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Book X

This webpage reproduces part of the
De Re Coquinaria

of
Apicius

published by Walter M. Hill, 1936

The text is in the public domain.

This text has not yet been proofread.
If you find a mistake though,
please let me know!

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Apicius
De Re Coquinaria

 p235  The Excerpts from Apicius
by Vinidarius the Illustrious Man​a

Apici Excerpta
A Vinidario Viro Inlustri

Fifth Century

Vinidarius, a Goth, of noble birth or a scientist, living in Italy. Vinithatharjis 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.

 p236  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 cardamon, spikenard.

1 Pigmentorumspecierum — 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 CariofilucaerefoliumChaerephyllon; Fr. Cerfeuille;º Ger. Kerbel. This should be among the herbs.

3 Not identified.

of Seeds
De seminibus hoc

Poppy seed, rue seed, rue berries, laurel berries, anise seed, celery seed, fennel seed, lovage seed, rocket seed, coriander seed, cumin, dill, parsley seed, caraway 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 here.

2 Ospera, i.e.Osperios.

3 Samsucu, i.e.sampsuchum Elderberries?

4 Not identified; perhaps laurus innubus, dried virgin laurel leaves.

Thayer's Note: inula (sic) is usually translated as spikenard.

of Liquids to be on hand
De liquoribus hoc

Honey, reduced must, reduced wine, apiperium,1 raisin wine.

1 Not identified. We take it to be honey mead, or some other honey preparation, member, 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 Aballanaabellanaabellinaeavellana; Fr. avelline.

 p237  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
Breuis cyborv​1

I Casserole of Vegetables and Chicken Caccabina minore
II Stuffed Chartreuse Caccabina fusile
III Braised Cutlets Ofellas garatas
IV Roast Meat Balls Ofellas assas
V Glazed Cutlets Aliter ofellas
VI Meat Balls with Laser Ofellas graton
VII Sea Scorpion with Turnips Pisces soces rapulatas
VIII Any Kind of Fish, Fried Pisces frixos cuiuscumque generis
IX Fried Fish Item pisces frixos
X Roast Grilled Fish Pisces assos
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 Dull 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 crapsu
XXIV Pickled Pork Porcellu exozome
XXV Laser sauce for Pork Porcellu lasaratu
XXVI Sauce for Pork Porcellu iuscellu
 p238  XXVII Plain Lamb Agnu simplice
XXVIII Kid and Laser Hedu Lasaratu
XXIX Thrush, Health Style Turdos apontomenus
XXX Turtledoves Turtures
XXXI 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 Casserole​1 of Vegetable and Chicken
Caccabinam minorem

Arrange different kinds of cooked vegetables in a casserole with cooked chicken interspersed, if you like; season with broth and oil, set to boil. Next crush a little pepper and leaves, and mix an egg in with the dressing add this to the vegetables press into the casserole, eliminating the juice.​2

1 The dish resembles a chartreuse.

2 Juice should be extracted before the addition of the egg, if the dish is to be unmoulded.

Ia

469 The same, with Another Dressing — A Cabbage Chartreuse
Alias: tritura unde perfundes caccabinam

Crush whatever quantity of leaves is required with chervil and one and a quarter part of laurel berries, a medium-sized boiled cabbage, coriander leaves, dissolve with its own juice, steam in the hot ashes, but first place in a mould when stiff unmould on a platter decorate, pour under a well-seasoned sauce, and so serve.​1

1 Either the vegetables and chicken of ℞ No. 468 are combined with this dressing or a purée of the above cabbage, etc., is made, which will make this an integral dish. The instructions are vague enough to leave room for this choice;  p239 but there can be no doubt but what we have here a formula for a vegetable purée or a pudding, a genuine "Chartreuse," such as were prepared in the fancy moulds so popular in old Rome. The "Chartreuse," then, is not original with the vegetarian monks of the monastery by that name, the Carthusians.

