Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome
Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome
Cooking and Dining in Imperial Rome
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Author: Apicius
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK COOKING IN IMPERIAL ROME ***
Transcriber's Note
The original text used a Prescription Take symbol, ℞, to indicate recipe
numbers. There are also some characters with a macron or overline
(straight line) above them. You may need to adjust your font settings for
these to display properly.
The many inconsistencies in hyphenation and use of accents and ligatures
have been preserved as printed, with a few exceptions. Variable and archaic
spelling has also been preserved. A full list of amendments and other notes
follow the end of the book.
A considerable number of the recipe and page numbers in the index are
incorrect; however, they have been preserved as printed. The transcriber
has, as far as possible, linked to the correct place in the text. Where the
reference could not be determined, the numbers remain unlinked.
APICIUS
BY
JOSEPH DOMMERS VEHLING
Leaf decoration
BOOK-PAPER EDITION
American Institute of Baking, Chicago, Ill.
E. E. Amiet, Chicago, Ill.
Argus Book Shop, Chicago, Ill.
Kimball C. Atwood, Jr., New York, N. Y.
Baker & Taylor Co., New York, N. Y.
Edith M. Barber, New York, N. Y.
Mary Barber, Battle Creek, Mich.
Ann Batchelder, New York, N. Y.
J. C. Bay, Chicago, Ill.
William G. Bell Co., Boston, Mass.
Albert R. Bennett, Chicago, Ill.
A. W. Bitting, San Francisco, Cal.
Edward W. Bodman, Pasadena, Cal.
Prof. Dr. Edward Brandt, Munich, Germany
Donald C. Brock, Chicago, Ill.
Morton S. Brookes, Chicago, Ill.
John M. Cameron, Chicago, Ill.
Vernon G. Cardy, Montreal, Canada
The Marchese Agostino Cavalcabò, Cremona, Italy
C. D. Champlin, Rheims, N. Y.
George M. Chandler, Chicago, Ill.
City of St. Paul, Minn. Dept. of Education
Cleveland Public Library, Cleveland, O.
Lenna F. Cooper, New York, N. Y.
W. A. Cooper, Montreal, Canada
Cornell University, Martha Van Renn. Hall, Ithaca, N. Y.
Cornell University Library, Ithaca, N. Y.
John Crerar Library, Chicago, Ill.
Franklin M. Crosby, Jr., Minneapolis, Minn.
Dr. Harvey Cushing, New Haven, Conn.
J. O. Dahl, New York, N. Y.
Davis & Orioli, London, England
E. F. Detterer, Chicago, Ill.
George Dommers, Clinton, Conn.
F. H. Douthitt, Chicago, Ill.
James F. Drake, New York, N. Y.
John Drury, Chicago, Ill.
Ellen Ann Dunham, New York, N. Y.
Eugene C. Eppley, Omaha, Neb.
George Fabyan, Geneva, Ill.
Rose Fallenstein, St. Louis, Mo.
Dr. Wm. T. Fenker, Sandusky, O.
Katharine Fisher, New York, N. Y.
T. Henry Foster, Ottumwa, Iowa
Free Library of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, Pa.
Donald McKay Frost, Boston, Mass.
Louise B. Fuchs, Put in Bay, O.
Mariano Gamero, Chicago, Ill.
E. P. Goldschmidt, London, England
Grand Rapids Public Library, Grand Rapids, Mich.
Grosvenor Library, Buffalo, N. Y.
Alfred E. Hamill, Chicago, Ill.
Gladys Hamilton, Detroit, Mich.
Dr. Fred W. Hark, Chicago, Ill.
Herald Tribune, New York, N. Y.
James Jerome Hill Reference Library, St. Paul, Minn.
Walter M. Hill, Chicago, Ill.
Mrs. Julia P. Hindley, Oakland, Cal.
John L. Horgan, New York, N. Y.
Horwath & Horwath, Chicago, Ill.
Hospitality Guild, Stamford, Conn.
