[Sca-cooks] cheese cakes

[Stefan li Rous]

Devra commented:
<<< Mary Morman published the recipes in a CD I used to distribute,  
along with the papers that were presented at the event. I'll type in  
the cheesecake recipe when I get back from Birka...>>>

I've got that CD too, but right now I'm not quite sure where it is.

Here is a recipe from this Florilegium file, that might be it.
cheesecake-msg    (52K)  1/12/08    Medieval cheesecake. Recipes.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD/cheesecake-msg.html

If it isn't, well perhaps it or others in this file might still be of  
interest.

====
From: maddie teller-kook <meadhbh at io.com>
Newsgroups: rec.org.sca
Subject: Re: Is cheesecake period?
Date: Wed, 23 Oct 1996 18:18:58 -0500

Bryan J. Maloney wrote:

 > > I do know of a cheesecake recipe in a Roman cookbook I have.   
The recipe
 > > is one from Cato.  It is very simple and tasty.
 >
 > Could you give the original from Cato, not the attribution?

Here it is in Latin:    Savillum (Cato 84)

Savillum hoc modo facito: Farinae selibram, casei P. II S una cmmisceto
quasi libum, addito mellis P.  et ovum unum.  Catinum fictile oleo
unguito.  Ubi omnia bene comiscueris, in catinum indito, catinum testo
operito.  Videto ut bene percocas medio, ubi altissimum est.  Ubi,
coctum erit, catinum eximito, melle unguito, papaver infriato, sub
testum subde paulisper, postea eximito.  Ita pone cum catillo et lingua.

The redaction in the text is:

1 2/3 lbs ricotta (or other soft cheese)
1 cup flour
6 Tablespoons honey
1 egg
2 tablespoons poppy seeds
(my addition: toasted pine nuts)

Blend the cheese with the flour, 4 tbsp honey and egg.  Grease a baking
pan with oil and pour in the mixture, and bake in a hot oven (400
degrees F) for 20-30 minutes.  Cover with aluminum foil for the first 15
minutes so the surface will not burn.

Remove from the oven. Drizzle with the remaining honey over the surface
and sprinkle with poppy seeds.  Replace in the oven for 5 minutes, then
remove and serve.

From:  Giacosa, Ilaria Gozzini, "A Taste of Ancient Rome", University of
Chicago Press, Chicago. 1992  p 163.

Enjoy!
meadhbh
=======
Date: Thu, 11 Jan 2001 17:12:23 -0500
From: Elaine Koogler <ekoogler at chesapeake.net>
Subject: Re: SC - Duello by Cheese Cake; High Noon in Trimaris,  
Spoons at the  Ready

Bronwynmgn at aol.com wrote:
 > phelpsd at gate.net writes:
 > << Does anyone wish to provide recipes for
 >  possible consideration by the protagonists? >>
 >
 > I used this one quite successfully at an event this past fall.
 >
 > To Make Cheesecakes
 > >From The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby, Opened, published  
posthumously in 1669

And then, to go to the other end, actually outside of, our period,  
there is
Cato's Savillum:

Make a savillum thus: Mix 1l2 libra of flour and 2 1/2 librae of  
cheese, as is
done for libum. Add 1/4 libra of honey and 1 egg. Grease an  
earthenware bowl with oil. When you have mixed the ingredients well,  
pour into the bowl and cover the bowl with an earthenware testo. See  
that you cook it well in the middle, where it is highest. When it is  
cooked, remove the bowl, spread with honey, sprinkle with poppy, put  
it back beneath the testo for a moment, and then remove. Serve it  
thus with a plate and spoon.

The redaction I used came from A Taste of Ancient Rome by Illaria  
Giacosa (I
think):

7 1/4 pounds ricotta or other soft cheese
1 1/8 quarts flour
1 5/8 cups honey
4 3/8 each egg
   1/2 cup poppy seeds

Blend the cheese with the flour,1 cup + 1 Tablespoon of honey and  
egg. Grease a
baking pan with oil, pour in the mixture and bake in a hot oven(400  
F) for 20-30
minutes. Cover with aluminum foil for the first 10-15 minutes so that  
the surtace does not burn.

Remove from the oven. Drizzle the remaining honey over the surtace  
and sprinkle
with poppy seeds.  Replace in the oven for 5 minutes, then remove and  
serve.

This is great fun as folks are blown away by a cheesecake recipe from  
Roman
times!  It is also VERY tasty!

Kiri
======


--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****