SC - Re: bible as source material

[Ian van Tets]

Greetings fair gentles of the cooks list,

    At risk of reopening an already stale debate.  The discussion 
on using the bible as a period cookery book raises a few interesting 
points, that I thought I might share.  The bible, IIRC, does mention 
food, recipes, cooking etc. in several places and it was widely 
available throughout Europe throughout period.  However, it seems to 
me that its use as culinary research material is likely to be very 
limited for the following reasons:

1)  The original text is well and truly pre-period.  Although any 
ingredients mentioned are likely to have been available during period 
(even if far flung corners of Europe (like England) may not have had 
access to some of them), the actual dishes described are likely to 
have been lost or changed substantially in the centuries prior to our 
period's commencement. 

2)  The bible was not widely read during period, except by monastics, 
clergy and, in late period, Protestants.  My persona (a mid-16th 
century Dutchman, with little interest in religion) would not 
have touched the bible with a ten foot pole as he had no wish to be 
burnt for heresy (being caught reading the bible was sufficient to 
ensure conviction).  

3)  The late period protestant translations into the vernacular MAY 
be useful (although secular cookbooks may well be available from the 
same lands at about the same time).  The translators are likely to 
have used foods and ingredients they were familiar with for those 
that were unknown to them.  (btw - useful "errors" of this sort are 
likely to have been corrected in modern "good" translations)  Of the 
readily available English translations, a King James version (1662) 
may be of more use than a modern one.

4)   The food restrictions outlined in the old testement were 
deliberately ignored by the christian church in Europe for religious 
reasons.

5)   The Qu'ran may be a more useful culinary research tool than the 
Bible for the societies purposes.  It was written within period (the 
early 7th century). Moslems were encouraged to read it.  It was 
widely disemminated throughout the middle east, north africa and spain 
and its dietary rules were taken seriously by the moslem community.
(and still are, unfortunately.   It's almost impossible to find a 
decent black pudding in Cape Town.  All the butchers are either 
halaal or kosher :-)

I remain your humble servant,
Jan van Seist
Adamastor (Cape Town), Drachenwald

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