[Sca-cooks] Sawdust/wood shavings in recipes?

[JIMCHEVAL at aol.com]

A recipe from Cato includes "virga lauri deradito"; that is, shaved laurel  
(bay) wands or twigs
 
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k2820632.image.r=mustaceum.f41.langEN
 
"Virga" has several meanings, none of which include "bark"

http://books.google.com/books?id=M1dFAAAAYAAJ&lpg=PA923&ots=XH1UiCM2-z&dq=vi
rga%20twig&pg=PA923#v=onepage&q&f=false
 
but one translator has used that sense for the above.

So as far as I can see, yes, one is meant to use wood shavings in this  
recipe for cakes given at weddings (not wedding cakes, per se). I suppose one  
could make a tenuous connection with "virgo" (virgin) in this case, but that 
 seems strained.
 
Has anyone found wood shavings in recipes, Medieval or otherwise?
 
Jim  Chevallier
_www.chezjim.com_ (http://www.chezjim.com/) 

Beyond Apicius:  alternate sources on Roman food
_http://leslefts.blogspot.com/2014/04/beyond-apicius-alternate-sources-on.ht
ml_ 
(http://leslefts.blogspot.com/2014/04/beyond-wine-water-and-beer-what-else.html)