[Sca-cooks] Pre-1600 recipes for "anchient grains"

[Honour Horne-Jaruk]

Respected friends:


--- On Mon, 4/5/10, Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com> wrote:
(much snippage)
Is your info on millet polenta medieval? I think I only have info on wheat and maize polenta, so I'd like to see your info on millet polenta.

Stefan

I encountered, years ago, a book in which much was made of the cutting down of chestnut trees in Italy, and the consequent complaints of the poor that they could no longer make polenta. That led to my finding these recipes:

http://bendaniel.org/?p=45#more-45

http://www.academiabarilla.com/recipes/toscana/pattona-chestnut-cake.aspx

As you can see, the techniques are very different. But the common factor is the use of chestnuts before the introduction of maize. The latter produced so much more salable product, with so much less labor, that the vast chestnut groves were not long for this world once Italy had maize.
There are several other recipes using chestnuts from Italy, but I don't know how old they are.

Yours in service to both the Societies of which I am a member-

(Friend) Honour Horne-Jaruk, R.S.F.

Alizaundre de Brebeuf, C.O.L. S.C.A.- AKA Una the wisewoman, or That Pict



Debeo videre quid in capsa frigorifica