SC - war food

[Stefan li Rous]

Ben Engelsberg gives us a recipe:
 
> I was flipping through some old issues of Gourmet last night, looking for
> something to bring to a mundane potluck, and I came upon this recipe.  It
> seems particularly period, not to mention tasty.
> 
> This recipe is from the December 1998 issue, on page 196.
> 
> ROASTED SPICED PEARS & FIGS WITH ALMONDS
> 1/2 cup sliced almonds
> 4 firm-ripe pears (prefereably Bartlett)
> 1/2 pound of dried figs (as soft as possible, about 12)
> 1/2 cup sugar
> 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 stick)
> 1 vanilla bean (My note:  Never been sure where/when this is period)
> 1 teaspoon cinnamon
> 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

It is not the vanilla bean which would concern me with the periodness
of this recipe, but rather the allspice. It was my understanding from
earlier discussions here that allspice is a New World spice.

Does anyone know when it was first used in Europe? I thought post 1600
but can't remember for sure.

It does sound like a delicious recipe though.
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:
         http://lg_photo.home.texas.net/florilegium/index.html ****
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