SC - Concrete Midas Funerary Feast Information

[Bethany Public Library]

>So is there any evidence of whether pesto sauce is period or not?

IIRC, the word "pesto" derives from the use of a mortar and *pestle* to
pound herbs, cheese, garlic, and generally nuts into a paste. The Epicurious
Food Dictionary states that an uncooked sauce of fresh basil, garlic, pine
nuts, parmesan or romano, and olive oil originated in Genoa, but gives no
date. Obviously, there are variations using Romano instead of Reggiano,
walnuts instead of pignolas, and parsley instead of basil, etc.

Please note that the French have an uncooked sauce called "pistou," which is
tomatoes pounded with basil/parsley, salt, olive oil, garlic, and aged
cheese. (I don't know how far back the recipe dates, but it's in early Julia
Child cookbooks.)

As for period sources, I've used a redaction of the following recipe several
times for feasts, and it is quite popular. It very much tastes like a pesto
without cheese.

White, Green, and Yellow Garlic Sauce
Cristiforo di Messisburg, 
Banquets, Composition of Meals, and General Equipment, 1549.

"Take shelled walnuts and clean them, and white bread without crusts soaked
in some good broth and garlic, as much as you'd like, and salt, and pound
all these things together well. Then dilute with good meat or fish broth,
depending upon your preference, and if you do not want garlic put in pepper
and juniper...if you want it green, take parsley juice or chard juice and
when the greens are well cooked and thick, put them through a sieve and
dilute with broth, then mix into your sauce."

(I deleted the parts about coloring it with saffron to make a yellow sauce.)

Katja