[Sca-cooks] Re: recipe using portabela mushrooms?

[Louise Smithson]

Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] recipe using portabela mushrooms?
snip > 
So. Did medieval Europeans eat button mushrooms? Some did. Common thinking
in England though, right up to the 17th century, was that most mushrooms
were vile. Cf. Gerard's Herbal and other writings. The French, Spanish and
Italians, however, loved mushrooms. Boletus (bolets) and agaricus (agaric)
mushrooms appear in the Catalan mss from 1324.

Did medieval Europeans cultivate them? Maybe, but the earliest people seem
to know of is mid-17th century Paris, right at the end of period.

Could medieval Europeans have eaten what we know as Portabellas? Not if the
strain wasn't created until recently in America.

Could medieval Europeans have eaten mature agaricus bisporus? Sure.

So, while the specific strain marketed as Portabella likely isn't period,
the agaricus bisporus species of which it is a variety is certainly old
enough to have been eaten in period, even though it wasn't grown
commercially until the end of period. The French, Italians and Spanish may
have been eating something very similar to the Portabella. We can't really
say with certainty.


The Italians certainly loved mushrooms, their cookbooks are replete with recipes, the trick is trying to match the common name used in the Italian manuscripts with the Latin or common english name (I generally use the latin, less room for confusion). 

Anway I am cooking mushrooms this weekend as part of my feast and the recipe is specifically for agaricus sp.  or the field mushroom (technically the field mushroom in England is the Agaricus campestris closely related but not identical to the Agaricus bisporus).

Taken from: 2. Castelvetro, G., Brieve racconto di tutte le radici, di tutte l'erbe e di tutti i frutti che crudi o cotti in Italia si mangiano. 1614, In Londra, M.DC.XIV. 

De’ fonghi prataioli  [2] 
Io mi son riserbato a ragionar qui de’ fonghi, nonostante che nella primavera e nell’estate in Italia ne nascano (come ancora in questa fertilissima isola, dove ancora sono da pochi conosciuti), e a studio ho ciò fatto per trovarsene maggior diversità in questa stagione che nelle altre si facci. Per la qual cosa io dico che quelli che nella primavera si trovano son piccioli, bianchi di fuori via e di dentro incarnatini, e sono assai duri, e per nascere ne’ prati prataiuoli s’appellano, e son molto buoni senza esser mai nocivi; né per mangiarli si fa loro altro che mondarli dalla tenera pellicina che gli cuopre; poi, posti in un pentolino con un poco d’acqua, ma olio assai overo butiro, con sale, aglio, pepe e una onesta quantità di buone erbette, si fanno a lento fuoco cuocere. E così chi ne mangia e non se ne lecca le dita non istimo che quel tale s’intenda bene della vera boccolica. 
Of the meadow mushroom [2] 
I reserve my reasoning about these mushrooms, not withstanding that in the spring and in the summer in Italy they are born (like also in this fertile island, where there are still little known).  In the studies I have made to find the major differences in the seasons and in the other way they grow.  For this I will say that those that one finds in the spring are small, white outside and on the inside rose colored and they are firm enough and they are born in the meadows after which they are named.  And they are very good without much of evil.  For eating, first peel them of the tender skin which covers them, then place them in a pan with a little bit of water, and enough oil or butter, with salt, garlic, pepper and an honest quantity of good herbs.  One makes them by cooking over a slow fire.  And thus one eats them and one can not help but lick ones fingers because of the wonderful taste. 
* The meadow mushroom is a species of Agaricus, as is the standard white mushroom found in every grocery store. 

Braised mushrooms 
Ingredients 
1 lb mushrooms, washed and sliced 
1 clove garlic crushed 
1 tablespoon olive oil 
1 tablespoon fresh chopped parsley 
1/2  teaspoon dried herbs, marjoram, oregano, thyme 
salt to taste 
Method 
Heat the oil over medium heat, add the garlic, mushrooms and dried herbs.  Sauté gently in their own juice until the mushrooms are tender.  Sprinkle with chopped parsley just before service. 
Note: the garlic was omitted from this dish for feast because of a desire not to serve two dishes with garlic in one course. 

Helewyse 



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