The Forme of Cury: A Roll of Ancient English Cookery Compiled, about A.D. 1390 — John Shaqi
The Forme of Cury: A Roll of Ancient English Cookery Compiled, about A.D. 1390Pegge, Samuel
History
The Forme of Cury: A Roll of Ancient English Cookery Compiled, about A.D. 1390
Pegge, Samuel
Cooking, English -- Early works to 1800
Sugar, or Sugur [103], was now beginning here to take place of honey;
however, they are used together, No. 67. Sugar came from the Indies,
by way of Damascus and Aleppo, to Venice, Genoa, and Pisa, and from
these last places to us [104]. It is here not only frequently used,
but was of various sorts, as _cypre_, No. 41. 99. 120. named probably
from the isle of Cyprus, whence it might either come directly to us,
or where it had received some improvement by way of refining. There
is mention of _blanch-powder or white sugar_, 132. They, however,
were not the same, for see No. 193. Sugar was clarified sometimes
with wine [105].
Spices. _Species_. They are mentioned in general No. 133, and _whole
spices_, 167, 168. but they are more commonly specified, and are
indeed greatly used, though being imported from abroad, and from so
far as Italy or the Levant (and even there must be dear), some may
wonder at this: but it shouid be considered, that our Roll was
chiefly compiled for the use of noble and princely tables; and the
same may be said of the Editor's MS. The spices came from the same
part of the world, and by the same route, as sugar did. The _spicery_
was an ancient department at court, and had its proper officers.
As to the particular sorts, these are,
Cinamon. _Canell_. 14. 191. _Canel_, Editor's MS. 10. _Kanell_, ibid.
32. is the Italian _Canella_. See Chaucer. We have the flour or
powder, No. 20. 62. See Wiclif. It is not once mentioned in Apicius.
Macys, 14. 121. Editor's MS. 10. _Maces_, 134. Editor's MS. 27. They
are used whole, No. 158. and are always expressed plurally, though we
now use the singular, _mace_. See Junii Etym.
Cloves. No. 20. Dishes are flourished with them, 22. 158. Editor's MS.
10. 27. where we have _clowys gylofres_, as in our Roll, No. 104.
_Powdour gylofre_ occurs 65. 191. Chaucer has _clowe_ in the singular,
and see him v. Clove-gelofer.
Galyngal, 30. and elsewhere. Galangal, the long rooted cyperus [106],
is a warm cardiac and cephalic. It is used in powder, 30. 47. and was
the chief ingredient in _galentine_, which, I think, took its name
from it.
Pepper. It appears from Pliny that this pungent, warm seasoning, so
much in esteem at Rome [107], came from the East Indies [108], and,
as we may suppose, by way of Alexandria. We obtained it no doubt, in
the 14th century, from the same quarter, though not exactly by the
same route, but by Venice or Genoa. It is used both whole, No. 35,
and in powder, No. 83. And long-pepper occurs, if we read the place
rightly, in No. 191.
Ginger, gyngyn. 64. 136. alibi. Powder is used, 17. 20. alibi. and
Rabelais IV. c. 59. the white powder, 131. and it is the name of a
mess, 139. quære whether _gyngyn_ is not misread for _gyngyr_, for
see Junii Etym. The Romans had their ginger from Troglodytica [109].
Cubebs, 64. 121. are a warm spicy grain from the east.
Grains of Paradice, or _de parys_, 137. [110] are the greater
cardamoms.
Noix muscadez, 191. nutmegs.
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