[Sca-cooks] Source review - Charles Potter's translation of Messisbugo

Johnna Holloway johnnae at mac.com
Thu Aug 27 10:45:14 PDT 2009


Raphaella DiContini wrote as regards  Master Basilius Phocas's Libro 
Novo cd.

> Greetings, 
>    My apologies if this resource has already been reviewed here. 
> the 1549 Bancetti, the 1564 Libro Novo and a printed out copy 

of both with his translation of some of the recipe section of the book. 
snipped
>   
It's been reviewed and mentioned although it was probably in the old
archives that disappeared. Reviews are always welcome and I am sure that 
Stefan will gladly place this one into the Florilegium.
>    In addition to the menus there is also a page of Italian weights and measures 

from the middle ages to the nineteenth century.

I haven't had a chance yet to compare these to the ones listed in the 
new translation of Scappi,

but I have some question about the measurements as translated from 
Scappi anyway. :)
>   
The comparison of weights and measures in Scappi to what Scully
presented has already been done by Louise Smithson who is known as
Baroness Helewyse de Birkestad, OL. We had a number of discussions about
the issue on this list early in 2009. You can read those posts in the
SCA Cooks List archives.
http://lists.ansteorra.org/pipermail/sca-cooks-ansteorra.org/  and
search under Scappi.

A number of us had waited years for this translation to appear and had
been tracking it very eagerly. You'll see our posts on the topic in the 
archives too.
(Well, anyway Helewyse and I had been tracking it for at least 4 years
through two different presses and numerous delays.)

Anyway-- See http://www.geocities.com/helewyse/Lost_in_Translation.html
for her article Lost in Translation which looks at the issue of weights 
and measures.
>   
>    I'm not tied to Mr. Potter in anyway, I'm just a happy customer 

and thought I'd share my review.

If you'd like to contact him regarding his work let me know

and I will happily pass on his email address

(I wasn't sure if it was appropriate to just post it here).
>
>   
He's a Midrealm Laurel of course so his information is available already
at http://laurel.midrealm.org/peer_new.php?input=22.
> In joyous service, 
> Raffaella 
>   
Hope this helps,

Johnnae



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