How to Milk an Almond Stuff an Egg And Armor a Turnip A ...

The sources of these recipes range, with a
few exceptions, from the sixth century to the
sixteenth. The original, or an English
translation of the original, is given in
chancery font, followed by a list of
ingredients with quantities and, usually but
not always, additional instructions. For a few
of the less readable early English recipes we
also give a modernized version of the original
text. The only intentional modifications we
have made are to modernize the spelling in
some recipes and to omit the medical
comments which Platina (routinely) and the
authors of the Andalusian cookbook
(occasionally) include in their recipes.
How well worked out the recipes are
varies; some we have been doing for many
years, others are the result of one or two tries.
Before serving to anyone other than close
friends and fellow cooking enthusiasts, try the
recipe out at least once and adjust it to taste.
Sources for Recipes
Early Period
Anthimus, De Observatio Ciborum,
translated by Shirley Howard Weber,
published by E. J. Brill Ltd, Leiden 1924. This
is a letter on the subject of diet, written in the
sixth century by a Byzantine physician to
Theoderic, King of the Franks. It includes
several recipes.
Apicius, The Roman Cookery Book, tr.
Barbara Flower and Elisabeth Rosenbaum,
George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd., London, 1958.
This is a recommended translation and
includes the Latin original. The earlier
translation by Vehling is not recomended, as
he changes the recipes considerably.
English/French 13th-15th c.
Ancient Cookery from A Collection of the
Ordinances and Regulations for the
Government of the Royal Household made in
Divers Reigns from King Edward III to King
William and Queen Mary also Receipts in
Ancient Cookery, printed for the Society of
1
Recipes
London Antiquaries by John Nichols, 1740.
The recipes are from the early 15th century.
Curye on Inglysch: English Culinary
Manuscripts of the Fourteenth Century
(Including the Forme of Cury), edited by
Constance B. Hieatt and Sharon Butler,
published for the Early English Text Society
by the Oxford University Press, 1985. Still in
print as of 2010.
The Forme of Cury, A Roll of Ancient
English Cookery, ed. S. Pegge, printed for the
Society of London Antiquaries by John
Nichols, 1780. This is English c. 1390; for a
later edition see Curye on Inglysch above.
Constance B. Hieatt, An Ordinance of
Pottage, Prospect Books, London, 1988 (15th
c. English).
Constance B. Hieatt and Robin F. Jones,
Two Anglo-Norman Culinary Collections
Edited from British Library Manuscripts
Additional 32085 and Royal 12.C.xii,
Speculum v. 61 n. 4, pp. 859-882, 1986.
Referred to below as “Anglo-Norman.”
Le Menagier de Paris, 1395, tr. Janet
Hinson (Lady Mairoli Bhan); also translated
as The Goodman of Paris, Power and Coulton,
tr., but with only selections from the recipes.
Recipes from Power and Coulton are given as
“Goodman;” recipes from Hinson are given as
“Menagier.” Page references are to volume II
of the collection of source material we used to
sell. The Hinson translation is webbed at:
www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbo
oks/Menagier/Menagier_Contents.html
A Noble Boke off Cookry Ffor a Prynce
Houssolde, ed. Mrs. Alexander Napier, 1882
(c. 1470).
Chiquart, Du Fait de Cuisine, 1420, tr. by
Elizabeth from the French original published
by Terence Scully in Vallesia v. 40, pp. 101-
231, 1985. There is also a published
translation by Scully. Elizabeth's transation is
webbed at:
www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/
Cookbooks/Du_Fait_de_Cuisine/
du_fait_de_c_contents.html