II

470 A Stuffed Chartreuse
Caccabinam​1 fusilem

Take cooked mallows, leeks, beets, or cooked cabbage sprouts shoots or tender strunks thrushes roast and quenelles of chicken, tidbits of pork or squab chicken and other similar shreds of fine meats that may be available; arrange everything alternately in layers in a mould or in a casserole. Crush pepper and lovage with 2 parts of old wine, 1 part broth, 1 part honey and a little oil. Taste it; and when well mixed and in due proportions put in a sauce pan and allow to heat moderately; when boiling add a pint of milk in which about eight eggs have been dissolved; next pour this spiced custard over the layers of vegetables and meats, heat slowly without allowing to boil and when congealed serve either in the casserole, or carefully unmould the dish on a service platter.​2

1 It is interesting to note how the generic terms, salacaccabia and caccabina have degenerated here. In these formulas the terms have lost all resemblance to the former meaning, the original "salt meat boiled in a pot." Such changes are very often observed in the terminology of our modern kitchens, in every language. They make the definition of terms and the classification of subjects extremely difficult. They add much to the confusion among cooks and guests in public dining places and create misunderstandings that only an expert can explain.

2 This dish affords an opportunity for a decorative scheme by the arrangement of the various vegetables and meats in a pleasing and artistic manner, utilizing the various colors and shapes of the bits of food as one would use pieces of stone in a mosaic. Of course, such a design cab be appreciated only if the chartreuse is served unmoulded, i.e. if the cook success in unmoulding it without damaging the structure.

III

471 Braised Cutlets
Ofellas garatas​1

Place the meat in a stew pan, add one pound​2  p240 of broth, a like quantity of oil, a trifle of honey, and thus braise.​3

1 Derived from the garum or oenogarum, the wine sauce. These are supposed to be meat balls or cutlets prepared with garum, but the garum is not mentioned in the formula. This also illustrates the interesting etymology of the word. It is not recognized in every-day language because it is a typical technical term, the much complained‑of lingua culinaria. We find, therefore, that — at least in this instance — garum no longer stands for a sauce made from the fish, garus, but that garum has become a generic term for certain kinds of sauces. Danneil renders garatus with lasaratus, which is clearly out of place.

2 In this instance, and in several others, and also according to Sueton. Caes.

Thayer's Note: It will be noticed that the linked passage — the only place in Suetonius' Life of Julius Caesar that mentions weighing of any fluid — has nothing to do with commercial transactions, sale portions, or cooking instructions; rather with government allotments.

3 The original: et sic frigis. — Frigo is equivalent to frying, drying, parching; the word here has taken on a broader meaning, because the "frying" process is clearly out of question here. It appears that the terminology of frigo and that of asso in the next formula, has not been clearly defined. As a matter of fact, not many modern cooks today are able to give a clear definition of such terms as frying, broiling, roasting, braising, baking, which are thus subject to various interpretations.

IV

472 Roast Meat Balls
Ofellas assas

Meatballs previously sauté, carefully prepared, arrange in a shallow stew pan and braise them in wine sauce; afterwards serve them in the same sauce or gravy, sprinkled with pepper.

V

473 Glazed Cutlets
Aliter ofellas

The meat pieces are braised​1 in broth and are glazed​2 with hot honey​3 and thus served.

1 Cf. note 3 to Excerpta III.

2 unguantur.

3 Dann. oil; G.‑V. mellehoney. It is quite common to use honey for glazing foods. Today we sprinkle meats (ham) with sugar, exposing it to the open heat to melt it; the sugar thus forms a glaze or crust.

 p241  VI

474 Meat Balls with Laser
Ofellas garatas​1

Laser, ginger, cardamom, and a dash of broth; crush this all, mix well, and cook the meat ball therein.​2

1 Cf. Summary of Dishes, and note 1 to Excerpta III.

2 Dann. adds cumin, due perhaps to the faulty reading of the sentence, misces cum his omnibus tritis, etc.

VII

475 Sea-scorpion with Turnips
Pisces scorpiones rapulatos​1

Cook the fish in broth and oil, retire when half done: soak boiled turnips, chop very fine and squeeze them in your hands so that they have no more moisture in them; then combine them with the fish and let them simmer with plenty of oil: and while this cooks, crush cumin, half of that amount of laurel berries, and, because of the color, add saffron; bind with rice flour to give it the right consistency. Add a dash of vinegar and serve.

