[Sca-cooks] New World Foods / potato in Rumpolt?

[ranvaig at columbus.rr.com]

>David Malddon / Eduardo:
>
> > For potatoes you might want to consider referencing
> > Marx Rumpolt's book "Ein neu Kochbuch" 1581
> > where there is a potato pottage/soup/creamy stew recipe.
>I don't think there is a potato recipe in Rumpolt. I have read it several
>times on the internet, that there is a potato recipe in Rumpolt, but I haven't found
>such a recipe. Could you point me to the place?


Hmm.. Wikipedia says that in 1492, "erdapfel" referred to a globe (with no Americas between Europe and Japan).  Probably not the right reference, but interesting

http://aeiou.iicm.tugraz.at/aeiou.encyclop.e/e712473.htm;internal&action=_setlanguage.action?LANGUAGE=en
Two potato tubers were sent to C. Clusius as a curiosity for the Vienna Botanical Gardens in 1588.

In modern Austria "Erdapfel" or "earth apple" means potato.  Rumpolt has an "erdtepffel" recipe #37 in the "Zugemuß" section, in between pear and apple recipes.   No one is certain what fruit or vegetable is meant, but it probably does not mean white potato.

Very similar to recipes given for apples. It could be like applesauce, or like mashed potatoes, but is not a soup recipe.

The recipe is a little obscure.. press the stuff thru a hair cloth and THEN cut to pieces and fry in bacon?  

http://clem.mscd.edu/~grasse/GK_veggie1.htm

37. Earth apples. Peel and cut them small/ soak (simmer) them in water/ and
press it well out through a hair (fine) cloth/ chop them small/ and fry them in bacon/
that is cut small/ take a little milk thereunder/ and let it simmer therewith/
so it is good and welltasting.

Gwen Cat comments that it might be a patty pan squash.  I think an Old world gourd is more likely than an New World squash, or something else altogether, but I haven't seen anything convincing one way or another.

Ranvaig