[Sca-cooks] Re: ancient Roman cookery

[Lonnie D. Harvel]

OK, I am now confused... (no surprise there)

Some sources say that the ancient Laser is Laserpitium, others say that 
it is Asafoetida, another says that Laserpitium's name was changed to 
Asafetida. The taste of these, however, are described quite differently. 
(Laser vs. Laserwort?)

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Asafoetida, from the epicentre:
http://www.theepicentre.com/Spices/asafetid.html
Asafoetida is a hard resinous gum, grayish-white when fresh, darkening 
with age to yellow, red and eventually brown. It is sold in blocks or 
pieces as a gum and more frequently as a fine yellow powder, sometimes 
crystalline or granulated.
*Bouquet:* a pungent smell of rotting onions or sulfur. The smell 
dissipates with cooking.
*Flavour: *on its own, extremely unpleasant, like concentrated rotten 
garlic. When cooked, it adds an onion-like flavour.

Other Names:
Asafetida, Assafetida, Assafoetida, Devil’s Dung, Devil’s Durt, Food of 
the Gods (Persian), Laser (Roman), Stinking Gum
/French: /assa foetida, ferulr perisque
/German:/ Asafotida, Stinkender Asant
/Italian: /assafetida
/Spanish:/ asafetida
/Afghan: /kama-i-anguza
/Indian: /hing, hingu, heeng
/Tamil: /perunkaya

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Laserpititum from "Plants for a Future" website:
http://www.ibiblio.org/pfaf/cgi-bin/arr_html?Laserpitium+latifolium&CAN=COMIND
Common name: 	Laserwort 	Family: 	Umbelliferae

Root - used as a flavouring[2, 105, 177]. It was used by the Romans with 
cumin in order to season preserved artichokes[183].
A decoction of the seeds is used in beer[183].

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 From Gernot Katzer's Spice Pages:


  Silphion



*http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/generic_frame.html?Silphion.htmlSynonyms*

    In ancient Roman cookbooks, the spice was termed /silphion/,
    /silphium/ or /laserpitium/ (also /laser/); later, the last name was
    transferred to asafetida
    <http://www.uni-graz.at/%7Ekatzer/engl/Feru_ass.html> (which was
    considered an inferior substitute). 
*Used plant part*

    Some kind of resin obtained by cutting the root or the stalk;
    occasionally, leaves and root were eaten as a vegetable.

*Plant family*

    Apiaceae
    <http://www.uni-graz.at/%7Ekatzer/engl/spice_bot.html#Apiaceae>
    (parsley family).

*Sensory quality*

    Unknown, but extremely pleasing.

    Silphion was not only used as a spice, but also as a powerful herbal
    medicine and even for birth control.

*Main constituents*

    Unknown.

*Origin*

    Northern Africa, about today's Libya. Several North African cities
    controlled the silphion trade and built their wealth thereon
    (Carthage, Kyrene); apparently, the product became known only after
    the foundation of Kyrene in the 7.th century.

*Etymology*

    Greek /silphion/ [σίλφιον] is probably a Semitic loan