Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome Part 67

Stewpot, marmite, or kettle. With a ring base. The cover fits over the mouth. Ntl. Mus., Naples, 74813; Field M., 24172.}

THE EXCERPTS FROM APICIUS BY VINIDARIUS THE ILl.u.s.tRIOUS MAN

_Apici Excerpta A Vinidario Viro Inl.u.s.tri_

FIFTH CENTURY

Vinidarius, a Goth, of n.o.ble birth or a scientist, living in Italy.

Vinithaharjis is the native name. Of his time and life very little is known. It appears that he was a student of Apicius and that he made certain excerpts from that book which are preserved in the uncial codex of Salmasius, saec. VIII, Paris, lat. 10318.

Vollmer in his Apicius commentary says that Salmasius and his predecessors have accepted them as genuine. Schuch incorporated these recipes in the Apicius text of his editions, in appropriate places, as he thought. This course cannot be recommended, although the recipes should form an integral part of any Apicius edition.

M. Ihm, who faithfully reprinted the excerpta in the Archiv f. lat.

Lex. XV, 64, ff. says distinctly: "These excerpts have nothing to do with the ten books of Apicius, even if some recipes resemble each other ..." and other researchers have expressed the same opinion.

Vollmer, however, does not share this view.

If I may be permitted to concur with Vollmer, I would say that the excerpts are quite Apician in character, and that in a sense they fill certain gaps in the Apicius text, although the language is strongly vulgarized which may be readily expected to be the case in the age of Vinidarius.

The recipes of Anthimus, written around A.D. 511 also confirm the close relation existing between Vinidarius and Apicius. Anthimus was the Greek physician to Theodoric I, (The Great), Frankish king living in Italy. He was not acquainted with Apicius.

SUMMARY OF SPICES _BREVIS PIMENTORUM_ [1]

WHICH SHOULD BE IN THE HOUSE ON HAND SO THAT THERE MAY BE NOTHING WANTING [in the line of condiments]: SAFFRON, PEPPER, GINGER, LASER, LEAVES [laurel-bay-nard], MYRTLE BERRIES, COSTMARY, CHERVIL [2], INDIAN SPIKENARD, ADDENA [3], CARDAMOM, SPIKENARD.

[1] _Pigmentorum_--_specierum_--spices. The old _pigmentum_ is really any coloring matter; the word, corrupted to pimento and pimiento is now used for sweet red pepper and also for allspice.

[2] _Cariofilu_--_caerefolium_--_Chaerephyllon_; Fr.

_Cerfeuille_; Ger. _Kerbel_. This should be among the herbs.

[3] Not identified.

OF SEEDS [to be on hand]

_DE SEMINIBUS HOC_

POPPY SEED, RUE SEED, RUE BERRIES, LAUREL BERRIES, ANISE SEED, CELERY SEED, FENNEL SEED, LOVAGE SEED, ROCKET SEED, CORIANDER SEED, c.u.mIN, DILL, PARSLEY SEED, CARRAWAY SEED, SESAM.

OF DRIED [herbs, etc., to be on hand]

_DE SICCIS HOC_

LASER ROOT, MINT, CATNIP, SAGE, CYPRESS, ORIGANY, JUNIPER, SHALLOTS, BACAS TIMMI [1], CORIANDER, SPANISH CAMOMILE, CITRON, PARSNIPS, ASCALONIAN SHALLOTS, BULL RUSH ROOTS, DILL, FLEABANE, CYPRIAN RUSH, GARLIC, LEGUMES [2], MARJORAM [3], INNULA [4] SILPHIUM, CARDAMOM.

[1] Not identified. Perhaps the seed of thyme, though the word _bacas_ would be out of place there.

[2] _Ospera_, i.e., _Osperios_.

[3] _Samsucu_, i.e., _sampsuchum_ Elderberries?

[4] Not identified; perhaps _laurus innubus_, dried virgin laurel leaves.

OF LIQUIDS [to be on hand]

_DE LIQUORIBUS HOC_

HONEY, REDUCED MUST, REDUCED WINE, APIPERIU [1] RAISIN WINE.

