SC - Puck's marzipan

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Christina van Tets wrote:
 
> Take a [something] of wood or iron...
> 
> My earlier post discusses why I think this is referring to a form;
> there can be little doubt about the rest of the phrase, as hulzin is
> a standard MHG word, which I have come across in several texts.

I don't recall reading your post that way; I must have misunderstood
you. I thought you had pointed out that the word "inger" seemed to refer
to compression, but had more of an idea of something being crushed or
pulverized (i.e. wafer crumbs?), rather than pressed in a mold. This
what comes of my trying to do too many things at once, I suppose.

> OK, even though no-one appears to have provided documentation for the
> use of Oblat as a secular item in period (unless I missed that post,
> in which case I offer my apologies), I think the examples of the same
>  kind of recipe from other countries indicate that I should stand
> down on this bit.  But it was fun playing devil's advocate, anyway.

I actually did type in the entire entry on oublies from the Larousse
Gastronomique, at which point Netscape promptly crashed on me, causing
me to lose my unsent and unsaved message. Basically it said that oublies
have an extremely ancient history as a basic food item in cultures as
old as ancient Greece, discussed possible and likely etymologies
(including the Latin use of the word "oblat", originally referring to a
small cake that could be bought for a specific coin by that name, later
coming to mean an offering, and later still to refer to an unconsecrated
host). The essay also says that oublies are still eaten in France, more
or less as what we'd call a biscuit or cookie.

I suspect that the use of an unconsecrated host, or other bread with a
potential for sacramental destiny, for secular purposes in period wasn't
regarded as any big deal. Certainly wine wasn't viewed in this way. I'd
say that use of the unconsecrated item would pretty much define it as a
secular use (the early parts of the Mass excepted), wouldn't it? Also,
I'd think that a culinary use for oblaten in post-reformation Germany
would suggest the word had secular connotations, just as modern
English-speaking Christians haven't exactly co-opted the use of the word
"wafer" for their exclusive use.

Wish I could supply more in the way of hard facts, though.

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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