[Sca-cooks] Parsnips
Terry Decker
t.d.decker at att.net
Mon Oct 6 07:18:07 PDT 2014
I've checked a series of herbals, including Gerard and Culpepper and there
is no reference to parsnips being used as sweetener. However, Gerard gives
a pointer to Hugh Plat. I think Gerard is referencing Plat's work on how to
alleviate hunger among the poor, but Plat also provides this:
60. Sweet Cakes without either spice or sugar.
Scrape and wash your Parsnips clean, slice them thin, dry them upon Canvas
or network frames, beat them to powder mixing one third thereof with two
thirds of fine wheat flour, make up your paste into coats, and you shall
find them very sweet and delicate.
Hugh Plat, Delights for Ladies, 1609
I assume “coats” in this context means a thin layer making this a type of
cookie recipe. Not exactly a recipe for a general purpose sweetener.
Thank you for checking the reference in Hartley.
Bear
Note that Hartley says those puddings were sweetened with honey, not
parsnips, although their sweet flavor might have contributed when used
as a base for the plum and marrowfat puddings. Might this have been what
was referred to?
Alys K.
More information about the Sca-cooks
mailing list