SC - Frumenty using barley?

[Decker, Terry D.]

> Every period recipe I can find at the moment (2 15th, Miscellany, etc.) 
> says wheat for Frumenty.  
> 
> But I -think- I've seen one slightly vague reference to barley here, and 
> my lord has an ancient recipe in his files that calls for barley (ancient 
> means he copied it from a source that left with a former girlfriend, 
> 8-)).  Can anyone quote me a period reference for barley, please?
> 
> Thanks,
> Chimene & Gerek
> 
Barley Polenta

(Pliny, Naturalis Historia, 18, 73, as taken from Giacosa, A Taste of
Ancient Rome)

Vicenis hordei libris ternas seminis lini et coriandri selibram salisque
acetabulum.

For each 20 librae of barley, 3 librae of linseeds and 1/2 libra of
coriander, in addition to an acetabulum of salt.

 Serves 4.

12 oz. ground barley
3 Tbs. linseeds
2 tsp. coriander
sufficient salt

Boil 1 quart of water, gradually add the ingredients, and leave to cook for
approximately 1 hour.  Add more boiling water if the barley consumes too
much.  A more flavorful polenta can be obtained by cooking the barley in
meat stock or vegetable broth instead of water.


Frumenty and polenta both mean cooked grain.  Cooked grains are common from
Antiquity to the Present.  I suspect the reason that wheat is the common
grain in frumenty is that wheat has the lowest yield per acre of any of the
cereals and is therefore the most expensive of grains, making it the most
appropriate for a noble's table.

Bear 
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