SC - RE: period parsnip recipes

[harper at idt.net]

And it came to pass on 11 Dec 00, , that E. Rain wrote:

> I came across a recipe for Parsnips in Sent sovi last night.  Bearing in
> mind that no only do I not read medieval catalan, I don't even read medieval
> spanish here's what my various dictionaries and a good knowledge of medieval
> cooking italian got me.

Well, I have never studied Catalan (modern or medieval), but 
sometimes I can stumble through a recipe, with the help of a 
dictionary and knowledge of Spanish and French.  I *think* I can 
shed some light on the gaps in your very creditable translation.
 
> >From the Grewe edition of Sent Sovi  P. 139
> To make Pasternakes with Almond Milk
> Take white pasternakes and put to cook.  and when they are well cooked
> remove them and put them in cold water, and [peel?] them.  

It think it is "peel".  Literally, "parar" means "to prepare", but in 
Spanish, it is often used to mean "peel".

> And when they are
> blanched put them in 2 platters with which do cheese.  

Press them between 2 chopping-blocks (this instruction appears a 
*lot* in Nola, whenever moisture has to be squeezed out of a food) 
with which you make cheese.

> And if it [troubles a
> heart???] turn out [the one?].

I think this is an instruction to remove the woody core, if you find 
one.

>  and then press them, take a good martar and pound them well, and
> put them to cook with much broth and with salt pork of that which
> you like, and cook them in the way of courds.  And when they give
> to be cooked take milk of almonds which was made with the mest
> broth you have and mix it in.  And with it cheese deliver  have
> sliced,  

And put in cheese ___ sliced (and grated).

> and if you want, it won't lack if you use sheeps milk
> instead of almonds. 
> 
> 
> Again, this is not a legit translation, [PLEASE do not use it for a dish &
> then tell people it's period!] as you can see it has big holes in it and it
> may have MAJOR errors, I was just trying to get an idea of whether or not it
> was worth having translated properly by someone else :->

You've got the essence of it, as far as I can tell.  The parsnips are 
parboiled, peeled and mashed, then cooked with mutton broth and 
bacon.  Add the end, add almond milk and grated cheese.  So... 
do we have a Catalan translator in the house?

> Eden - who will stick with Italian translation thank you just the same...

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