[Sca-cooks] Evidence of tomato eating in late 16th century Italy/Germany?

[Sam Wallace]

"On the other hand, with tomatoes and some other very late period 
foodstuffs, while we have evidence that they were eaten we don't know 
much about how. Does anyone have an actual period recipe using tomatoes? 
Potatoes? Maize? Peanuts?"

For a little more direct answer concerning potatoes, I point you to the 
following from Lancelot de Casteau's Ouverture de Cuisine:

Tartoufle boullye.
Prennez tartoufle bien lauee, & la mettez boullir dedans eau, estant 
cuite il la faut peler & coupper par tranches, beurre fondu par dessus, 
& poiure.

Boiled potatoes.
Take well washed potatoes, & put to boil in water, being cooked they 
must be peeled & cut into strips, melted butter on top, & pepper.

Tartoufle autrement.
Conppez [>Couppez] la tartoufle par tranches comme dessus, & la mettez 
esteuuer auec vin d'Espagne & nouueau beure, & noix muscade.

Potatoes otherwise.
Cut the potato into strips as above, & put it to stew with Spanish wine 
& new butter, & nutmegs.

Autrement.
Prennez la tartoufle par tranches, & mettez esteuuer auec beurre, 
mariolaine haschee, du persin: puis prennez quatre ou cinq iaulnes 
d'oeuf battus auec vn peu de vin, & iettez le dessus tout en bouillant, 
& tirez arriere du feu, & seruez ainsi.

Otherwise.
Take the potato in strips, & put to stew with butter, hashed marjoram, 
parsley: then take four or five egg yolks beaten with a little wine, & 
throw on top all while boiling, & pull off of the fire, & serve thus.

Autrement.
Mettez rostir la tartoufle dedans le cendres chaudes comme on cuit les 
castaignes, puis la faut peler & coupper par tranches, mettez sus mente 
haschee, des carentines boullies par dessus, & vinaigre, vn peu de 
poiure, & seruez ainsi.

Otherwise.
Put the potato to roast into the hot cinders as one cooks chestnuts, 
then you must peel & cut it into strips, put hashed mint under, boiled 
currants over, & vinegar, a little pepper, & serve thus.

- Guillaume