SC - Boorish Table Manners in London-OT

[Philip & Susan Troy]

And it came to pass on 6 Sep 00,, that Nanna Rognvaldardottir wrote:

> Vicente wrote:
> >bisol: no idea whatsoever.
> 
> 
> "Bisso" and "bis" are Catalan names of the chub mackarel (Scomber
> japonicus colias), according to Mediterranean Seafood by Alan Davidson - I
> wonder if that could be it.

I think so.  Grewe (in the footnotes to _Libre de Sent Sovi_) says that 
bisol is the plural of bis, and he identifies it as Scomber japonicus 
colias.
 
> >saiton: described as a bitter fish, best eaten with the head and entrails
> >removed.
> 
> 
> Don´t know - will see what I can find.

This one is more of a stretch, but... Grewe lists "seito" (also spelled 
"xeyto" as a synonym of "aladroc", which is Catalan for anchovy 
(Engraulis encrasicholus).  This is confirmed by the second website 
listed below.  However, I do not know fish well enough to know if the 
anchovy matches Nola's description.

Here are the websites I mentioned, which have some lists of Catalan 
food terminology.  They are modern, but may still be of help:

http://www.uib.es/secc6/slg/gt/noms_peixos.html
http://www.gencat.es/dict/serveis/servling/alimenta.htm

Hope this helps.


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