SC - Recepies wanted

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> 
> > The deserts I am interested in are Frangipani,
> > Macaroons, Milan Cakes or Flavored Ice.
<snip>
> 
> I'm not sure what the first item is

Frangipane is an almond pastry cream, made today with a thickish pastry
cream containing flour, eggs, milk, sugar, butter and flavorings, to
which is added crushed almonds or crushed almond macaroons. Usually used
as a crepe, pate a choux, or tart filling.

I vaguely remember reading that earlier versions of frangipane were made
with almond milk instead of cow's milk. I could swear I read some stuff
about frangipane in Wheaton's "Savoring the Past", but can't find it in
there now. ("'You are old, Adamantius,' the young man cried, 'and your
hair has become very white! And yet you incessantly stand on your head!
At your age, do you think it is right?' ")

The Larousse Gastronomique says frangipane is named for an Italian
nobleman living in Paris in the sixteenth century, who had apparently
invented a perfume based on bitter almonds. Creme frangipane is believed
to be roughly contemporary, but then this is Larousse, so who knows?
Larousse further says that "tartes franchipanne" are mentioned
repeatedly in La Varenne's "La Patissier Francoise", which is, what, c.
1655 or 60? Anne-Marie? Anybody?

I agree, though, with His Grace, that reverse documentation is not only
more difficult to do than researching sources and cooking foods you like
from them, but it also doesn't always send the best possible message to
the Outside World (diners, etc.) about the state of period cookery.  

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com