1 rapa, rapum: white turnip, rape. "turniped."

VIII

476 Sauce for Any Kind of Fish, Fried Make Thus;
Pisces frixos cuiuscumque generis

Crush pepper, coriander seed, laser root, origany, rue, figdates, moisten with vinegar, oil, broth, adding reduced must, all this prepare and mix carefully, place in small casserole to heat. When thoroughly heated, pour over the fried fish, sprinkle with pepper and serve.

IX

477 Sauce for Same Fried Fish Make Thus:
Item pisces frixos

Crush pepper, lovage,​1 laurel berries, coriander, and moisten with honey, broth,​2 wine, raisin  p242 wine, or reduced spiced wine; cook this on a slow fire, bind with rice flour and serve.

1 Sch. ligisticum.

2 Wanting in Sch.

X

478 Sauce for Roast Fish​1
Pisces assos

Crush pepper, lovage, satury, dry onions, moisten with vinegar, add figdates, dill, yolks of egg, honey, vinegar, broth, oil, reduced must; all this mix thoroughly and underlay the fish with it.

1 The fish was probably broiled on the craticula (see our illustration).

The nature of this sauce is not quite clear. If properly handled, it might turn out to be a highly seasoned mayonnaise, or a vinaigrette, depending on the mode of manipulation; either would be suitable for fried or broiled fish.

XI

479 Fish and Wine Sauce
Pisces oenoteganon​1

Fry the fish; crush pepper, lovage, rue, green herbs, dry onions, add oil wine broth and serve.

1 Ihn and G.‑V. oenoteganon; inotogono and in the Summary of Dishes inotogonon; Sch. eleogaro. Rather an obscure term, owing to the diversity of spelling. We would call it a dish stewed in or prepared with wine, although wine is absent in the present formula. However, it is given in XIII, which bears the same name.

Dann. is obviously mistaken in styling this preparation "oil broth."

XII

480 Cold Sauce for Sardines Make Thus:
Sardas​1 sic facies

Crush pepper, lovage seed, origany, dry onions, hard boiled yolks, vinegar, oil; this must be combined into one​2 and underlaid.

1 A kind of small tunny, which, like our herring, used to be pickled or salt, corresponding to the anchovy. A "sardine," from the island of Sardinia; Sardus, the inhabitant of Sardinia.

2 The absence of detailed instructions as to the manipulation of the yolks, oil and vinegar is regrettable; upon them depends the certainty or uncertainty of whether the ancients had our modern mayonnaise.

 p243  XIII

481 Fish Stewed in Wine
Pisces oenoteganon​1

Raw fish any kind you prefer, wash prepare, cut into handy size arrange in a sauce pan; add oil, broth, vinegar, a bunch of leeks and fresh coriander, and cook: Meanwhile crush pepper, origany, lovage with the bunches of leeks and coriander which you have cooked with the fish and pour this preparation into the sauce pan. When the fish is done, retire it and arrange the pieces in the serving dish, casserole, bowl or platter bring the residue in the sauce pan to a boiling point, allow it to reduce slowly to the right consistency Strain the sauce of the fish sprinkle with pepper and serve.

1 Cf. note to XI. This oenoteganon resembles the Bouillabaisse, the famous Marseilles fish chowder. In addition to the above manner it is flavored with saffron. An excellent dish, especially with the judicious addition of onions, parsley, a suspicion of garlic and small sippets of toasted bread.

