[Sca-cooks] pistachio marzipan?

[James Prescott]

At 16:46 -0500 2006-10-13, Stefan li Rous wrote:
>  'Lainie mentioned:
>  "Lessee what I can remember... Gyngerbrede, shortbread,
>  marzipan, pistachio marzipan, White Torta, candied orange peels, apricot
>  roses, some almond and honey candy..."
>
>  "pistachio marzipan"? I assume, since you also mention just
>  "marzipan" that this is marzipan made using pistachios, rather than
>  almonds?
>
>  I don't seem to have any info in the Florilegium on "pistachio
>  marzipan". Is there actually a period recipe or mention of this? Or
>  is this just a modern variation? I assume part of the trick is to
>  find unsalted pistachios. I've found them out of the shell, but I
>  think these were salted.


"Ouverture de Cuisine" by Lancelot de Casteau (Liege 1604) has two
recipes for sugar nut mixtures, neither strictly a marzipan since
(among other things) the nuts are chopped coarsely rather than
ground finely.  One is made using pine nuts, and one is made using
pistachios.  The pistachios are removed from the shells, soaked
in hot water to make them green, chopped coarsely, then dried
before being added to a sugar/rose water/egg white syrup.


Thorvald