[Sca-cooks] Indian Maize in Italy in period??????

[Adele de Maisieres]

Elaine Koogler wrote:

  Duke Cosimo,
> ordering Pierfrancesco Riccio to have   "Indian" grain  planted in the 
> field below the Vivaio in the     garden at the Villa  at Castello.
>    Extract: [...] Scrivere al Maiordomo  [Pierfrancesco Riccio] che    
> faccia sementare il campo  ch'? sotto il vivaio a Castello    de' grani 
> d'India  Wanda
> 
> 
> Comments???  Could they be using the term "maize" or "Indian Maize" the 
> same way other writers used the term, "corn"...i.e., just another 
> reference to a kind of flour, but not to what we know as corn?


I think that's interesting, but doesn't especially upset the apple cart 
in terms of when corn appeared for culinary use.

What I'd be interested to know is whether this was a serious, 
food-producing planting, or essentially an experimental one.


-- 
Adele de Maisieres

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Habeo metrum - musicamque,
hominem meam. Expectat alium quid?
-Georgeus Gershwinus
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