SC - FRANKISH BRAISED BEEF

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Phillipa asks:
>I saved this recipe when Clotild of Soissons posted it and now I have some
>questions if you please,
>
>1> Can humans eat catnip?  I thought it was poisonous for humans.  And
>anyway, I don't have catnip nor pennyroyal.  Never having tasted either, are
>there any suggestions on what to use to replace it?
>
>2> What is spiknard and costmary?  And never having tasted either what can I
>use to replace these flavors?

I will send what i've found in several posts, rather than one long one.

PART ONE: CATNIP AND PENNYROYAL

- --- CATNIP ---

Botanical Name: Nepeta cataria or Nepeta mussinii , Labiatae (mint family)
Common Names: catnep or catmint. French: chataire, Herbe aux Chats; 
Spanish: menta de gato, hierba gatera, nebeda.

Catnip is a grey-green, leafy member of the mint family, with downy, 
heart-shaped leaves that are green above and whitish below.. This 
hardy, robust perennial was originally grown throughout Europe, and 
was native to the dry regions of the Mediterranean, inland Europe, 
Asia, Eurasia and Africa. It has been used as a remedy for headaches, 
coughs, cold symptoms, as a sleeping aid, and to calm tension and 
anxiety.

Is is quite safe for human consumption.

- --- PENNYROYAL ---

Pennyroyal is also edible; i've drunk tea made of it, probably 
American Pennyroyal. The herb is generally considered safe to use in 
reasonable quantities, but in *very large* quantities it can cause 
contractions of the uterus, so pregnant women should avoid it. 
Whatever you do, DO NOT use Pennyroyal oil as an overdose can be 
fatal.

1. EUROPEAN PENNYROYAL

Botanical Name: Mentha Pulegium (LINN.), Family: N.O. Labiatae
Common Names: Pulegium. Run-by-the-Ground. Lurk-in-the-Ditch. Pudding 
Grass. Piliolerial.
Part Used: Herb.

 From Mrs. Grieve's Herbal:
This species of Mint, a native of most parts of Europe and parts of 
Asia, is the Pulegium of the Romans, so named by Pliny from its 
reputed power of driving away fleas - pulex being the Latin for flea, 
hence the Italian pulce and the French puce. This name given the 
plant in ancient times has been retained as its modern specific name. 
It is sometimes known to the country-people as 'Run by the Ground' 
and 'Lurk in the Ditch,' from its manner of growth.

It was formerly much used in medicine, the name Pennyroyal being a 
corruption of the old herbalists' name 'Pulioll-royall' (Pulegium 
regium), which we meet also in the Middle Ages as 'Piliole-rial.' It 
has been known to botanists since the time of Linnaeus as Mentha 
Pulegium.

One of its popular names is 'Pudding Grass,' from being formerly used 
in stuffings for hog's puddings ('grass' being, like 'wort,' a word 
simply meaning 'herb'). It is still used abroad in various culinary 
preparations, but in this country it is now in disuse, as its taste 
and odour is too pronounced.

2. AMERICAN PENNYROYAL

In North America, there's a native plant that is called Pennyroyal, 
but is not quite the same thing used in Europe. So be sure you know 
the botanical name of what you get.

Botanical Name: Hedeoma pulegioides (L.) Pers.
Common names: Mock Pennyroyal. Squaw Mint. Squaw Balm. Stinking Balm. 
Tickweed. Mosquito plant.

The entire herb has a strong mintlike odor and pungent taste.

- ---------------------

Since both Catnip and both Pennyroyals are mints, you could 
substitute mint for each of them, although it certainly wouldn't 
taste exactly the same. In my experience, mint tastes stronger than 
both catnip and pennyroyal. But catnip shouldn't be hard to find :-)

If you do use mint, use much less than the recipe calls for. I 
believe that the fresh mint found in markets is usually spearmint. 
While i really dislike the taste of spearmint dried, i don't mind the 
flavor of fresh mint.

Anahita