[Sca-cooks] Duke's powder

[a5foil]

> >  Lady Brighid's translation says: "and for the lords cast in nothing
> >  but
> > cinnamon,"
> > What does the original say?
>
> "y para los senores, no se echa sino sola canela"

This appears in the Logrono editions (Castillian translations), but not in
the first edition of Nola (1520, published in Catalan). Neither recipe in
the first edition gives an instruction like this, just the measure of the
ingredients and brief instructions on mixing them up. So, this class
distinction is something introduced by the Aragonese mayor of Logrono, in
his translation. Where he got it, I don't know. I suspect the wide variation
in recipes for this powder is at least as much a matter of preference as it
is a matter of economics. I would caution against over-interpreting this
through the filter of political power. Yes, it was conspicuous consumption,
but I think it was food, first. For REALLY conspicuous consumption, look at
the recipes for Fine Spice powder (Salsa ffina), which called for a
half-pound of saffron in a pound of powder...

The earliest reference to Duke's Powder I have found in the Iberian cuisine
is the Barcelona copy of the Libre de Sent Sovi (Biblioteca Universitat de
Barcelona MS 68, ca. 1450). It also gives no indication of a class
distinction in the composition of the powder. That recipe follows. I am not
as convinced as Dr. Santich that this powder is of Italian origin. The
Aragonese/Catalan empire had tremendous influence on the Italian cuisine of
the 15th century, and the culinary influences flowed both ways. The Italian
influence may be over-rated, and as much a product of academic bias as of
fact.

"Si vols ffer polvora de duch que sa ffina se ffa axi per una liura
Primerament tu pendras una liura de sucre blanch Canella mige hunsa que sia
ffina Gingebre que sia bo un quart e mig Giroffle nous noscades garangal
cardemom entre tot un quart E tot aso picaras E pessar ho as per sadas."

Translation (the punctuation is mine): If you wish to make Duke's Powder
that will be fine, it is made in this way for one pound. First you will take
one pound of white sugar, Cinnamon half ounce that will be fine, Ginger that
will be good one quarter [ounce] and a half [so, three quarters of an
ounce], Cloves, nutmeg, galingale, cardamom between all one quarter [I
interpret this as "of each" because a 16th of an ounce of any of these
spices in a pound of powder would hardly be detectable and thus would serve
neither palate nor politics]. And all this you will pound. And you have to
pass it through [a] sieve.

My recipe, using the proportions of the period measures by weight, and
translated to modern volumetric form:

1/4 cup + 1-1/2 teaspoons turbinado sugar, ground fine
1-3/8 teaspoon ground Ceylon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg, preferably freshly grated
5/8 teaspoon ground galingale, or substitute 5/8 teaspoon ginger
2-1/4 teaspoons ground cardamom

Grind the sugar very fine in a large mortar (it changes from light brown to
white as you grind it). Mix with the other spices and pass the mixture
through a fine sieve to break up any clumps of spice. Store in a sealed
spice bottle.

This makes about 1/3 cup, and fills a 4-oz. spice bottle.

This recipe will appear in my booklet of recipes from the Sent Sovi, which,
with luck, will be available by Twelfth Night.

Regards,
Thomas Longshanks