be white in color, but, as a condiment and if taken in small quant.i.ty, it has our full approval.

[3] G.-V. _agitabis_, i.e. stir the sauce with a whip of thyme and origany twigs. Cf. note to following.

[277] ANOTHER WHITE SAUCE FOR APPETIZERS _ALITER JUS CANDIDUM IN COPADIIS_

IS MADE THUS [1] PEPPER, THYME, c.u.mIN, CELERY SEED, FENNEL, RUE, MINT [2], MYRTLE BERRIES, RAISINS, RAISIN WINE, AND MEAD TO TASTE; STIR IT WITH A TWIG OF SATURY [3].

[1] Tor.

[2] G.-V., rue wanting.

[3] An ingenious way to impart a very subtle flavor. The sporadic discoveries of such very subtle and refined methods (cf. notes to ? No. 15) should dispell once and for all time the old theories that the ancients were using spices to excess. They simply used a greater variety of flavors and aromas than we do today, but there is no proof that spices were used excessively. The great variety of flavors at the disposal of the ancients speaks well for the refinement of the olfactory sense and the desire to bring variety into their fare. Cf.

? Nos. 345, 369 and 385.

[278] SAUCE FOR TIDBITS _JUS IN COPADIIS_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, CARRAWAY, MINT, LEAVES OF SPIKENARD (WHICH THE GREEKS CALL "NARDOSACHIOM") [_sic!_] [1] YOLKS, HONEY, MEAD, VINEGAR, BROTH AND OIL. STIR WELL WITH SATURY AND LEEKS [2] AND TIE WITH ROUX.

[1] Tor. [_sic!_] _spicam nardi_--sentence wanting in other texts. G.-V. _nardostachyum_, spikenard.

[2] A f.a.got of satury and leeks! Cf. notes to ? Nos.

276 and 277.

[279] WHITE SAUCE FOR TIDBITS _JUS ALb.u.m IN COPADIIS_

IS MADE THUS: [1] PEPPER, LOVAGE, c.u.mIN, CELERY SEED, THYME, NUTS, WHICH SOAK AND CLEAN, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH AND OIL TO BE ADDED [2].

[1, 2] First three and last three words in Tor.

[280] SAUCE FOR TIDBITS _JUS IN COPADIIS_

PEPPER, CELERY SEED, CARRAWAY, SATURY, SAFFRON, SHALLOTS, TOASTED ALMONDS, FIGDATES, BROTH, OIL AND A LITTLE MUSTARD; COLOR WITH REDUCED MUST.

[281] SAUCE FOR TIDBITS _JUS IN COPADIIS_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, PARSLEY, SHALLOTS, TOASTED ALMONDS, DATES, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, REDUCED MUST AND OIL.