[Sca-cooks] Compost (no, not the garden stuff!)

[johnna holloway]

Sorry to have taken so long with this request.

I turned these up during a quick search this afternoon.

87. Perys in Composte is in Ordinance of Pottage, p.65.

xxxv. Perys en Composte is in Harl. 279 Austin Two 15th...pp.12-13

Peris in compost is in Har. 4016 Austin Two 15th...pp.87-88

103. Compost. Forme of Cury. Hieatt edition, pp.120-21.

Peres in Composte. is in Napier p.100. It's also in Pynson's  This is 
the Boke of Cokery from 1500.

To mak Compost [which is "chekins" dish] is in Napier p.111. It's also 
in Pynson's This is the Boke of Cokery, 1500. (LCC includes a "For to 
make a Compote" which also contains chickens. You might ask Cindy R. 
about what she has found in the LCC.)

I came across a reference in Austin to Douce MS., no 57 which I don't 
find at the moment, so I suspect the entry may be wrong or it may be 
included as a supplement to Pegge.

OED includes the Compote in entry 2. as compote. Obs. and defines it as
"a. A stew of various ingredients."
with this defination being given
circa 1420 Liber Cocorum (1862) 18 For to make a compost [with chickens, 
herbs, spices, etc.].
Then it says: spec. A preparation of fruit or spice preserved in wine, 
sugar, vinegar, or the like.
circa 1430 Two Cookery-bks. (1888) 59 Le ij cours, Compost, Brode 
canelle, Potage.
circa. 1450 Two Cookery-bks. 87 Peris in compost, take pere 
Wardones..pare hem, and seth hem..and cast hem to the Syryppe..And then 
pare clene rasinges of ginger..and caste hem to the peres in composte.
1513 Bk. Keruynge in Babees Bk. (1868) 268 Loke your composte be fayre 
and clene.
1601 Holland Pliny II. 159 White oliues..before they be put vp in their 
compost or pickle.

Compote compote ko.mpo ut. meaning
a. Fruit preserved in syrup. with this quotation--
1693 Evelyn De La Quint. Compl. Gard. I. 91 marg., Compote, fruit stew'd 
in Sugar, after a manner peculiar to the French.
Which is rather late to my way of thinking.

The Middle English Dictionary is the place to look--
compost(e (n.)[OF; cp. F compote.]

"(a) A mixture of stewed fruit and/or vegetables; a preserve; in 
compost, stewed or preserved; (b) a stew.

(a)  (a1399) Form Cury (Add 5016)   p.49:  Compost. Take rote of persel, 
pasternak..rapes & caboches.  c1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(2) (Hrl 4016)   87: 
Peris in compost. Take Wyne, canell, Sugur..dates..pere Wardones..cast 
hem to the Syryppe..with Gynger..ley hem in clarefied hony.  a1475 
Russell Bk.Nurt.(Hrl 4011)   79:  Aftur mete..blawnderelles, pepyns, 
careawey in comfyte, Compostes ar like to þese.  c1475 Gregory's 
Chron.(Eg 1995)   141:  Datys in composte.

(b)  a1450 Hrl.Cook.Bk.(1) (Hrl 279)   59:  Le ij cours: 
Compost..Codlyng.  a1475 Liber Cocorum (Sln 1986)   p.18:  For to make a 
compost. Take þo chekyns and hew hom..chekyns þou put þerto, And þen of 
þe herbz..And tendurly seyth hit.  ?a1475 Noble Bk.Cook.(Hlk 674)   111: 
  To mak composte tak chekins and..saige, parsly, lekes..and boille it. 
  a1486(c1429) Menu Banquet Hen.VI in Archaeol.57 (Mrg M 775)   58:  Le 
iij Course: Compost..Venison rost, Egrettz.
------------

The Apician recipe may be the one for
How to Preserve Fresh Figs, and Apples, Plums, Pears, and Cherries. 
Gather them carefully with their stalks and put them in honey, so that 
they do not touch each other. First Book. sect XII recipe 4. page 53 of 
the Flower and Rosenbaum edition The Roman Cookery Book. That's the 
closest that I could find which would be a fruit in honey at its most basic.

Hope this helps.

Johnnae llyn Lewis

Vincent Cuenca wrote:

> I've been nosing around, researching compost recipes for an article.  
> I've checked the Florilegium and found the ones from Le Menagier de 
> Paris and Curye on Inglysch, and references to others in Apicius and in 
> German sources.  I've also found one in Manuscript UB Gent 1035, "Wel 
> ende edelike spijse", one in the "Anonimo Veneziano", and one in the 
> "Llibre de Totes Maneres de Confits".  In checking the German sources on 
> the Internet, the only compost recipe I've found is one for cherries, in 
> (I think) Sabina Welserin.  I'm not even sure where to begin in Apicius.
> 
> Does anyone have information on the German recipes, and where to find 
> the Apician version?
> 
> Thanks, Vicente