SC - Charlemagne's Cheese [long]

[Philip & Susan Troy]

LrdRas at aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 9/29/99 9:28:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ddfr at best.com
> writes:
> 
> << "A sixth" (probably of a pound:  2 2/3 oz) >>
> 
> How many 'cups' does this amount of spice make? IIRC, earlier in the
> manuscript a sixth is clearly defined as a sixth of a gallon or later, in the
> same passage, as a pint.
> 
> Ras

I don't believe it's ever clearly defined in the text. Pichon, the
nineteenth-century editor, defines "setier" in different ways,
interestingly enough always beginning with the words "sans doute" or
some such. He seems pretty darn sure of what it means in each case, but
he doesn't, AFAIK, explain himself.

Le Menagier doesn't explain the difference, if any (but I bet there is
one) between sixths of wine, water, and powdered cinnamon. I've heard it
said that a setier is synonymous with whatever common measure is being
used under a given set of conditions. I've been working with his recipe
for bochet, a sort of spiced hydromel or weak metheglin, and he calls
for sixths of water and pints of honey, without a clear definition of
either, which wouldn't be a problem if he used pints across the board.
Trouble is, he doesn't, but clearly has specific amounts, rather than a
ratio, in mind, because he then adds spices by the measured ounce.
   
Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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