[Sca-cooks] Gunthar Updates

[Terry Decker]

Consider the Latin "phaseolus" which is distinct from "faba".  Phaseolus is
the term for kidney bean.  It's Italian derivative is fasoli.  Both
phaseolus and fasoli predate Columbus and the arrival of the New World
kidney beans in genus Phaseolus.  While it is not certain that phaseolus
referred to the black-eyed pea, it is a generally accepted opinion.  Fasoli
still includes the black-eyed pea in modern usage.

Apicius has a recipe for "Faseoli" and Platina has recipes for "phaseolus"
(IIRC) translating from Martino's Italian.  Modern confusion occurs because
of the work of taxonomists in the 16th and 17th Centuries using Phaseolus as
the genus name for the New World string-beans.

There are a number of members of genus Vigna, which are of Asian and African
origin, and commonly referred to a black-eyed peas, cowpeas, asparagus
beans, yard long beans, etc.  These are found in long pods which resemble
the string-beans.  It was this resemblence which caused Columbus to identify
some of the New World beans as "faxones."

I've got no hard and fast dates on when the Vigna arrived in Europe, but it
was certainly no later that the 1st Century CE and it may have been brought
to Europe during the prehistoric migrations.  I tend to think it may have
come from Asia with Alexander's armies.

The best evidence of black-eyed peas being eaten is Europe is fairly late.
It is a 16th Century painting by Annibale Carracci, The Bean Eater, which
shows a peasant eating a bowl of black-eyed peas.

Bear

>
> Really! Black-eyed peas?  I always thought they were of African origin.
> Not that I doubt your extensive knowledge, but do you have references
> on  hand?  I imagine I may have to defend this one if I use them! :)
>
> Aoghann
>
> Terry Decker wrote:
>
> >Or use black-eyed peas which were the European kidney bean before
Columbus.
> >
> >Bear
> >
> >
> >
> >>My personal opinion would be to drop the Benes if you cant get Fava.
> >>Kidney beans seem unnecessary on a medieval menu. Perhaps add a grain
> >>dish to the second course instead.
> >>
> >>Good luck.
> >>Ranvaig
> >>
> >>
> >
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