[1] Not identified. We take it to be honey mead, or some other honey preparation, maybe, _piperatum_, pepper sauce.

OF NUTS [to be on hand]

_DE NUCLEIS HOC_

LARGER NUTS, PINE NUTS, ALMONDS [1] HAZELNUTS [filberts] [2].

[1] _Acmidula_, i.e., _amygdala_.

[2] _Aballana_--_abellana_--_abellinae_--_avellana_; Fr.

_avelline_.

OF DRIED FRUITS [to be on hand]

_DE POMIS SICCIS HOC_

DAMASCUS PRUNES, DATES, RAISINS, POMEGRANATES.

ALL OF THESE THINGS STORE IN A DRY PLACE SO THAT THEY MAY LOSE NEITHER FLAVOR NOR [other] VIRTUES.

SUMMARY OF DISHES [1]

_BREUIS CYBORV_ [1]

I. Ca.s.sEROLE OF VEGETABLES AND CHICKEN _CACCABINA MINORE_ II. STUFFED CHARTREUSE _CACCABINA FUSILE_ III. BRAISED CUTLETS _OFELLAS GARATAS_ IV. ROAST MEAT b.a.l.l.s _OFELLAS a.s.sAS_ V. GLAZED CUTLETS _ALITER OFELLAS_ VI. MEAT b.a.l.l.s WITH LASER _OFELLAS GRATON_ VII. SEA SCORPION WITH TURNIPS _PISCES SCORPIONES RAPULATAS_ VIII. ANY KIND OF FISH, FRIED _PISCES FRIXOS CUIUSc.u.mQUE GENERIS_ IX. FRIED FISH _ITEM PISCES FRIXOS_ X. ROAST [Grilled] FISH _PISCES a.s.sOS_ XI. FRIED FISH AND WINE SAUCE _PISCES INOTOGONON_ XII. SARDINES, BABY TUNNY, WHITING _SARDAS_ XIII. FISH STEWED IN WINE _ITEM PISCES INOTOGONON_ XIV. STEWED MULLET WITH DILL _MULLOS ANETATOS_ XV. MULLET, DIFFERENT STYLE _ALITER MULLOS_ XVI. MURENA AND EEL _MURENAS ET ANGUILLAS_ XVII. SPINY LOBSTER AND SQUILL _LUCUSTAS ET ISQUILLAS_ XVIII. BOILED FISH _PISCES ELIXOS_ XIX. A DISH OF SOLE AND EGGS _PATINAS OBORUM_ XX. SUCKLING PIG, CORIANDER SAUCE _PORCELLO CORIANDRATU_ XXI. SUCKLING PIG, WINE SAUCE _PORCELLO IN OCCUCTU_ XXII. PORK, PAN GRAVY _PORCELLO EO IURE_ XXIII. PORK SPRINKLED WITH THYME _PORCELLO TYMMO c.r.a.pSU_ XXIV. PICKLED PORK _PORCELLU EXOZOME_ XXV. LASER [sauce for] PORK _PORCELLU LASARATU_ XXVI. SAUCE FOR PORK _PORCELLU IUSCELLU_ XXVII. PLAIN LAMB _AGNU SIMPLICE_ XXVIII. KID AND LASER _HEDU LASARATU_ XXIX. THRUSH, HEALTH STYLE _t.u.r.dOS APONTOMENUS_ x.x.x. TURTLEDOVES _TURTURES_ x.x.xI. SAUCE FOR PARTRIDGE _IUS IN PERDICES_

[1] _Brevis cyboru_ could be nicely and appropriately rendered with "Menu,"--something minute, short,--but this list is not a menu in our modern sense. It is an enumeration of recipe names, a summary of dishes contained in the excerpts.

There is considerable variation in the spelling of the names here and in the following. Syllables ending with "u" are invariably abbreviations of "um."

I

[468] A Ca.s.sEROLE [1] OF VEGETABLE AND CHICKEN _CACCABINAM MINOREM_