XIV

482 Mullet Stewed with Dill Make Thus:
Mullos anethatos​1 sic facies

Prepare the fish clean, wash, trim cut into pieces and place in a sauce pan, adding oil, broth, wine, bunches of leeks, fresh coriander, fresh dill; place on fire to cook. Meanwhile put pepper in the mortar, pound it, add oil, and one part of vinegar and raisin wine to taste. this preparation transfer into a sauce pan, place on the fire to heat, tie with roux, add to the fish in the sauce pan. Sprinkle with pepper and serve.

1 From anethus — dill — which is omitted in formula. Sch. anecatos, i.e. submersos, because the original fails to state the dill in the formula. Such conjecture is not justified.

XV

483 Mullet Another Style
Aliter mullos

Scrape, wash, place the fish in a sauce pan, add oil, broth, wine and a bunch of leeks and fresh coriander to the mess, set on the fire to cook. Crush pepper, lovage, origany, moisten with some of the  p244 fish's own liquor from the sauce pan add raisin wine to taste, put it into a pot and on the fire to heat; tie with roux and presently add it to the contents in the sauce pan​1 sprinkle with pepper and serve.

1 It appears that the patina mentioned in this and in the foregoing formula is either a finely wrought metal sauce pan or chafing dish, or a plainer cumana, an earthenware casserole; either of which may be used for service at the table.

It may be noticed how this manner of preparing fish has a tendency to preserve all the savory flavors and juices of the fish, a process in this respect both rational and economical.

XVI

484 Murena,​1 Eel​2 or Mullet Make Thus:
Murenam aut anguillas vel mullos sic facies

Clean the fish and carefully place in a sauce pan. In the mortar put pepper, lovage, origany, mint, dry onions, crush, moisten with a small glass of wine, half of that of broth, and of honey one third part, and a moderate amount of reduced must, say a spoonful. It is necessary that the fish be entirely covered by this liquor so that there may be sufficient juice during the cooking.

1 The ancients considered the murena one of the finest of fish; the best were brought from the straits of Sicily. Rich Romans kept them alive in their fish ponds, often large and elaborate marble basins called piscina, fattened the fish, kept it ready for use. Pollio fattened murenas on human flesh, killing a slave on the slightest provocation and throwing the body into the fish pond; he would eat only the liver of such murenas. This is the only case of such cruelty on record, and it has often been cited and exaggerated.

2 Perhaps the sea-eel, or conger, according to Dann. Also very much esteemed. The witty Plautus names a cook in one of his comedies "Congrio," because the fellow was "slippery."

XVII

485 Dressing for Spiny Lobster (and Squill)
Locustam (et scillam)​1

Crush pepper, lovage, celery seed, pour in vinegar, broth, yolks of hard boiled eggs, mix well together​2  p245 and dress the boiled shellfish meat with it and serve.

1 Cf. Summary of Dishes.

2 Another of Apicii hasty and laconic formulae. No indication as to how to use the ingredients named. According to our notion of eating, there is only one way: The shellfish is boiled in aromatic water, allowed to cool off; the meat is then taken out of the shells; the above named ingredients are combined in a manner of a mayonnaise or a vinaigrette, although the necessary oil is not mentioned here. The dressing is poured over the shellfish meat, and the result is a sort of salad or "cocktail" as we have today.

XVIII

486 Sauce for Boiled Fish
In piscibus elixis

Crush pepper, lovage, celery seed, origany which moisten with vinegar; add pine nuts, figdates​1 in sufficient quantity, honey, vinegar, broth, mustard, mix and combine properly and bring forth.

1 Dann. is undecided as to whether this is dates or date wine; Goll. thinks it is mustard seed, which is not so bad gastronomically; but the original leaves no room for any doubt.

