SC - Pork/Lard in Platina-Some proof

[LrdRas at aol.com]

This excerpt occurs in Platina, 'On Right Pleasureand Good Health', A Critical
Edition and Translation of De Honesta Voluptate et Valetudine by Mary Ella
Milham. (Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies, Vol 168. The Renaissance
Society of America, Renaissance Texts Series, Vol. 17. 1998)

On Right Pleasure, Book II,  pg. 163

21. On Pork Cuts

...............The pig is surpassed by no other animal in fat. Varro affirms
he saw a pig in Arcadia which not only could not get up because of its gross
fatness but could not even drive away a mouse which had made a nest by
nibbling its flesh and had borne baby mice..........

When a pig is a year old, it is fit for salting............From it you can
take lard at will.......Fat pork meat , not only fresh but salted, although it
arouses the taste-buds, is still entirely dangerous and of bad juice, as
Celsus says. (NOTE:Celsus Med.2.18.10 and 20.2 seem rejected by Platina, for
Celsus considers the fat meat nutritious.)

22. On Fat

Fat is made from the fat of a pig or geese in this way: put finely cut fat in
a pot over live coals so that it does not absorb smoke as if you had put it
over flame. Put in as much salt as you think is enough. When it has melted and
before it cools, strain it into a collection jar, and lay it away for use so
you can use it when you wish. This is also made from the fat of goose and hen.
- ----------------------------------------------

To me this clearly indicates that Italian pigs in the 1460's and earlier were
FAT. And it indicates that the fat was rendered into lard. I know not what the
English barbarians have in the way of pigs but I would suspect that English
and Italian pigs were not too much different. :-)

Ras
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