SC - Re: Manteca

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

And it came to pass on 20 Sep 00,, that Vincent Cuenca wrote:

> 'll have to double-check the wording and get back to the list.

Thank you.  But... just for the sake of my curiosity, which edition are 
you working with?

> As far as "aceite" being used to indicate animal fats, I'm pretty sure
> that in "Manjar Blanco para Dolientes que No Comen Nada" De Nola uses
> "aceite" to indicate fat from a chicken's egg sac.

The editions I have (1525 and 1529) say "enxundia" (or "enjundia") "de 
la gallina derretida."  Ie., "melted 'enxudia' of the hen".  I don't see the 
word "aceite."  "Enxudia" is defined as the fat which hens and other 
birds have in their ovary, and also more generally as the fat of any 
animal.  So this might mean the fat in the ovary (IS there an animal 
antomist here who can shed some light on this?), or it might just mean 
chicken fat.

> Also for the "torta a
> la genovesa" he instructs the cook to add a little "aceite de bazo" to the
> pan to keep the dough from sticking.  "Aceite de bazo" iterally translates
> to "oil of the spleen"; as far as I know, spleens don't contain oil; it
> made more sense to use "fat".

I remember that.  I just translated it as "oil from the spleen"; I figured it 
was some kind of secretion that more closely resembled oil than fat.

>  I could be wrong, though. Perhaps someone
> more knowledgeable of animal anatomy could instruct us?

Please!!!

> "Manteca" does mean "butter" in Argentina; suffice it to say I didn't eat
> much buttered toast when I was down there.  The dialect preserves some
> interesting survivals of Renaissance Spanish; they use an informal
> second-person plural form of address in place of the more common
> second-person singular. ("vos" instead of "tu").  This is an antiquated
> form of formal address used in the 15th and 16th centuries.  Of course,
> Argentines are weird, anyway.  :) 

Ahem.  Watch your language, sirrah.  I've got some cousins down there.

> Vicente
> (once we get the whole "electuary" vs "butter" thing sorted out, I'll post
> the recipe.  Really, Olwen, I promise.)

If you'll show her yours, I'll show her mine.  ;-)

I look forward to seeing yours, just because I'm very curious how similar 
or different it is from mine.
 
> (and as far as waltzing goes, my good Lady Brighid, I am shocked that you
> would suggest such a shameless thing!  To dance, facing each other, while
> actually touching your waist and clasping your palm!  

Just don't tell my husband.  He has a jealous streak.

> Horrors!  You'll be
> showing off your ankles next! :))

Well, I *am* Irish.  On the other hand, my ankles are not particularly 
worthy of showing off.  :-)


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