[Sca-cooks] RE: Basque Food

[Terry Decker]

> Bear commented:
>> Paella is more likely Catlan than Basque as the word comes into  Spanish 
>> from
>> Old French by way of Catalonian.  As for the modern recipe, no  earlier 
>> than
>> the 8th Century, in my estimation.
>
> Based on what? What makes you think it is even prior to 1600 CE?
>
> Stefan

The modern recipe uses rice.  Rice arrives in Spain in the 8th or 9th 
Centuries, so the dish can not be earlier then 8th Century.  I did not state 
that the recipe was pre-17th Century, merely that it could not be prior to a 
certain date.

Do I think paella predates 1600?  Yes.  The dish is fairly simple to make. 
There is a similar dish without rice in Apicius and the nomenclature for 
similar dishes in the Middle East suggests that they were prepared there 
prior to the 17th Century.  I haven't had time to check various cookbooks or 
references, but I will when I have time.

Bear