[Sca-cooks] Query about verjus...urgent!!

[James Prescott]

The Vatican Library MS of Viandier (my translation) gives green wheat (one
presumes the leaves) as a colourant not as a source of verjuice per se:

"159. Herbs for giving a green colour.
Parsley, avens, sorrel, vine leaf or shoots, gooseberry bush, and green wheat
in winter."


In an example that uses sorrel as both a colourant and flavouring, we see that
the sorrel leaves are strained out.  Some of the sourness from the sorrel, as
well as the green colour, will remain in the sauce.  Presumably something
similar would be done when using green wheat leaves as a colourant.

"216. Green Verjuice [Sauce].
Take sorrel including the stem, steep in some other verjuice, strain [through
cheesecloth], and add a bread crust so that it does not turn. (A 1490 printed
edition quoted by Pichon et al., p. 194.)"


Thorvald



At 1:36 PM -0600 12/6/10, Terry Decker wrote:
>  Verjuice derives from the Old French "verd" which means both 
> "unripe" and "green" (as in the color green), as near as I can tell.
>
>  That being said, Taillevent says the following, "The following for 
> a green colour (or to give a tart taste):  parsley, herb bennet, 
> sorrel, vine leaves or vine shoots, currants, or green wheat in 
> winter.  For steeping:  white wine, verjuice, vinegar, water, 
> greasy broth, cow's milk and almond milk." (Sculley, The Viander of 
> Taillevent)
>
>  I think that the verjus of green wheat may be referring to a green 
> colored juice rather than the verjus made of unripe fruit.
>
>  Bear
>
>  ----- Original Message -----
>  Hi folks,
>  Got a question:  has anyone ever heard of verjus being either made out of,
>  or containing green wheat?  I can't find any references to it but my
>  knowledge, resources and experience may be limited!
>
>  If you could respond right away, I'd be grateful!!
>
>  Kiri