[Sca-cooks] Libro Novo/Rice Question

[Barbara Benson]

Greetings,

I am having a bit of difficulty digging something up and was hoping
that some good gentle might be able to assist me. I am working on
finding a rice dish for my Norman/Sicilian feast and getting
frustrated.

In Clifford Wright's book Mediterranean Feast he makes the following statement:
"I believe that the dish was once a kind of saffron pilaf known among
the Jeas and Arabs of medieval Sicily who traveled north. As early as
the sixteenth century, the Renaissance chef Cristoforo da Messisburgo
had claimed that he thought rissoto con lo zaffrano was born in
Sicily." His website is just a repeat of what is in the book.

If my brain is not completely betraying me isn't Cristoforo the guy
responsible for Libro Novo? I do not have a copy of that and if anyone
does I was wondering if they could take a look see and share the rice
recipe being referred to (if it exists).

Anything to confirm or deny this line of research would be completely
welcome. I have poked about the Flori-thingie with very little
success, and searching for any of the above keywords mostly brings me
to websites in Italian - which is not particularly helpful.

Glad Tidings,

--Serena da Riva
Barony of the South Downs, Meridies