SC - Questions about Archives and Carrots

[Philip & Susan Troy]

>Cindy Renfrow wrote:
>>
>> Gervase Markham mentions carrots of "sundry colours"
>
>True, but in the context of "sallats for show only"; I assumed they were
>dyed somehow. Perhaps not, but I somehow managed to convince myself that
>"for show only" meant "inedible", and the other ingredients mentioned
>don't seem to fall into that category, while some tincture dyed foods
>might be considered inedible.
>
>Not so much a major point as one that shouldn't be ignored... ;  )
>
>Adamantius
>--
>Phil & Susan Troy
>
>troy at asan.com

No, I don't think the carrots were dyed.  The recipe says "carrot roots of
sundry colours well boiled", which to me means the carrots themselves are
of different colors.

 "Sallats for show only.  Now for sallats for show only, and the adorning
and setting out of a table with numbers of dishes, they be those which are
made of carrot roots of sundry colours well boiled, and cut out into many
shapes and proportions, as some into knots, some in the manner of
scutcheons and arms, some like birds, and some like wild beasts, according
to the art and cunning of the workman; and these for the most part are
seasoned with vinegar, oil, and a little pepper."

This recipe seems contradictory in that it's called "for show only", & yet
it is seasoned with vinegar, oil, & pepper. Why bother seasoning it if
you're not intending to eat it?   Do you think the oil & vinegar & pepper
would help preserve the sallat (like lemon juice on cut apples), so that it
could sit on the table looking nice longer?  To me, "for show only"
reflects the time & trouble involved in carving the carrots into sundry
shapes.  You'd have to hire a special workman to do the carving, so
naturally you'd want the sallat to last as long as possible.

Regards,


Cindy Renfrow/Sincgiefu
renfrow at skylands.net
Author & Publisher of "Take a Thousand Eggs or More, A Collection of 15th
Century Recipes" and "A Sip Through Time, A Collection of Old Brewing
Recipes"
http://www.alcasoft.com/renfrow/



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