SC - Frozen Scotch Eggs

[John and Barbara Enloe]

Thorvald here:

Pretty good translation.  A few informal suggestions.

At 12:15 -0500 1998-03-04, Philip & Susan Troy wrote:

> "De service, à servir en grand repas? - Gaces de la Bugne, premier
> chapelain des rois Jean, Charles V et Charles VI, mort en 1383 ou 1384,
> a donné dans son Livre des déduits, commencé en 1359 et fini entre 1373
> et 1377, une recette de pâté assez détaillée pour figurer utilement ici.
> 
> Si puis dire que grant profit
> Peut bien venir de tel déduit,
> Car on peut faire un tel pasté
> Qu'onques meilleur un fut tasté;
> Et pour ce ne me vueil pas taire
> Qu'au jeune ne l'apreigne à faire.
> Trois perdriaulx gros et reffais
> Ou millieu du pasté me mets,
> Mais gardes bien que tu ne failles
> A moy prendre six grosses cailles
> De quoy tu les apuyeras:
> Et puis après tu me prendras
> Une douzaine d'alouetes
> Qu'environ les cailles me mettes.
> Et puis prendras de ces machès
> Et de ces petis oiselès:
> Selon ce que tu en auras,
> Le pasté m'en billeteras.
> 
> Or te fault faire pourvéance
> D'un pou de lart, sans point de rance,
> Que tu tailleras comme dés:
> S'en sera le pasté pouldrés.
> Se tu le veulx de bonne guise,
> De verjus la grappe y soit mise,
> D'un bien poy de sel soit poudré,
> Si en sera plus savouré.
> Se tu veulx que du pasté taste
> Fay mettre des oeufs en la paste;
> Les croutes, un poi rudement,
> Faictes de flour de pur froument,
> Et se veulx faire comme saige,
> N'y met espices ne fromaige:
> Ou four bien à point chaut le met,
> Qui de cendre ait l'atre bien net;
> Et quant sera bien à point cuit
> Il n'est si bon mengier, ce cuit."
> 
> And now the English:
> 
> "What courses, to serve in great repasts?

Perhaps "Of use, to serve in a great repast".

> -Gaces of the Bugne

Perhaps leave the name as "Gaces de la Bugne".

> , first
> chaplain to Kings John, Charles V and Charles VI, died in 1383 or 1384,
> has written in his Book of Conclusions,

Perhaps "Book of pleasures".

> begun in 1359 and finished between 1373 and 1377, a receipt for exactly
> as much pie
> as will be useful here.

Perhaps "a pie recipe sufficiently detailed to appear usefully here".

> So then to tell that great profit

Perhaps "Thus it can be said that great profit".

> Can well come from such conclusions,

Perhaps "Can well come from such a pleasure".

> Because one can make such a pasty

Perhaps "Because one can make such a pie".

> The best that was ever tasted;
> And for this don't make me wait

Perhaps "And for this don't wish me to be silent".

> Lest the inexperienced not learn how to make it.
> Three partridges large and plumped [scalded?]

More or less literally "refreshed".  Comparable recipes suggest 
that this was done by putting the bird in boiling water, so 
scalded is probably close.

> Placed in the middle of the pasty

Perhaps "Place for me in the middle of the pie".

> But be sure you do not fail
> To take six large quail

Perhaps "To take for me six fat quail"

> Lay them thereon as you wish:

Perhaps "Which you will lean against them".

This I interpret to mean that you lean the six quail against 
the partridges which are in the middle of the pie.

> And then after that you take

Perhaps "And then afterwards you will take for me"

> A dozen larks
> And put them in around the quail

Perhaps "And put them for me around the quail"

> And then take of these tidbits

I cannot find 'machès' in my dictionaries.  'Tidbits' is a 
reasonable guess, but I'm not convinced.  I think there may 
be a more exact meaning out there somewhere.  My speculation 
is that it might be the name of a small bird.

> And these small birds:
> According to whatever you have,
> Roll out the dough.

Perhaps "And house them for me in the pie".

These four lines I interpret to mean that you take additional 
ingredients, namely 'machès' and small birds, and add them in 
as well.


> Whereupon you should purchase

Perhaps "Now you must provide yourself with"

> A bit of fat bacon, not at all rancid,

Perhaps "A bit of pork fat, not at all rancid".

> That you will carve as dice:

Perhaps "That you will slice into dice".

> So it will be sprinkled on the dough.

Perhaps "With which the pie will be sprinkled".

This I interpret to mean that the cubes of pork fat are
sprinkled over the birds.

> If you want it in good form,
> Verjuice of grapes is put there,
> A good kernel of salt is powdered,

Perhaps "With just a little salt it should be sprinkled".

> So it will be more savory.

Perhaps "Thus it will be more flavourful".

> If you wish that the pastry should taste of it,

Perhaps "If you wish from the pie the taste [of eggs]".

It is my understanding that at this date the crust of a large
pie was not served to the gentry.  It had to be too sturdy to
be at all toothsome.  So I doubt that the eggs were added to
the pastry to improve its taste.  But I could be wrong.

> Make the dough with eggs;

Perhaps "Put some eggs in the pie".

> The crust, coarse as peas,

Perhaps "The crusts, a bit crudely".

> Made of flour of pure wheat,
> And if it is to be made properly,

Perhaps "And if you wish to make it wisely".

> Do not put in spices nor cheese:
> When it is good and hot, put it in the oven,

Perhaps "When the oven is at exactly the right heat, put it in".

> Whose hearth has been  well cleaned of ashes;
> And cook it until perfectly done

Perhaps "And when it is cooked exactly right"

> As good a food can't be cooked.

Perhaps "There is nothing as good to eat as this dish".


- -- 
All my best,
Thorvald Grimsson / James Prescott <james at nucleus.com> (PGP user)


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