XIX

487 A Dish of Sole with Eggs
Patina solearum ex ovis

Scale skin clean the soles, place in a shallow sauce pan, add broth, oil, white wine, a bunch of leeks and coriander seed, place on fire to cook, grind a little pepper, origany, moisten with the fish liquor from the sauce pan. Take 10 raw eggs, beat them and mix with the remaining liquor; put it all back over the fish, and on a slow fire allow to heat without boiling and thicken to the right consistency; sprinkle with pepper.​1

1 Very similar to Sole au vin blanc. Cf. ℞ No. 155.

XX

488 Suckling Pig, Coriander Sauce
Porcellum coriandratum

Roast the pig carefully; make thus a mortar mixture: pound pepper, dill, origany, green coriander,  p246 moisten with honey, wine, broth, oil, vinegar, reduced must. All of this when hot pour over the roast sprinkle raisins, pine nuts and chopped onions over and so serve.

XXI

489 Suckling Pig, Wine Sauce
Porcellum aenococtum​1

Take the pig, garnish with a marinade of herbs, etc. cook roast it with oil and broth. When done, put in the mortar pepper, rue, laurel berries, broth, raisin wine or reduced wine, old wine, crush all, mix and prepare to a point; dress the pig on a showy service​2 platter and serve.

1 i.e. oenococtum, cooked or prepared in wine sauce.

2 Dann. is of the opinion that the pig is cooked in a copper vessel, because the instructions are to serve it in patinam aheneam.

Thayer's Note: The reason Danneil thought the pig was cooked in a copper or bronze vessel must surely be sought in the recipe's title: aenococtum, "cooked in bronze". From in patinam aheneam, on the other hand — if anything can be deduced from the bad Latin that characterizes the whole book — my conclusion would be exactly the reverse. In + accusative (aheneam) marks motion; the instruction at the end is therefore to put it into a bronze platter: if the pig were cooked in such a platter and left there, one would expect the ablative ahenea.

On balance, without being overly affirmative, I'd agree with Dommers Vehling and plump for oenococtum and a copyist distracted by the aheneam at the end. The suckling pig was dressed with a wine glaze and nicely set off on a decorative bronze platter.

XXII

490 Pig, Pan Gravy
Porcellum eo iure

Roast the pig in its own juice; when done retire; bind the gravy with roux; strain put in a sauce boat and serve.

XXIII

491 Pig Sprinkled with Thyme
Porcellum thymo sparsum

Milk-fed pig, killed on the previous day, boil with salt and dill; transfer it into cold water, carefully keeping it submerged, to preserve its whiteness. Thereupon make a cold dressing of the following green savory herbs, fresh thyme, a little fleabane, hard boiled eggs, onions, everything chopped fine, sprinkle everything over the pig which has been taken out of the water and allowed to drip off and season with a pint of broth, one measure of oil, one of raisin wine, and so present it.​1

1 We would first mix the liquid components of this dressing with the chopped ingredients and then spread the finished dressing over the pig. Our author, no doubt, had this very process in mind.

 p247  XXIV

492 Pickled Suckling Pig
Porcellum oxyzomum​1

Garnish prepare and marinate the pig correctly and place it in a liquor prepared as follows: put in the mortar 50 grains of pepper, as much honey​2 as is required, 3 dry onions, a little green or dry coriander, a pint of broth, 1 sextarius of oil, 1 pint of water; all this put in a stew pan [braisière] place the pig in it; when it commences to boil, stir the gravy quite frequently​3 so as to thicken it. Should the broth thus be reduced by evaporation add another pint of water. In this manner cook [braise] the pig to perfection and serve it.

1 exodionum, and in the Summary of Dishes, exozome, i.e. oxyzomum. It is curious to note the various spellings and meanings of oxyzomum. This is supposed to be a sour sauce or an acid preparation of some kind, yet this recipe does not mention acids. In fact, the presence of honey would make it a sweet preparation. We take it, the "garnish" contains the necessary vinegar or other acids such as lemon juice, wine, etc. Oxyzomum is properly rendered "pickle."

