SC - Help with 1650s+ info

[Decker, Terry D.]

You need to check the Florilegium for the potato references and the general
trend of the discussion.

White potatoes were not in common use is Europe prior to the 18th Century.
They were known and the earliest recipes appear to be late period German.
IIRC, there was a potatoe soup recipe which was posted.

Since you are talking Elizabethean, white potatoes were probably introduced
to England by Drake on the voyage when he sacked Cartagena and restocked his
provisions there.  They may have been served as a curiousity at Elizabeth's
table, but they were primarily kept as horticultural curiosities and
ornamentals.

As a potato dish for an Elizabethean feast, I would consider sweet potatoes,
which were well known and were sold at market.  I haven't seen any recipes
for them, but they would probably have been prepared in a manner similar to
other root vegetables.

Bear 

> A lady in the Barony I just moved into is doing a very, very late period 
> feast. She's including hot chocolate from a receipe book in the 1660s. As
> she 
> had a few vegetable dishes left blank, I suggested a roasted potato dish
> to 
> please the fighting crowd the event is aimed at. I'm afraid the suggestion
> 
> met with a less than warm response.
> 
> My questions are:
> 
> Does Sir Digbie talk about potatoes in his book? Do any books of that
> time?
> 
> An argument could be made that potatoes aren't Elizabethan, but what about
> 
> this late date?
> 
> When is the first cookbook that contains a receipe for potatoes? 
> 
> Your assistance is gratefully appreciated!
> Rosalyn MacGregor
> (Pattie Rayl)
>