Hotel Robidoux, St. Joseph, Mo.
W. T. H. Howe, Cincinnati, O.
Henry E. Huntington Library & Art Gallery, San Marino, Cal.
Hurlbut Paper Co., South Lee, Mass.
Dr. Julius Kahn, Chicago, Ill.
Kroch’s Bookstores, Inc., Chicago, Ill.
Dr. Samuel W. Lambert, New York, N. Y.
Miss E. N. Latzke, Armour & Co., Chicago, Ill.
Maggs Bros., London, England
Abby L. Marlatt, (U. of Wisconsin), Madison, Wis.
Massachusetts State College, Amherst, Mass.
R. B. May, Chicago, Ill.
Howard B. Meek, Ph.D., Ithaca, N. Y.
A. Merritt, American Weekly, New York, N. Y.
Leopold Metzenberg, Chicago, Ill.
Michigan State College, East Lansing, Mich.
Emma L. Miles, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Edward F. Misak, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Mrs. Laurence Montgomery, Gerrard’s Cross, England
H. K. Morse, Chicago, Ill.
Mrs. A. P. Munsen, Marion, Pa.
Jannie McCrery, Lubbock, Texas
O. O. McIntyre, New York, N. Y.
Elizabeth J. McKittrick (U. of Wyoming), Laramie, Wyo.
P. Mabel Nelson, Ames, Iowa
New York Public Library, New York, N. Y.
Hans Nickel, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Northwestern University Library, Evanston, Ill.
Dr. Kurt W. Ossendorff, Chicago, Ill.
Louis Pelzmann, Chicago, Ill.
Pennsylvania Hospital, Philadelphia, Pa.
Peoria Public Library, Peoria, Ill.
Imogene Powell, Chicago, Ill.
Pratt Institute Free Library, Brooklyn, N. Y.
Mrs. A. W. Proetz, St. Louis, Mo.
Public Library, Detroit, Mich.
Public Library of Fort Wayne & Allen County, Fort Wayne, Ind.
Putnam Bookstore, New York, N. Y.
Charles Retz, New York, N. Y.
Dr. Georg Roemmert, New York, N. Y.
Everett E. Rogerson, Chicago, Ill.
Otto Sattler, New York, N. Y.
Walter W. Schmauch, Chicago, Ill.
Louis Sherwin, New York, N. Y.
Jay G. Sigmund, Cedar Rapids, Iowa
André L. Simon, London
Ray Smith, Milwaukee, Wis.
Albert V. Smolka, Vienna, Austria
State University of Iowa Library, Iowa City, Iowa
Renee B. Stern, Philadelphia Record, Philadelphia, Pa.
B. F. Stevens & Brown, London, England
W. A. Stewart, Chicago, Ill.
Dr. Allen Edgar Stewart, Chicago, Ill.
Colton Storm, New York, N. Y.
Arthur Swann, New York, N. Y.
Marion G. Taft, P.T., Chicago, Ill.
Dr. Helen H. Tanzer, New York, N. Y.
The Tavern, Chicago, Ill.
E. Jackson Taylor, Coatesville, Pa.
Max L. Teich, St. Louis, Mo.
Dr. Henry Bascom Thomas, Chicago, Ill.
Nathaniel S. Thomas, Palm Beach, Fla.
C. H. Thordarson, Chicago, Ill.
Toledo Public Library, Toledo, O.
Edith Tranter, Cincinnati, O.
Albert B. Tucker, Chicago, Ill.
University of Illinois Library, Urbana, Ill.
University of Illinois, College of Medicine, Chicago, Ill.
University of Maryland Library, College Park, Md.
University of Nebraska Library, Omaha, Neb.
University of Notre Dame Library, South Bend, Ind.
University of Texas Library, Austin, Texas
U. S. Dept. of Agriculture, Library, Washington, D.C.
Harold Van Orman, Evansville, Ind.
T. Louise Viehoff, Chicago, Ill.
Annemarie L. Vietzke, Chicago, Ill.
George Wahr, Ann Arbor, Mich.
