SC - fava beans

[harper at idt.net]

And it came to pass on 28 Oct 00, , that Serian wrote:

> I am helping a good friend locate information about fava
> beans in period.  Any bean experts out there that know a
> good source or two?

What kind of info is your friend looking for?  Recipes?  Agricultural 
information?  For recipes, the Italian, Spanish/Catalan, and Arabic 
cookbooks probably have the most.  For agricultural info., ISTR 
that the 1513 "Obra de Agricultura" (Work on Agriculture) by 
Gabriel Alonso de Herrera has a section on growing fava beans.  I 
do not think there's an English translation, and unfortunately, the 
Virtual Cervantes Library removed their online copy of the Spanish 
text.  On the positive side of things, there is a 1970 reprint, which 
he could probably get via ILL.  The section on fava beans is no 
more than a few pages, and if your friend does not read Spanish, 
he shouldn't have much trouble finding someone to tackle that 
chapter.

Here's the bibliographic info from the LC catalog, in case he wants 
to pursue this.  The OCLC number would be particularly useful in 
locating an ILL copy:

   Type of Material:
                   Book (Print, Microform, Electronic, etc.)
     Personal Name:
                   Herrera, Gabriel Alonso de, 15th/16th cent.
         Main Title:
                   Obra de agricultura. Edición y estudio preliminar por 
José Urbano
                   Martínez Carreras.
  Published/Created:
                   Madrid, Ediciones Atlas, 1970.
     Related Names:
                   Martínez Carreras, José Urbano, ed.
                   Martínez Carreras, José Urbano. Historia agraria 
castellana. 1970.
        Description:
                   c, 407 p. 26 cm.
             Notes:
                   "La edición ... que se publica ... es la transcripción 
fiel de la primera
                   edición de Alcalá de Henares de 1513."
                   The preliminary study, Historia agraria castellana, 
was originally presented
                   as the editor's "memoria de licenciatura," Madrid, 
1962-63.
                   Includes bibliographical references.
           Subjects:
                   Agriculture.
                   Agriculture--Spain.
            Series:
                   Biblioteca de autores españoles, 235
   LC Classification:
                   PQ6171.A2 B6 no. 235
   Other System No.:
                   (OCoLC)593253

Brighid, who doesn't know beans about farming...


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net