[Sca-cooks] Period Portable Lunch Foods

Terry Decker t.d.decker at att.net
Thu Feb 12 15:24:44 PST 2009


Skirret is Sium sisarum, a sweet root originating in Asia.  It predates 
sweet potatoes in Europe and may be the siser mentioned in Pliny.  Since the 
plant is referred to as "suikerwortel" in Dutch, it is very likely the 
Zucker Wurtzel referenced in Rumpolt (IIRC).

Indianisch is usually attached to plants believed to come from India, as 
appears in Fuchs with capsicum peppers, but originating in the West Indies. 
BTW, sweet potaoes don't turn up in Fuchs although they were being eaten in 
some parts of Europe at the time.   The usage of Zuckerwurzel for sweet 
potato was likely a dialectic transfer as Die Batata became more available 
and skirrets fell out of favor.

The yellow carrot is likely to be just that, a carrot.  Yellow is one of the 
naturally occuring colors.  Orange carrots are a Dutch hybrid originating 
between the 16th and 18th Centuries and recorded in the 18th Century (as I 
remember the dates).

Bear


> German is a beast, the older the more vague the meanings (nowa days)
> Wurtzel just means root, but unfortunately it can mean almost every root 
> vegetable that localy was just called a root. Sometimes Carrots, yellow 
> roots/turnips (sort of yellow carrot, not as sweet, no idea what the 
> propper english name is), parsnip, parsley,...name it
>
> what do you mean by skirret?
>
> Zucker wurtzel, indianisch (the picture you have) is sweet potato.
>
> katharina
>
>>
>> In some German dialects, Wurzel refers to carrots, although more 
>> correctly
>> it would be Gelbwurzel, IIRC.  Skirret also fills the bill.
>>
>> Bear
>>
>>>> > Some cold menu items:
>>>>> Sugar root salad.
>>>>
>>>>Do you know what this would be?
>>>> (great list, btw - has given me lots of ideas for summer picnics...)
>>>
>>> This is a literal translation of "Zucker Wurtzel Salat".  At the time I
>>> couldn't find anything more, but I just found a 1696 Image that equates 
>>> it
>>> with Sisarum Peruvianum.  Sisarum is Skirret is known in period, 
>>> although
>>> presumably not the Peruvian sort.  So perhaps Skirret.. perhaps not.
>>>
>>> http://jcb.lunaimaging.com/luna/servlet/detail/JCB~1~1~5720~8450007:-lower-right--Indianische-Zucker=wu
>>>
>>> Ranvaig




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