SC - peony

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Cindy Renfrow wrote:
> 
> Hello!  Does anyone know if peony flowers & buds are edible?
> 
> There is a recipe for pyony (sp?) in Curye on Inglyssh.
> 
> There is also a mention in Piers the Plowman to "piones" (which Hieatt and
> Butler identify as peonies, but I thought referred to pine nuts):

Yes, my first impulse was to translate the term as "pine nut" also, but
on closer inspection I see that flowers seem to be what is meant. 

To my shame, I have to say that I've had a book called "Flower Cookery",
by Mary MacNicol, on my shelf for ten years or more, without really
reading it. It contains three or four recipes for peonies, so I figure
the author thinks they are edible.

On the other hand, she also includes a medieval recipe for a sauce for
roasted peiouns, which, to me, is pretty clearly a recipe for a sauce
for pigeons, and not peonies. Whether or not that suggests the author is
not a reliable source regarding the edibility of peonies, I couldn't
say.

She also includes the same quote from Langland:
 
> "Hastow au3te in thi purs  any hote spices?"
> "I haue peper and piones", quod she  "and a pounde of garlike,
> A ferthyngworth of fenel-seed  for fastyngdayes."

Adamantius