[Sca-cooks] Beets and backfiles was Beets

[ekoogler1 at comcast.net]

Johnnae,
Thanks for all of the references.  And, reading those, along with what Cariadoc says, I tend to agree with you.  And, since red beets are most readily available here...at least in beautiful downtown Prince Frederick, I'll probably stick with those.  Though I might give using the leaves a whirl sometime, when I can get them fresh locally.  I know a couple of Mennonite farmers who may grow them, and I might be able to get some from them.

Thanks all for the great discussion!!  This is what I really missed when I had to drop out...and has made me so really glad that I'm back.

Kiri
> According to OED---Beet was
> 
> A plant or genus of plants (N.O. Chenopodiaceæ), having, in cultivation,
> a succulent root much used for food, and also for yielding sugar. There
> are two species, the Common or Red Beet (Beta vulgaris), found wild on
> the British coasts, and cultivated in several varieties, both as an
> esculent, and as an ornamental foliage plant, and the White Beet (B.
> cicla), chiefly used in the production of sugar. Formerly almost always
> spoken of in plural `beets,' like beans, pease, greens, etc. Now usu. in
> sing. form, but the pl. form is still current in the U.S.
> 
>     * C. 1000 Sax. Leechd. II. 226 Þás wyrta sindon.;éað beeatra, béte
>       and mealwe;
>     * 1398 Trevisa Barth. De P.R. xvii. xxii. (1495) 616 Men may graffe
>       on a bete stocke as men doon on a Caustocke.
>     * A. 1400 Cov. Myst. 22 Erbys and gresse, both beetes and brake.
>     * C. 1440 Promp. Parv, 34 Betys herbe, beta.
>     * 1551 Turner Herbal. (1568) F iij a, There are twoo kyndes of
>       Betes, the white bete whyche is called sicula, and blake betes.
> 
> ------------
> Nancy suggested: Your best bet might be to look at other receipts in 
> that same cookbook, since if you see a list of "greens" (i.e. spinach, 
> sorrel) and beets, my assumption is that the beet greens are meant. 
> Sometimes the author will refer to "beetroots" specifically.  But as 
> "beets" are listed by themselves, I think they could be interpreted 
> either way.
> Nancy Kiel
> 
> I did a browse through the Stuart Press transcription of The Good 
> Huswifes Handmaide and didn't find any other mention of beets. So---
> the text is no help.
> 
> So what do other texts say--
> I did some other searching-- and it is here that the full text version
> of EEBO is proving valuable for one can search under just "beet" or 
> "beets" and find references such as this---
> 
> Estienne, Charles, 1504-ca. 1564. [The French original is 1560's.]
> Title: Maison rustique, or The countrey farme 1616  lists "beet" in four 
> scattered places and "beets" under 30--- these include:
> 
> CHAP. XVIII.: Of Beets and Blites, white and red.: _BEets,[Beets.] as 
> well th ...
>   ...  CHAP. XVIII.: Of Beets and Blites, white and red.: 
> _BEets,[Beets.] as well the vvhite as the blacke and red, vvhich is c ...
>   ... : in respect whereof, I could aduise the gardiner not gather any 
> seeds of the beets to sow, but such as the beet shall bring forth the 
> third for of such see ...
> ... hall bring forth the third for of such seed there grow verie faire 
> and goodly beets. / If you would make choyce of faire beets, chuse 
> rather the white than either the  ...
> ...  for of such seed there grow verie faire and goodly beets. / If you 
> would make choyce of faire beets, chuse rather the white than either the 
> lacke or red, as being the fair ...
> 
> THE SECOND BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE. > OF GARDENS. > CHAP. XXIIII.
> • ... h: and for the taking away of the same, you must eat a raw Beane 
> by and by after, or the ribbe of a Beet rosted in ashes, or some 
> Smallage or greene Parsley: or which is better, if you loue Garlicke,  ...
> THE SEVENTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE FARME. > Of Hawking. > CHAP. LVIII.
> • ...  day alwaies betwixt, that is to say, one day, and not the other. 
> Seeing to it, that you giue her a beet leafe, or some other, vpon the 
> day that you shall giue her pure water to drinke. The same remed ...
> 
> Evelyn, John, 1620-1706.
> Title: Kalendarium hortense, 1666
> speaks of in March---
> Thyme, &c. / Sow in the beginning Endive, Succory, Leeks, Radish, Beets, 
> Chard-Beet, Scorzonera, Parsnips, Skirrets, Parsley, Sorrel, Bugloss, 
> Borrage, Chervil, Sellery, Smalladge ...
> 
> so one sees beets and Chard-beet.
> 
> The 1658 edition of The French gardiner instructing how to cultivate all 
> sorts of fruit-trees and herbs for the garden specifies---
> THE French Gardiner. > Section > SECT. IV.
>   ...  SECT. IV.: Of Roots. / THe Red Beet,[Roots. Parsenp.] or Roman 
> Par|snep, as the greatest, sha ...
> THE French Gardiner. > Section > SECT. V.
>   ... CT. V.: Of all sorts of Pot-hearbs. / WE will begin with the white 
> Beet or Leeks as being the greatest of all the Pot-hearbs,  ...
> ... ore spent then of any of the rest.[Beet-leeks] / The white Beet or 
> Beet-Card (for so some will call it in imitation of the Picards, ...
> ...  Spring, which will furnish you with Leeks very early. / There is a 
> Red Beet[red Beets.] if you desire to have of them, for Curio ...
> SECT. V.
> ... with Leeks very early. / There is a Red Beet[red Beets.] if you 
> desire to have of them, for Curiosity rather  ...
> ... a second dry|ing, lest it become musty; for being of a spongy 
> substance, as the Red Beets are, it will continue a long time moyst. /
>   ... e a long time moyst. / There is another sort of Beets, which is 
> called Oracke,[Orache.] very agree| ...
> 
> 
> Evelyn helped translate this from the French by the way.
> 
> The 1653 Pharmacopœia Londinensis, or, The London dispensatory says
> A CATALOGUE OF THE SIMPLES CONDUCING TO THE DISPENSATORY. > ROOTS.
> • ... nd red; as for black Beets I have no|thing to say, I doubt they 
> are as rare as black Swans. The red Beet root boyled and preserved in 
> Vinegar, makes a fine cool, pleasing, clensing, digesting sawce.
> The 1649 A physicall directory says the same.
> 
> Woolley, Hannah, fl. 1670.
>   The queen-like closet; or, Rich cabinet of 1670
> calls for beets in
> CLVI. A Friday Pie with out Fish or Flesh.: Wash a good quantity of 
> green Beets, and pluck out the middle string, then chop them small; with 
> two or three ripe Apples well rel ...
> and in CCXX. To make boiled Sallads.
>   ... n more Butter and a little Salt, so serve them to the Table, thus 
> you may do Lettuce or Spinage, or Beets. /  ...
> --------------------------
> It appears that both are mentioned at least in the 1600's.
> 
> 
> What's interesting is that this same discussion went on back in the mid-
> late 1990's on the list and is set out in Stefan's files. I don't know 
> that we will ever reach a definative answer now anymore than people did 
> then.
> 
> If a housewife in the 1590's encountered this recipe, my guess is that
> she might use either depending upon local customs and produce available.
> I see this as being a great project for an A&S entry for someone---
> take the recipe and make it in a variety of ways perhaps in 4 inch tarts
> with varying cheeses, using both the leaves or the roots.
> 
> 
> Hope this helps--
> 
> Johnnae llyn Lewis
> 
> 
> 
> 
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