SC - re: chard

[LrdRas@aol.com]

A couple of months ago I found a copy of Hildegard von Bingen's Naturkunde
translated into modern German by Peter Riethe. He doesn't give the
original, only his translations of her natural history work. I checked to
see of there was an entry for beets and this is what I found (English
translation is mine):

De Ruba. Die Weiße Rübe ist mehr als kalt, liegt zwar etwas schwer im
Magen, ist aber leicht verdaulich. Vor dem Genusse werde sie geschält; roh
ist sie weniger zuträglich als gekocht.

De Ruba. The white Beet is more than cold, lays somewhat hard in the
stomach; it is however easy to digest. Before consumption it should be
peeled; raw is less beneficial than cooked.

This is 12th century stuff here. Until I read this I was convinced that
until very late in period the leaves and not the roots were what was eaten.
But peeling before eating sort of implies using the roots.

Valoise


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