SC - Re: Spice Cabinet-what do we stock?

[Philip & Susan Troy]

RuddR at aol.com wrote:

> How could you leave out cinnamon?!
> 
> Rudd Rayfield

Hi, all.

To tell you the truth, it's been difficult to keep track of who said
what about what should be in one's spice cabinet, and we all seem to
have some different opinions, while in some areas the different opinions
have coincided nicely.

I thought it might be nice to include a list from a period source:
Taillevent's Viandier (Scully translation) .

"170. Spices Necessary for This Present Recipe Book: ginger, cinnamon,
cloves, grain of paradise, long pepper, aspic [this might be a
mistranslation for spikenard], round pepper, cassia buds, saffron,
nutmegs, bay leaves, galingale, mace, laurel leaves, cumin, sugar,
almonds, garlic, onions, shallots, herb bennet, sorrel, vine leaves or
vine shoots, currants and green wheat in winter. For steeping, white
wine, verjuice, vinegar, water, greasy broth, cow's milk and almond
milk."

The two references to bay leaves and laurel leaves may be an error: bay
leaves are pretty much regarded as the edible form of laurel leaf; maybe
the second reference is to bay berries?

This is interesting in that it appears to show some differences between
French and English verions of medieval court cookery. Note the absence
of cubebs, coriander seed, caraway seed, anise or fennel seed, which
appear pretty frequently in the contemporary (late 14th century) English
recipe books.

What would I add? Mustard, cubebs, coriander seed, anise, fennel,
caraway, saunders, parsley, sage, marjoram, hyssop, dittany, and
pellitory (iffy). I'd also want some honey and some good oil, but those
might not be appropriate for a discussion on spice cabinets.

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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