The Forme of Cury | Page 7

such quantity could be produced here in the next reign as to
supply that very large consumption which we see made of it in our Roll,
where it occurs not only as an ingredient in the processes, but also is
used for colouring, for flourishing, or garnishing. It makes a yellow, No.
68, and was imported from Egypt, or Cilicia, or other parts of the
Levant, where the Turks call it Safran, from the Arabic Zapheran,
whence the English, Italians, French, and Germans, have apparently
borrowed their respective names of it. The Romans were well
acquainted with the drug, but did not use it much in the kitchen [99].
Pere Calmet says, the Hebrews were acquainted with anise, ginger,
saffron, but no other spices [100].
Pynes. There is some difficulty in enucleating the meaning of this word,
though it occurs so often. It is joined with dates, No. 20. 52. with honey
clarified, 63. with powder-fort, saffron, and salt, 161. with ground dates,
raisins, good powder, and salt, 186. and lastly they are fried, 38. Now
the dish here is _morree_, which in the Editor's MS. 37, is made of
mulberries (and no doubt has its name from them), and yet there are no
mulberries in our dish, but pynes, and therefore I suspect, that
mulberries and pynes are the same, and indeed this fruit has some
resemblance to a pynecone. I conceive _pynnonade_, the dish, No. 51,
to be so named from the pynes therein employed; and quære whether
pyner mentioned along with powder-fort, saffron, and salt, No. 155, as
above in No. 161, should not be read pynes. But, after all, we have
cones brought hither from Italy full of nuts, or kernels, which upon
roasting come out of their _capsulæ_, and are much eaten by the
common people, and these perhaps may be the thing intended.
[Addenda: after intended. add, 'See _Ray_, Trav. p. 283. 407. and
_Wright's_ Trav. p. 112.']
Honey was the great and universal sweetner in remote antiquity, and
particularly in this island, where it was the chief constituent of mead
and metheglin. It is said, that at this day in Palestine they use honey in

the greatest part of their ragouts [101]. Our cooks had a method of
clarifying it, No. 18. 41. which was done by putting it in a pot with
whites of eggs and water, beating them well together; then setting it
over the fire, and boiling it; and when it was ready to boil over to take
it and cool it, No. 59. This I presume is called _clere honey_, No. 151.
And, when honey was so much in use, it appears from Barnes that
refining it was a trade of itself [102].
Sugar, or Sugur [103], was now beginning here to take place of honey;
however, they are used together, No. 67. Sugar came from the Indies,
by way of Damascus and Aleppo, to Venice, Genoa, and Pisa, and from
these last places to us [104]. It is here not only frequently used, but was
of various sorts, as _cypre_, No. 41. 99. 120. named probably from the
isle of Cyprus, whence it might either come directly to us, or where it
had received some improvement by way of refining. There is mention
of _blanch-powder or white sugar_, 132. They, however, were not the
same, for see No. 193. Sugar was clarified sometimes with wine [105].
Spices. Species. They are mentioned in general No. 133, and _whole
spices_, 167, 168. but they are more commonly specified, and are
indeed greatly used, though being imported from abroad, and from so
far as Italy or the Levant (and even there must be dear), some may
wonder at this: but it shouid be considered, that our Roll was chiefly
compiled for the use of noble and princely tables; and the same may be
said of the Editor's MS. The spices came from the same part of the
world, and by the same route, as sugar did. The spicery was an ancient
department at court, and had its proper officers.
As to the particular sorts, these are,
Cinamon. Canell. 14. 191. _Canel_, Editor's MS. 10. _Kanell_, ibid. 32.
is the Italian Canella. See Chaucer. We have the flour or powder, No.
20. 62. See Wiclif. It is not once mentioned in Apicius.
Macys, 14. 121. Editor's MS. 10. _Maces_, 134. Editor's MS. 27. They
are used whole, No. 158. and are always expressed plurally, though we
now use the singular, mace. See Junii Etym.

Cloves. No. 20. Dishes are flourished with them, 22. 158. Editor's MS.
10. 27. where we have _clowys gylofres_, as in our Roll, No. 104.
Powdour gylofre occurs 65. 191. Chaucer has clowe in the singular, and
see him v. Clove-gelofer.
Galyngal, 30. and elsewhere. Galangal, the long rooted cyperus