SC - Period Beet Recipe & period quote about beets

[Huette von Ahrens]

- --- LrdRas at aol.com wrote:
> In a message dated 10/17/99 9:12:30 PM Eastern
> Daylight Time, 
> stefan at texas.net writes:
> 
> << Is there any particular reason you think this is
> to be done with beet roots
>  instead of beet leaves? >>
> 
> This is the same question I asked myself. So off to
> the kitchen I went. The 
> resulting product is definitely more tasty using
> greens instead of beetroot. 
> This doesn't mean that greens were used but it does
> mean that my version of 
> this recipe will specify the greens. :-)
> 
> Ras

However, here is Madge Lorwin's version of this
recipe, from Dining With William Shakespeare, pg.
238-239.

I have made this recipe many times and have had lots
of good comments from both SCA friends and from my
mundane family.

1 lb. fresh yound beets
2 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. grated bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated mild Cheddar cheese
1/4 cup currants, parboiled
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ginger
3 egg yolks
4 tbsp. butter melted.

Peel the beets--this is best done with a potato
peeler--and grate them into a mixing bowl.  Add the
sugar and stir until it melts.  Mix in the bread
crumbs, grated cheese, currants, spices, and egg
yolks. Then stir in melted butter.  [Using your
favorite pie crust recipe] spread the filling evenly
[over bottom pie crust] and cover it with the top
crust.  Seal the edges with the tines of a wet fork
and trim off the surplus pastry.  Punch fork holes in
the crust and brush it with egg white.  Bake at 450
degrees for twenty min., then lower the heat to 350
degrees and bake 25 min. longer.  Serve slightly warm.

I eliminated the pastry recipe, due to time
constraints.  

Ms. Lorwin goes on to quote John Gerard in his
"Herball" [1597] which talks about eating both the
greens and the beet root. However, John Gerard says
this, "But what might be made of the red and beautiful
root (which is prefered before the leaves, as well in
beautie as in goodnesse) I refer unto the curious and
cunning cooke, who no doubt when hee had the view
there, and is assured that it is both good and
wholesome, will make thereof many and divers dishes,
both faire and good."  This, to my mind, kind of tells
me, as it did to Ms. Lorwin, that the beet root was
prefered.
 
Huette


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