[Sca-cooks] The pumpkin/gourd debate (again) from the apothecary'sworkshop

[margaret]

This is a place where it would be useful to have the associated text in the 
original language.  In Medieval Latin, the term "citrullum" (see Platina) 
refers to a yellow cucumber (or possibly a melon, as Pliny ignored the 
difference).   This derives from "citrinus" or "yellow."  I suspect that 
"citrule" is a variant of "citrullus," which, depending on the context, 
could be a variant of "citrouille" or may refer to a cucumber of watermelon 
(as in Citrullus lanatus).

 Bear


> There is oft mention in medical texts of the 4 cold seeds. Which appear to
> be: melon, cucumber, gourd, which are fine, to which pumpkin is added.
>
> The source is in period (1574) so I'm wondering whether "citrouille"
> (pumpkin) and "citrule" (either a spelling variant or something completely
> different) may have referred to something different in period.
>
> Thanks!
>
> Petru