SC - Boo!

[Charles McCN]

James and/or Nancy Gilly wrote:

> >His Immensity, Salaamallah, said he located this in a now out of print
> >book called 'The Delectable Past'.  The mustard soup therein was taken
> >from a period reference which was compiled by the cook to Richard II of
> >England, who claimed this was a favorite repast of the King.
> >
> >Salaamallah says his redaction is reasonably close to the original's
> >contents.  Yeah, he uses Guildon's prepared mustard, but what the hey.

Hmmm...

>From "The Delectable Past", copyright 1964 by Esther B. Aresty, Award
Books, New York City, 1968. LoC # 64-22415, pp. 23-24:

"While Richard Plantagenet's cooks were smiting and hewing their way
through royal menus, a more gently phrased cookery manuscript had been
prepared in the kingdom across the Channel. Le Viandier was compiled by
Guillaume Tirel (Taillevent) about 1375 for the cooks of Charles V, also
a monarch with a taste for the better things. A 'viandier' is a meat
cook, and the manuscript had a special section on roasts which included
- -- along with mutton, kid, and venison -- pigeons roasted with their
heads intact.

Among the potages (soups-stews), one recipe employed mustard as a
seasoning for the broth. Using Taillevent's ingredients, a delicious
soup emerges that may be served hot or sold. Either way, its lovely
green color is as refreshing as its taste.

Mustard Soup

2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons prepared yellow mustard
2 tablespoons flour
2 1/2 cups thoroughly skimmed chicken stock, heated
1 1/4 cups rich milk, heated
1/2 teaspoon salt and a dash of white pepper
1/2 teaspoon onion juice
2 egg yolks
2 to 3 tablespoons sweet cream

Melt the butter, stir in the flour and blend smoothly. Add the hot
chicken stock and milk, and whisk until smooth. Add salt, pepper, and
onion juice. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Cool slightly. Combine egg
yolks and cream and add to the soup, custard style -- that is, temper
first with a few spoonfuls of the warm broth. Last, add the mustard.

If served cold, garnish with a dab of whipped cream. If hot, garnish
with pancake shreds or green peas."

So, this appears to be the primary source, more or less. Taillevent's
soup is rather different, but appears to have been the inspiration for
this original recipe. For those of you who may feel inclined to sneer at
the liberties taken with Taillevent, I can only say that it beats the
recipes in "Fabulous Feasts" for edible quality, at least, and in 1968
there wasn't a heck of a lot else available for those who had no access
to the original manuscripts. "The Delectable Past", BTW, still has the
best Daryol recipe I've ever seen, albeit that it appears to be more
reflective of eighteenth-century "Richmond Maids of Honor" Darioles. 

FWIW, T.D.P. also includes a reference to a Swiss cookbook in German,
from 1598, which apparently includes a recipe for potatoes that
resembles rosti. Unfortunately, Aresty merely gives a standard rosti
recipe, presumably modern. I wonder if that has any significance in the
whole potatoes thread...

Adamantius


______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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