[Sca-cooks] Why is saffron a mistake?

[Olwen the Odd]

>
>I'm sure that there are others on this list who can give you a more
>scholarly
>answer, but I suspect that the recipes calling for saffron are using it
>mostly
>as a coloring agent.  Most recipes don't call for that seasoning...at least
>the ones I've seen.  Kiri

I know this is only one example, but may I submit the following recipe as
one that calls for saffron as a spice;

Tart in Ymbre day
(Curye on Inglysch, Forme of Cury recipe # 173, page 136)


Take and perboile oynoun & erbis & presse out the water & hewe her smale.
Take grene chese & bray it in a morter, and temper it up with ayren. Do
therto butter, safroun & salt, & raisouns corouns, & a litel sugur with
powdour douce, and bake it in a trap, & serue it forth.

In more modern English:

Take and parboil onion[s] and herbs, and press out the water, and chop them
small. Take green cheese and grind it in a mortar, and temper it up with
eggs. Add butter, saffron, and salt, and currants, and a little sugar with
powder douce, and bake it in an open crust, and serve it forth.
Olwen
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