[Sca-cooks] Taro was Posting Menu- Trimaris Spring Coronation

[Terry Decker]

> Bear-
>
> I fully realize that frying the taro in olive oil was not the traditional 
> Roman way of preparing them, at least not as reflected in this 
> manuscript.
>
> My "inspiration" for this dish is Recipe #322 in the Vehling translation 
> (1936 edition)
>
> In Colocasio
>
> "For the colocasium use pepper, cumin, rue, honey, or broth, and a little 
> oil, when done bind with roux Colocasium is the root of the Egyptian Bean 
> which is used exclusively."
>
> I chose to separate this recipe into two components: the taro root itself 
> and the sauce, which I'm serving on the side for dipping.
>
> What's the best way to get people to try a vegetable they've never heard 
> of before? Either cook it with bacon or deep-fry it. I chose to deep fry 
> it. This feast is already pushing the boundaries of "weird" for a Crown 
> that is not very adventurous, and if deep-frying a vegetable instead of 
> steaming it is going to get people to step outside of their comfort zones 
> and something new with the flavors of the authentic dish? I'll choose the 
> less authentic manner of preparation. Would I enter it in ArtSci? Nope.
>
> Madhavi

I thought that was the case.  I hope you thought to warn your testers that 
your "period french fries" are a personal modification of the Apician recipe 
and should not be confused with  a truly accurate recreation of a historic 
recipe.

Vehling 74 (F&R 68) is probably a more accurate method of preparation. 
However, Davidson connects taro to the Arabic "qulqas" (with a dash above 
the a).  It might be interesting to see if we can find a recipe similar to 
yours in the Arabic texts.

You have me interested in a little experimentation.  Here's hoping I get the 
time.

Bear