[Sca-cooks] pease please and beans

[Lonnie D. Harvel]

Greetings Bear, et. al.

I have been doing my utmost to digest all of these pease and beans 
(sorry, couldn't resist). However, I am not sure that I have been 
successful. The following is my attempt at reducing all of this 
information to a usable table. I have also pulled extensively on the 
Florilegium, encyclopedias,  period cookbooks of which I am familiar, 
some anthropological books I have around here, and what not. My reason 
for posting this to the list is to get corrections, expansions, and more 
extensive comments.  (The table seems fairly short. )

*Bean
* 	*Period & Region
* 	*Comments
*
Fava Bean
	Used by Romans throughout their empire, continued use in the 
Mediterranean today.
	/Vicia faba: /There appears to be more than one version of the Fava 
Bean. The ones I find in Middle Eastern stores are smaller and lighter 
colored than the ones I find in mainstream Grocery stores.
Broad Bean
	Unsure of period or region
	This bean is extinct, the fava bean is an acceptable substitution.
Garbanzo Beans
	Unsure of period, used throughout the Mediterranean.
	/Cicer arietinum, chickpease, chiche, chickpea/: Apparently available 
in white and red forms with red being considered the better variety. 
(Castelvetro)
Lentils
	Available in period, but unsure of use in Europe. Widely cultivated. Of 
southwestern Asian or Eurasian descent.
	/Lens culinaris/:
Turkish Beans
	Available after the discovery of the New World. Found at least in Italy 
and probably through out Europe.
	The translator Gillian Riley (of Castelvetro) interpreted this to be 
the Runner Bean, also known as the French Bean. Similar to /Phaseolus 
vulgaris  /but perennial. (/Phaseolus coccineus, //Phaseolus 
multiflorus). /Not related to Turkey, but again a misnamed New World food..
Black-eyed Pea
	Available in period. African in origin. Available in Italy and parts of 
Europe by the 1400 (or possibly earlier).
	/Vigna unguiculata:  /Also known as cowpea and catjang. (/Vigna 
Sinensis, Vigna Catjang). /
Kidney Bean
	At least 16th century England
	/Phaseolus Smilax (Gerard)/: From Gerard's Herball, pg 1211-1216


I also pulled from the Florilegium this listing of Kidney Bean from 
Gerard's Herball (I did not check it for accuracy yet.)

1. Phaseolus Albus - Garden or White kidney bean
2. Phaseolus Niger - Black Kidney bean
3. Smilax hortensus rubra - Red Kidney bean
4. Smilax hortensus flava - Pale yellow Kidney Bean
5. Phaseolus peregrinus fructu minore alba - Indian Kidney Bean with
a small white fruit
6.Phaseolus peregrinus fructa minore frutescens - Indian Kidney Bean
with a small red fruit
7. Phaseolus prergrinus augustifolius - Narrow leafed Kidnay bean
(with a small red fruit)
8.Phaseolus Brasilianus - Kidney Bean of Brazil
9. Phaseolus Egyptanicus - Parti-coloured bean of Egypt.


Pax,
Aoghann
<>"As is often the case, the more you dig, the more confusing things
become..." Adamantius