SC - OT - freezing things

[Stefan li Rous]

And it came to pass on 30 Aug 00,, that TG wrote:

> << If someone (Thomas?) would care to translate the Latin here, I'd be
> grateful. >>
> 
> Well, I can try... 

Thank you!
 
> Concordia pharmacopolarum Barcinonensium
>   Common book/pharmacopoeia of the apothecaries of Barcelona
> 
> "ALOSA COMMUNIS PECTORALIS USUALIS.
>   ordinary Alosa good for the chest/lung
> 
> Rx (=Recipe)
>   Take
> Sacchari albissimi -- uncias quinque
>   Of most white sugar -- five ounces
> Aquae Rosarum -- uncias quator
>   Of rose water -- four ounces
> Amyli recentissimi -- unciam unam
>   Of most fresh starch -- one ounce
> Olei Amygdalorum    | 
> dulcium recentissimi | -- unciam semissem
>   Of most fresh oil of sweet almondtrees [or: milk of sweet almonds?] --
>   half an ounce

I think this must be oil.  The Catalan recipe specifies that almond oil 
should be added if the conserve is being used as a rememdy for chest 
conditions.

> Misce & coque in diplomate ad justam crassitiem."
>   Mix it and cook it in a diploma [a double sided cooking vessel with
> water in between the two sides] until it has the right thickness/
> viscosity

This was very helpful.  The proportions are about the same as in the 
_Manual de Mugeres_ recipe.  And though the Catalan recipe gives 
quantities, I have no idea how much "two loaves" of starch would be.  
So tonight I did a quick experiment.  I tried redacting the Catalan recipe, 
without the underlayer of marzipan.  I boiled 8 ounces of sugar with half 
a cup each of rosewater and tap water.  When it reached the thread 
stage (approx. 234 F/110 C), I stirred in 1.5 ounces of wheat starch 
(approx. 7 TBS) which had been dissolved in 4 TBS rosewater.  I 
continued boiling and stirring for about 5 minutes, until the mixture 
became thick and viscous.  I then poured it into a 8x8" glass baking pan 
that was lightly greased with almond oil.  (If I'd been following the 
complete recipe, there would have been a layer of 8 ounces of marzipan 
underneath, to keep the aloxa from sticking.)  The baking dish is still 
cooling, but a small spoonful of syrup that I poured into another bowl 
was chewy, but not gooey, kind like a soft jellybean.  I have some 
reservations about the amount of rosewater in the recipe, and I wonder if 
medieval rosewater was weaker than the bottled stuff I get at the Indian 
grocery store.  To me, the aloxa seemed to intensely rose-flavored, 
though my lord thought it wasn't strong enough.  However, it may be 
that the addition of the marzipan layer with diffuse the rose flavor a bit.  
But that's an experiment for another day...

Thomas, thank you again for the translation.


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net