[Sca-cooks] Alows of Beef or Mutton

[sjk3 at cornell.edu]

> Also sprach david friedman:
>>Lady Anne du Bosc asked (see earlier post for full recipe):
>>
>>>Three questions:
>>>
>>>In this recipe, what are
>>>
>>>1. Quyschons?
>>
>>The word I think must be cushions; I'm not sure what part of the cow
>>that is, but the alternative is "mutton of the butts".
>
> I was interested in this, too. There doesn't seem to be a modern
> equivalent of "cushion" (or, I haven't seen it if there is), but it
> occurs to me this might be taken from the French "cuisson", or thigh.
> My dictionary defines "cushion" (among several definitions) as
> something shaped like a cushion. Not much help there...
>
> Adamantius

    Webster's Third International has a couple of sort-of contradictory
definitions that apply here.  I suspect the OED would be better, but I
haven't checked that yet.  Anyway, Webster's says "cushion 2: a part
resembling a pad: as a: the fleshy part of the rump of the horse or pig"
and later, "2h: a boned shoulder of pork or lamb with a pocket for
stuffing."  I think I've actually heard cushion of lamb referred to in
the past.

Sandra