[Sca-cooks] sometimes I love this list

[Barbara Benson]

Jadwiga > It's one of the few I'm on where there are laurels who are
willing to, and seem to see as acceptable, disagreeing with people who
post nonsense to lists.

Greetings,

Taken in context, I must assume that you are referring to the
discussion on Tomatoes that has been ....... well I just cannot think
of anything nice to say about it. ;)

Having been away from my computer for a bit, I come back to find that
the conversation has continued in my absence and I find the following
reply to yet another knowledgeable inquiry from another member of our
kingdom. I really did not want to jump into the fray but I just have
to explode somewhere - so I figured I would bring it over here.

Tomato boy>Any search will produce the fact that ceramics and artworks
produced in medieval times in Anatolia and Arab states refers to
'tomato colored' to define the red lettering. Now why would
translaters in several different languages use the same terminology?

Huh? So, because modern writers describing period art describe
something as tomato colored therefore tomatos must be period? I cannot
even follow this jump of logic at all.

>There was something used as a vegetable in early cooking and it was
red -- and in translation is called 'tomato'. Perhaps that 'food' no
longer exists and the Western tomato was used as the 'best substitute'
-- so be it, as recreationists so should we.

So, what we have is a mystery veggie that was red and no longer in
existance - and for some reason tomato is the best substitute for this
unknown item?

Hmmm, red vegtables (and/or fruits considering the tomato is a fruit)
that are easily documented into period. Going through my copy of
Tacuinum I can find Cherries, Sour Apples, Apples, Mountain Cherry,
"certain varieties of Parsnip", Beet Root, and the Jujube is described
as reddish. It is not mentioned in Tacuinum but I believe some
varieties of Yam are very much in the reddish category. I would
consider any of these items to be a substitution for an extinct
foodstuff described as red before I would consider the tomato.
 
Again, I just cannot in any way understand what type of logic this
individual is using. It makes my brain hurt. But, I do not think
furthering the conversation on the non-food list would help any - so I
thought I would vent here. Forgive me if I have offended.

Glad Tidings,
Serena