[Sca-cooks] aisel was New 'invention' of medieval food?

[Daniel Myers]

> -------- Original Message --------
> From: Sharon Palmer <ranvaig at columbus.rr.com>
> Date: Fri, August 19, 2011 8:14 pm
> 
> >(cider vinegar was called aisel).
> 
>  From OED, nothing in this definition says the word is specific to 
> cider vinegar.
> eisell, n.
> Etymology:  < Old French aisil, aissil < late Latin *ac?tillum, 
> diminutive of ac?tum vinegar. Obs.

I know this borders on blasphemy, but the OED isn't perfect.  Look at
the first sentence in the following recipe.

To torne Wyne to Vyneagyr or Ale to Aleger or syder to Aysell. Take
a pott and fyll hit Full of wyne Asell or gode Ale And stoppe well the
mowth that no thyng cum yn nor owte And do hit in A vessell full of
water and set the vessell on the fyre And let the pot of wyne boyle in
the same A long while tyll hit be turnyd.
[MS Pepys 1047, (England, ca. 1500)]

- Doc