[Sca-cooks] hypotrimma (was originals and redactions)

[margali]

Hm, on the apicius list moretaria is considered to be a pasty spread of 
cheese, working from the period cato [?] recipe for it, i would have to 
pry my hubby off the other coputer to get the postings we discussed it in...
margali

A wrote:
> The Liddell and Scott Greek Lexicon defines it as "a dish compounded of 
> various ingredients pounded up together" and gives the Latin equivalent, 
> "moretum."  
> As for exactly what this hypotrimma stuff is, my guess is that it would 
> be a paste or a spread - the dates and cheese would probably give the 
> most substance to it.  It is possible, I guess, to beat the ingredients 
> into something thin enough to be called a sauce, especially if you're 
> stingy with dates and cheese and use more of the liquid ingredients; but 
> I'm willing to put my trust in the lexicon (usually quite accurate about 
> whether something is sweet, savory, main dish, sauce, etc), which calls 
> it a "dish."  That suggests to me that it's served on its own, maybe 
> eaten on bread; or else, perhaps, to accompany something like roasted 
> meat, but not covering it like a sauce (if that makes sense).
> 
> Let me dig through some of my books and see if I come across any 
> clues....hope the etymology stuff is helpful, at any rate. :)
> 
> 
> Vittoria