[Sca-cooks] vanilla beans

[johnna holloway]

"Then, in 1602, Hugh Morgan, apothecary to
 Queen Elizabeth I, suggested that vanilla
 could be used as a flavoring all by itself,
 and the versatility of the exotic bean was finally uncovered."
http://www.nielsenmassey.com/historyofvanilla.htm
[note the source of the story]
This story is repeated in the Florilegium, but cites
another flavouring company.

Oddly, enough Andrew Dalby repeats "It was Hugh Morgan,
apothecary to Oueen Elizabeth I, who is said to have
suggested the use of vanilla as a flavouring for other foods."
Dangerous Tastes, p.148.

If the Hugh Morgan connection is true, then the uses seem
to have been medicinal. It may well occur in medicinal recipes
in the 17th century, but there don't seem to be other recorded
instances or recipes in the literature to support the claim.

Johnnae llyn Lewis

Johnna Holloway


Terry Decker wrote:
>
> According to my notes, the first recorded appearance of vanilla in English
> is in Indian Nectar (1662), where it is described as a flavoring agent for
> chocolate.  A couple of sources place its arrival in Europe as 1527 with the
> return of Hernando Cortez.  I have nothing suggesting vanilla was actually
> used prior to 1600. If there is, it is most likely in Spanish sources.
>
> Bear
>
> >Vanilla is New World. I can't think of any late period recipes using
> >them, but I don't know the late period sources that well.
> >
> >Elizabeth/Betty Cook
>
> _______________________________________________
> Sca-cooks mailing list
> Sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
> http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/sca-cooks