[Sca-cooks] Natural Magick as a Culinary source?

[Barbara Benson]

Greetings,

I have been doing research on the Camera Obscura which led me to
peruse the text "Natural Magick" by Giambattista della Porta. Some
good person is fascinated enough with the text that he has webbed not
only the entirety of the original Latin, but also the entirety of an
English translation from 1658. His website is:
http://homepages.tscnet.com/omard1/jportat5.html

There are many fascinating items in this text, including sections on
household items and cookery. Just for fun I looked through the
sections and did not find anything that resembled actual recipes - but
it was interesting none the less. Now the question is, how on if we
should consider this source. If anyone else would like to take a look
and venture an opinion that would be great.

One of the most significant culinary things that I noticed was on the
following page:

http://homepages.tscnet.com/omard1/jportac4.html#bk4XVIII

In the ancient days they made Bread of diverse kinds of Corn and
Pulse, it would be needless to repeat them, for you may find them in
the books of the Ancients, and there can be no error in making them. 
In Campania, very sweet Bread is made of Millet.  Also the people of
Sarmatia are chiefly fed with this Bread, and with the raw Meal
tempered with Mares Milk, or Blood drawn out of the veins of their
legs.  The Ethiopians know no other Corn then Millet and Barley.  Some
parts of France use Panick, but chiefly Aquitane.  But Italy about Po,
add Beans to it, without which they make nothing.  The people of
Pontus prefer no meat before Panick.  Panick Meal now adays is
neglected by us and out of use, for it is dry and of small
nourishment.  Of Millet Bread and cakes are made, but they are heavy
and hard of digestion and clammy to eat.  Unless they be eaten
presently when they are newly baked, or hot, else they become heavy
and compact together.
****[emphasis by me]
Of the Indian Mais, heavy Bread is made and not pleasant at all, very
dry and earthy next to Millet.
****
Like to this is Bread called Exsergo, that is also void of nutrimental
juice.  There was also of old Bread called Ornidos, made of a certain
seed of Ethiopia, so like Sesamum that it is hard to know them
asunder. Also...

Is this a reference to Europeans making a sort of bread out of Maize
in period? Has anyone seen anything like this?

I just thought I would bring it up here - possibly this road has been
traveled before and I missed it. Or it could be complete bunk. I
figured the people here would be the best equipped to figure this out.

Glad Tidings,
Serena da Riva