[Sca-cooks] period fruits

[Stefan li Rous]

Amanda commented:
>  I believe that lemons are also available and used in late period.
Correct.

At least for fruits, this article in the FOOD-FRUITS section of the 
Florilegium has a good listing of period fruits with footnotes.
Period-Fruit-art  (60K)  1/13/02    "Fruit of Period Times" by Baron
                                        Akim Yaroslavich.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-FRUITS/Period-Fruit-art.html

And I believe that Baron Akim is still on this list, he just can't post 
to it for some reason. :-(

The following is what he has to say about lemons:
> Lemons (citrus limonia) arrived in the Mediterranean later than 
> previous citrus fruits, around the end of the 1st century A.D. (80). 
> However, the lemon was not used for culinary purposes by the Romans, 
> but rather, only as a curiosity and for decorative garnish (81). 
> Lemons and limes were grown in Arab lands from the early 10th century 
> (82) from seeds brought along the trade routes from India. The Arabic 
> name for lemon was li mûm as cited in the Medical Treatise of 
> Ebembitar in 1187 A.D. (83). Like the orange, lemon disappeared from 
> Europe and was not reestablished until brought back from Arab orchards 
> during the Crusades.
> Lemon juice largely replaced verjus in late Renaissance cookery. 
> Cristoforo di Messiburgo, an Italian chef, gives a recipe (1549) for 
> marinated brill with lemon slices (84). Lemon and fish have maintained 
> this happy culinary relationship ever since.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****