SC - new book

[Stefan li Rous]

> And what documentation is this?  What is your source
> please?
> 
> Huette
> 
> - --- BSmif76308 at aol.com wrote:
> > Greetings,
> > The documentation that I have on the recipes state
> > that the dishes where 
> > introduced to France by the cooks of Catherine de
> > Medici.  And flavored ice 
> > was served at her wedding feast.  The time period is
> > around 1532-1533.  Thank 
> > you all for your help.
> > 
> > Hans

Okay, as contrary as I am, I decided to see if the book I mentioned
the other day, Elizabeth David's "Harvest of the Cold Months" would
provide evidence to support Hans. Much to my surprise there is quite
a lot on this Catherine de Medici. However, on page 44, she says how
curious it is that this idea of Catherine de Medici's cooks
introducing ice, much less flavored ices or sherbets, to
the French Court is. That it apparently arose in the 18th century.
She says that even she has repeated the story erroneously and that
she has found no evidence to support this. She goes on to speculate
on where she thinks some translation errors may have started this
story.

The wedding feast that Hans mentioned is also covered in this book.
I can't remember what the other food items were that were mentioned
to check if there is evidence in this book or not. As they weren't
frozen delicacies though they probably aren't covered in this book
anyway.
- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****