SC - Saxon Violets

[david friedman]

I posted:

>  > Vyolette
>  > Two Fifteenth Century Cookery Books p. 29
>  >
>  > Take Flourys of Vyolet, boyle hem, presse hem, bray hem smal, temper
>  > hem vppe with Almaunde mylke, or gode Cow Mylke, a-lye it with
>  > Amyndoun or Flowre of Rys; take Sugre y-now, an putte ther-to, or
>  > hony in defaute; coloure it with the same that the flowrys be on
>  > y-peyntid a-boue. [thorns replaced by th]
>  >
>  > Elizabeth/Betty Cook (well behind the list)

and Gunthar asked:

>I have a question about this recipe. Basically, here is my interpretation:
>
>Take violet petals, boil them in water, press them dry, mince.

I think "bray" means grind.

>Add the minced petals to either Almond Milk or Cow's milk and
>stir in amyndoun or rice flour. Put in enough sugar to make it sweet
>or you can add honey if you prefer.
>I'm not sure about the last sentence. I guess it can mean present
>it so the flowers are represented above.

I think it is "color it the same color that the flowers are, painted 
on above", so you are giving the top of the dish a purple wash. Where 
you get this color I do not know.

>I would think this would be heated or boiled until it comes together
>but no mention is made of heating the mixture. How does this become
>puddinglike? Is the rice flour enough alone to thicken it?

"A-lye" means thicken, and both amyidon (wheat starch) and rice flour 
are used as thickenings. But I really don't know how thick it is 
supposed to get, or whether you are supposed to cook it--like you, I 
would think so, but the recipe does not say so. We made one try at 
this, but weren't happy with the results, and I no longer live where 
violets grow in the lawn.

Elizabeth/Betty Cook (still way behind the list)