[Sca-cooks] Rumpolt's Earth Apples

[Lilinah]

emilio szabo wrote:
>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?

 From the 1581 "Ein new Kockbuch" by Marx Rumpolt:

Original German:
http://www.mittelalterlich-kochen.de/REZEPTE/03_10.html
37. Erdepffel. Schel und schneidt sie klein / quell sie in Wasser / 
unnd druck es wol auss durch ein Harin Tuch / hack sie klein / und 
rosst sie in Speck / der klein geschnitten ist / nim ein wenig Milch 
darunter / und lass damit sieden / so wirt es gut und wolgeschmack.
(i've removed diacritical marks and special characters)

English translation:
http://clem.mscd.edu/~grasse/GK_veggie1.htm
Earth apples. Peel and cut them small, simmer them in water and press 
it well out (strain it?) through a 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 well-tasting.

---

We've discussed this topic, and this very recipe, on this list within 
my memory. Since "erdapfel" is potato in modern German, some folks 
assumed this was a white potato recipe. However, Thomas Gloning, the 
food scholar formerly on this list, believed it referred to something 
else in the 16th C. His discussions can be found in the Florilegium:
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-VEGETABLES/potatoes-msg.html

Other mentions on the net include:
http://theoldfoodie.blogspot.com/2006/07/feasting-with-hemingway.html

(erdepffle - a gourd? a fungus? something else?)

Given how late the Andean potato arrived in Europe (around mid-16th 
century) and how inconclusive the evidence is for its use (some 
evidence that a few daring men eat them, no evidence of their common 
and frequent use), i certainly am not going to be cooking them for an 
SCA feast until there's more concrete information, and i would not 
encourage anyone to cook them.

I LOVE to eat potatoes. But, sheesh, folks, we can eat them every day 
of the year when we're not at an SCA event. Why serve them at an SCA 
event?

And there are so many other wonderful vegetable recipes that we have 
not yet fully explored: so many wonderful and forgotten vegetables 
(parsnip!); and some quite tasty recipes for more familiar ones. Why 
would we even want to cook white potatoes for the SCA? Eat them 
during the other 300-plus days, instead.

Step away from the dining safety zone... Step away from the dining 
safety zone...
-- 
Urtatim (that's err-tah-TEEM)
the persona formerly known as Anahita

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