SC - Re: Orach vs Spinach, kinda long

[ChannonM at aol.com]

In a message dated 6/19/00 10:26:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time, > Akim 
Yaroslavich 
>  writes:
>  
>  > You have used spinach for orach, which is a related
>  >  but different potherb common in the Mediteranean
>  >  region then and now. 

Okay, messes are now cleaned up and I had a moment to look at Platina. BTW, 
thanks Akim for you input, I love picking apart these recipes and ensuring 
that they are "right on", you are encouaging me in that endeavor :)

Orach vs Spinach
This is not a complete analysis of the issue, only a commentary on what 
Platina himself, says on the matter, (this was my original rationale for the 
choice, I just didn’t post the info). 

In Platina’s 7th Chapter he discusses orach in the following way;
“”I would think that orach is what the country people call spinach from the 
spines which it produces on seed” . 

This is a derogitory statement in that he implies “country people” to be 
uneducated and don’t know the difference. However, he goes on to say
 “Some would want orach not to be what they call spinach, although it has 
similarity and almost the same force, for orach softens the bowels and is 
good for people with jaundice, that is, those with “golden disease”, so 
called from gold on account of spattered gall, as Varro says. It cools a warm 
liver and represses inflamed bile”

OTOH, Platina gives spinach a definite place among herbs and describes 
spinach and chard thusly;

“ Spinach is the lightest kind found among garden vegetables. I would believe 
it is divided into two kinds, since there is black and white. Black grows 
almost with a head like onions, cabbage, and lettuce, and there is almost no 
garden vegetable greater in breadth. Some think the nature of spinach inert 
and with out force, even if it usually distrubs the bowel even to the bile. 
Taken in food, it soothes excessive menstruation in women, but chard, which 
is white, maintains a mean. It is most usefully given to those with liver and 
kspleen illnesses, with sweet spices which temper its saltiness. It likewise 
relieves the heat of summer, revives those who are disinterested in food 
because of squeamishness, and fills nursing women with a lot of milk. Eaten 
with it’s own juice, it moves the bowels, but eaten alone, with the juice 
thrown away, it constricts them.”

I believe that Platina is describing white spinach (chard) at the end, 
however it may be argued he is referring to either, if you re-read the orach 
commentary it implies that spinach in general has similar  properties. Either 
way, it seems to me that spinach is a reasonable and justifiable substitution 
to orach. 

Hauviette