[3] Tor. continues ℞ No. 135 without interruption or caption, and describes the above recipe. He reads: _De thoris accipies rosas_, but List. insists that _de thoris_ be read _de rosis_; Lan., Tac. _de toris_; V. _de thoris_ may be read "fresh from the flower bed." Cf. ℞ Nos. 167 and 171 in which case the "rose" may stand for rosy apple, or "Roman Beauty" apple. "Rose apple" also is a small pimento, size of a plum. [137] PUMPKIN PIE _PATINA DE CUCURBITIS_ [1] AND PUMPKIN PIE IS MADE THUS [2] STEWED AND MASHED PUMPKIN IS PLACED IN THE PAN [or pie dish] SEASONED WITH A LITTLE CUMIN ESSENCE. ADD A LITTLE OIL; HEAT [bake] AND SERVE [3]. [1] Dann. Cucumber Dish. [2] Tor. Wanting in other texts. [3] Modern English recipes for stewed pumpkin resemble this Apician precept, but America has made a really palatable dish from pumpkin by the addition of eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger--spices which the insipid pumpkin needs. The ancient original may have omitted the eggs because Apicius probably expected his formula to be carried out in accordance with the preceding formulæ. Perhaps this is proven by the fact that Tor. continues the Rose Pie recipe with _et cucurbita patina sic fiet_. [138] SPRATS OR SMELTS AU VIN BLANC _PATINA DE APUA_ [1] CLEAN THE SMELTS [or other small fish, filets of sole, etc. of white meat] MARINATE [i.e. impregnate with] IN OIL, PLACE IN A SHALLOW PAN, ADD OIL, BROTH [2] AND WINE. BUNCH [3] [fresh] RUE AND MARJORAM AND COOK WITH THE FISH. WHEN DONE REMOVE THE HERBS, SEASON THE FISH WITH PEPPER AND SERVE [4]. [1] Ex List. and G.-V. wanting in Tor. [2] _Liquamen_, which in this case corresponds to _court bouillon_, a broth prepared from the trimmings of the fish, herbs, and wine, well-seasoned and reduced. [3] Our very own _bouquet garni_, a bunch of various aromatic herbs, inserted during coction and retired before serving. [4] Excellent formula for fish in white wine, resembling our ways of making this fine dish. This again illustrates the laconic style of the ancient author. He omitted to say that the fish, when cooked, was placed on the service platter and that the juices remaining in the sauce pan were tied with one or two egg yolks, diluted with cream, or wine, or _court bouillon_, strained and poured over the fish at the moment of serving. This is perhaps the best method of preparing fish with white meat of a fine texture. Pink or darker fish do not lend themselves to this method of preparation. [139] SMELT PIE, OR, SPRAT CUSTARD _PATINA DE ABUA SIVE APUA_ [1]