2 Dann. oil, occurring twice in his version.

3 saepius; Dann. confusing saepe with caepa, renders this "onions sauce." The same occurs to him in XXVII.

XXV

493 Pig with Laser
Porcellum lasaratum

In the mortar pound pepper, lovage, caraway, a little cumin, live laser, laser root, moisten with vinegar, add pine nuts, figdates, honey, vinegar, broth, prepared mustard, finish with oil to taste, and pour over the roast pig.

XXVI

494 Pig in Sauce
Porcellum iuscellatum

In the mortar put pepper, lovage, or anise, coriander, rue, a laurel berry, pound all, moistening with broth, add leeks, raisin wine, or a little honey, a little wine, and a like amount of oil. When this has been cooked tie with roux.

 p248  XXVII

495 Plain Lamb​1
agnum simplicem

Of the skinned lamb make small cutlets which wash carefully and arrange in a sauce pan, add oil, broth, wine, leeks, coriander cut with the knife; when it commences to boil, stir very frequently​2 and serve.

1 Unquestionably the ancient equivalent for "Irish Stew."

2 Cf. note 3 to ℞ 492, XXIV; the presence of onion, however, would no harm here.

XXVIII

496 Kid with Laser
haedum lasaratum

The well-cleaned guts of a kid fill with a preparation of pepper, broth, laser, oil,​1 and put them back into the carcass which sew tightly and thus cook [roast] the kid whole. When done put in the mortar rue, laurel berries, and then serve the kid which meanwhile has been retired from the pot with its own drippings or gravy.

1 There being only liquids for this filling of the guts, a more solid substance, such as pork forcemeat, eggs, or cereals would be required to make an acceptable filling for the casings of the kid. Furthermore sausage, for such is this in fact, must be thoroughly cooked before it can be used for the filling of the carcass, as not sufficient heat would penetrate the interior during the roasting to cook any raw dressing.

XXIX

497 Thrush "à la santé"
Turdos hapantamynos​1

Crush pepper, laser, laurel berry, mix in cumin​2 garum and stuff the thrush with this preparation3 through the throat,​4 tying them with a string. Thereupon make this preparation in which they are cooked: consisting of oil, salt water,​5 dill and heads of leeks.

1 Cf. Summary of Dishes; term not identified, derived from Greek, meaning to drive away all stomach ills.

2 We use juniper berries today instead of cumin.

3 Cf. note to ℞ 496, XXVIII.

 p249  4 Thrush and other game birds of such small size are not emptied in the usual way: they are cooked with the entrails, or, the intestines are taken out, seasoned, sauté, and are either put back into the carcasses, or are served separately on bread croutons. In this instance, the necessary seasoning is introduced through the throat, a most ingenious idea that can only occur to Apicius.

5 In other instances we have pointed out where a small amount of water was used to clarify the oil used for frying foods. The presence here of water leads us to believe that the thrush were not "cooked," i.e. "boiled" but that they were fried in a generous amount of oil; this would make the ancient process remarkably similar to the present European way of preparing thrush or fieldfare, or similar game birds.

For water used to clarify oil see note 3 to ℞ No. 250.

XXX

498 Turtledoves
Turtures

Open them, prepare [marinate] carefully; crush pepper, laser, a little broth, immerse the doves in this preparation so that it will be absorbed by them, and thus roast them.

XXXI

499 Sauce for Partridge​1
Ius in perdices

Crush in the mortar pepper, celery, mint, and rue; moisten with vinegar, add figdate wine, honey, vinegar, broth, oil; let it boil likewise and serve.

1 This formula evidently is a fragment.

End of the Summary of Dishes of the Excerpts of Vinidarius
Explicit brevis ciborum.


Thayer's Note:

a While inlustris (illustris) does mean "illustrious", during the waning years of the Roman Empire the word was also, and chiefly, a specific title. For details, see Hodgkin, Italy and Her Invaders1, p209 or Bury, History of the Later Roman Empire, Vol. I, p19.


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