[Sca-cooks] period marshmallow references?

[Johnna Holloway]

Laura Mason in Sugar-Plums and Sherbet has an entire chapter on
liquorice and marshmallow. see pages 164-177. She mentions
Alessio's one conserve to prevent coughing contains marshmallow.
Looking up Alessio, one finds several mentions.
This is from the fourth volume pub. in 1569.

"A remedie against infection of the lunges, and the Ptisick.

TAke of the leaues and séedes of marsh Mallowes, and boyle them in milke
or wine: of the which, giue the sicke to drinke euery morning, and he
will be hole."

It's also used in other remedies: "Against the disease Gonorrhea.

TAke of mundified Liqueris, of Alchechengi berries, of Iuiubes, of the
rootes of marsh Mallowes, of eche halfe an ounce, of Mellon séedes one
ounce, of the iuice of Liqueris fiue drammes, braye them a little, and
boyle them in foure pintes of water of Mellons, and Alchechengi, vntill
the fourth part of the water be consumed, and being streyned, kéepe it
to giue vn|to the sicke to drinke."

"To heale the sores of the mouth, and throte.

TAke of the leaues of marsh Mallowes, and boyle them in wine and Honye,
putting therevnto Roche Allum, and being strayned, let it stande to
coole, and with that decoction cause the diseased to wash his mouth and
his throte oftentimes, and it will heale him."

The noble arte of venerie or hunting from 1575 calls for in cures
for dogs.

A rich store-house or treasury for the diseased by A.T. from 1596 has
"A Medicine for an Ache, or shrinking of any Sinewes.
TAke the tenderings of Rosemary, & marsh mallowes, by as euen portions
as you can gesse, and gather your hearbes when they be drie, from any
raine and dewe: Beate them in a morter very small, then take Maie butter
well clarified, and put it to the hearbes, and mingle it in a vessell,
and then let it stand foure daies, then set it ouer the fier and let it
seeth till all the strength of the hearbs be gone, then take a little of
it in a spoone, and let it drop vpon your nasle, and if it be greene as
the Emerauld, it is perfect, and then put it into an earthen pot, and
when you will vse it, you must warme it." Chapter 5 pp. 2

A good explanation is provided by Gervase Markham in his translation of
Maison rustique, or The countrey farme. From the 1616 edition-

"There may likewise conserue be made of the root of Elecampane after this
man|ner: Make verie cleane the roots of Elecampane, as wee haue said,
and cut them in small slices, infuse them a long time vpon hot embers in
water, and after to boile them so long, as till they be tender •odden:
then stampe them and straine them through a Linnen cloth or Strainer,
and in the end boyle them vp with thrice as much Honey or Sugar.

You may in like manner preserue and conserue manie other roots, as
Gentian, Pio|nie, Corne-flag, wild Vine, Parsneps, Althaea, or marsh
Mallowes, Turneps, Carrets, Radishes, Naue•s, Caraway, Eringus, and such
other like, all which will be the more pleasant, if you put vnto the
conserued or pre•erued a little Cinnamon.

Lastly, be it knowne, that by this word confected, preseruing, or
confection, is to be vnderstood the remaining of the root or other thing
(whatsoeuer it is that is pre|serued or confected) whole: and by the
word conserue, or conserued, is to be vn|derstood that manner of
ordering things, whereby they are stamped and beaten verie small."

It's also mentioned in Gerald and Culpepper.

----------
I have made gelatin marshmallows, but have never started with the
actual plant.

Hope this helps--

Johnnae
>
>   
>>  I'd love to see more details on these marshmallow lozenges
>> or references to them. Do we have any actual recipes or directions
>> for these? Has anyone here actually tried to make these treats?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>    Stefan
>