[Sca-cooks] A reference Please?

[Terry Decker]

You might start with a recipe from Harleian 279,  "To make Steyks of venson 
or bef. Take Venyson or Bef, & leche & gredyl it up broun; then take Vynegre 
& a litel verious, & a lytil Wyne, and put pouder perpir ther-on y-now, and 
pouder Gyngere; and atte the dressoure straw on pouder Canelle y-now, that 
the steyks be al y-helid ther-wyth, and but a litel Sawce; & then serue it 
forth."

The mixture of vinegar, verjuice and wine appears to be used as a basting 
sauce with pepper and ginger sprinkled on for seasoning.  Cinnamon is added 
just before serving.

Somewhat earlier, Apicius (269) provides, "Aliter assaturas; petroselini 
scripulos VI, laser scripulos VI, gingiberis scripulos VI, lauri bacas V, 
condimenti, laseris radicen scripulos VI, origani scripulos VI, ciperis 
scripulos VI, costi modice, piretri scripulos III, apii seminis scripulos 
VI, piperis scripulos XII, liquaminis et olei quod sufficit."

"Another way to roast meast; Six scruples of parsley, six scruples of 
silhium, six scruples of ginger, five bay berries, seasonings, six scruples 
of silphium root, six scruples of oregano, six scruples of cyperus, a bit of 
costus root, six scruples pyrethrum, six scruples of celery seed, twelve 
scruples of pepper, sufficient garum and oil."  Whether this is a marinade 
or a baste is open to question.  I suspect it may have been used in both 
manners.  The liquid portion of the recipe are olive oil and garum or 
liquimen, fermented fish sauces that take the place of vinegar.

Bear

> Hi all- quick question-
> do any of you learned and generous people have a handy reference
> to when (or if) oil and vinegar sauces turned into pre-cooking marinades?
> All I need is a starting point.. Thanks in advance, Betsy