SC - medieval times?

[Christine A Seelye-King]

Thank you for re-posting this website, Iasmine, I haven't looked at it in
some time.  I found some interesting stuff about fruit preservation, and
I have some quesitons for the group.  In the section below, it starts off
talking about preserving quinces by putting them in an earthenware jar,
covering that, then sealing it all around with pitch, then floating it in
a but of wine.  Then it goes on to talk about apples, using the pitch and
a non-pitch method.  It goes onto other fruits, including figs, which
seem to be floating in wine.  It does not say anything about the pitch in
these, and it does talk about the fruited and fragranced wine, which I
can't imagine would be from the pitch, which is all you would get out of
it if the vessels were covered in it, as pitch provides an anaerobic
seal.  Could this be the fruit in alcohol reference we've been looking
for?    Also, is the fruit floating in the wine, or in earthenware
vessels that are being permeated by the wine?  And what do you suppose
are the "several cells by themselves"?
Christianna

<snip - 
An experiment which Democritus has set down.  You must put your
Quince-pears into a new earthen vessel.  Cover it.  And pitch it all
over, and so put it in a But of Wine.  But so, that they may have scope
to swim upon the top of the Wine.  For by this means shall you keep your
fruit fresh and good for a long time.  And besides, the Wine wherein they
float, will have a very fragrant favor.  Likewise, 

      "Apples being shut up close, and then put into Cisterns, will last
long," 

As Palladius shows.  You must put your Apples, says he, into earthen
vessels, well pitched and made up close.  And when you have so done,
drown those vessels in a Cistern, or else in a pit.  Pliny puts Apples in
earthen basins, and so lets them swim in Wine.  For, says he, the Wine by
this means will
yield a more odoriferous smell.  Apuleius says, that Apples are to be put
into a new pot, and the pot to be put into a Hogshead of Wine that there
it may swim, and play on the top of the Wine.  For so,the Apples will be
preserved by the Wine, and the Wine will be the better for the Apples. 
So, 

     "Figs being shut up close, may be drowned for their better
preservation." 

As Africanus affirms.  They take Figs, says he, that are not very ripe,
and put them into a new earthen vessel.  But they gather them with their
tails or stalks upon them, and lay them up every one in several cells by
themselves.  And when the have done so, they put the vessel into a
Hogshead of Wine, and so
preserve their Figs.  -snip >

> Bear and Jadwiga briefly discussed the work of Porta called,
> in English, "Natural Magick". For those of you who are
> interested, an online copy of much of the text is available
> here:
> 
> http://janeway.tscnet.com/pages/omard1/jportat4.html
> 
> This is the English translation done by Porta himself of
> the original Latin. The dating is a little strange, with the
> original version appearing in the late 1580's. The wesbite
> has a good review of the book's history if you're interested
> as well.
> 
> Jasmine
> Iasmin de Cordoba
> iasmin at home.com
> gwalli at ptc.com
>
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