[Sca-cooks] When is it Plagiarism and When is it a Redaction?

[Johnna Holloway]

Have they published their version? Do they want to publish their  
version?
Compare to the Wortes recipe here:
http://www.godecookery.com/chaucer/chfeast8.htm
  file http://www.al-sahid.org/archives/2006%2002.doc.

Or go back to the original version published by Hieatt and Butler
in Pleyn Delit which appeared more than 30 years ago.

Where did they start? Did they go back to Harl. 4016 and the original  
recipe?
(Did they know it's in Pleyn Delit? Did they do a recipe search?)

Buttered Wortes. ¶ Take al maner of good herbes that thou may gete,  
and do bi ham as is forsaid; putte hem on̄ þe fire witℏ faire  
water; put þere-to clarefied buttur a grete quantite. Whan̄ thei  
ben̄ boyled ynogℏ, salt hem; late none otemele come there-in. Dise  
brede smaƚƚ in disshes, and powre on̄ þe wortes, and serue hem  
fortℏ. Two fifteenth-century cookery-books.

Their version should probably expand and improve upon the modern  
redactions
if they want any legitimate hope of calling the recipe their own.
Do they offer a commentary? Which greens? Which work best? Can you  
open up a packaged salad
mix and make this dish?

Add timing instructions. How long does it take? What do you cook them  
in?
Large skillet? Saucepan? Do you serve them in a flat dish or a 2 quart  
bowl?
You should always also wash the greens/vegies or say "washed".

And why did they substitute olive oil for the butter?

Johnnae


On Feb 5, 2010, at 10:23 AM, Elise Fleming wrote:

> Greetings!  I think I know the answer, but I thought I would see  
> what you all had to say.  I have been reading someone's work where  
> the person says that the item is their "redaction" from someone  
> else's recipe.  The differences between the original and the  
> "redaction" are (to me) exceedingly minor.  What would you say?
>
> Here is the modern version of a recipe:
>
> 8 cups of any combination of spinach, cabbage, beet greens, onion,
>   leeks, parsley, etc., chopped
> 1 stick (1/4 lb.) of butter
> salt to taste
> 1 cup diced bread or unseasoned croutons
>
> Cover greens with water; add butter and bring to a boil; add salt.  
> Reduce heat & cook until vegetables are tender; drain. Place bread  
> or croutons in serving bowl and cover with cooked greens.
>
> Here is what someone has called their redaction of the recipe, above:
>
> 8 cups of any combination of spinach, cabbage, beet greens, onions,
>   leeks, parsley, etc., chopped
> 4 Tablespoons olive oil (you can use 1 stick (1/4 lb.) unsalted butter
> Salt to taste (use sea salt)
>
> Cover greens with water; add butter or oil and bring to a boil; add  
> salt.  Reduce heat and cook until vegetables are tender; drain.  
> (Author’s redaction)
>
> Would the second person be said have plagiarized the first recipe?   
> Or are the few changes enough to make the recipe "their own"?
>
> Alys K.