The Waldorf-Astoria, New York, N. Y.
Dr. Margaret B. Wilson, Washington, D.C.
John William Wohlers, Port Clinton, O.
Yale Co-Operative Corp., New Haven, Conn.
Jake Zeitlin, Los Angeles, Cal.
Charles Zuellig, Milwaukee, Wis.
TO
ARNOLD SHIRCLIFFE
STEWARD, GASTRONOMER, AUTHOR AND BIBLIOPHILE
AS THE ACTORS SHAKESPEARE AND MOLIÈRE CREATED
THE BEST DRAMA, SO THE BEST IN GASTRONOMIC
LITERATURE EMANATED FROM WITHIN THE RANKS
THE AUTHOR
The original ancient text as presented and rendered in the present translation is
printed in capital letters.
Matter in parenthesis () is original. Matter in square brackets [] is contributed by
the translator.
In most of the early originals the headings or titles of the formulæ are invariably
part of the text. In the present translation they are given both in English and in
the Latin used by those originals which the translator considered most
characteristic titles.
They have been set in prominent type as titles over each formula, whereas in the
originals the formulæ of the various chapters run together, in many instances
without distinct separation.
NUMBERING OF RECIPES
A system of numbering the recipes has therefore been adopted by the translator,
following the example of Schuch, which does not exist in the other originals but
the numbers in the present translation do not correspond to those adopted by
Schuch for reasons which hereafter become evident.
The notes, comments and variants added to each recipe by the translator are
printed in upper and lower case and in the same type as the other contributions
by the translator, the Apiciana, the Critical Review and the Vocabulary and
Index.
For the sake of convenience, to facilitate the study of each recipe and for quick
reference the notes follow in each and every case such ancient recipe as they
have reference to.
ABBREVIATIONS
FREDERICK STARR
Formerly Professor of Anthropology at the University of Chicago
NO translation of Apicius into English has yet been published. The book has
been printed again and again in Latin and has been translated into Italian and
German. It is unnecessary to here give historic details regarding the work as Mr.
Vehling goes fully and admirably into the subject. In 1705 the book was printed
in Latin at London, with notes by Dr. Martinus Lister. It caused some stir in the
England of that time. In a very curious book, The Art of Cookery, in Imitation of
Horace’s Art of Poetry, with Some Letters to Dr. Lister and Others, Dr. Wm.
King says:
“The other curiosity is the admirable piece of Cœlius Apicius, ‘De
Opsoniis et condimentis sive arte coquinaria, Libri decem’ being ten
books of soups and sauces, and the art of cookery, as it is excellently
printed for the doctor, who in this important affair, is not sufficiently
communicative....
“I some days ago met with an old acquaintance, of whom I inquired
if he has seen the book concerning soups and sauces? He told me he
had, but that he had but a very slight view of it, the person who was
master of it not being willing to part with so valuable a rarity out of
his closet. I desired him to give me some account of it. He says that
it is a very handsome octavo, for, ever since the days of Ogilvy,
good paper and good print, and fine cuts, make a book become
ingenious and brighten up an author strangely. That there is a
copious index; and at the end a catalogue of all the doctor’s works,
concerning cockles, English beetles, snails, spiders, that get up into
the air and throw us down cobwebs; a monster vomited up by a
baker and such like; which if carefully perused, would wonderfully
improve us.”
More than two hundred years have passed and we now have an edition of this
curious work in English. And our edition has nothing to lose by comparison with
the old one. For this, too, is a handsome book, with good paper and good print
and fine cuts. And the man who produces it can equally bear comparison with
Dr. Lister and more earlier commentators and editors whom he quotes—
Humelbergius and Caspar Barthius.
The preparation of such a book is no simple task and requires a rare combination
of qualities. Mr. Vehling possesses this unusual combination. He was born some
forty-five years ago in the small town of Duelken on the German-Dutch frontier
—a town proverbial for the dullness of its inhabitants. There was nothing of
dullness about the boy, however, for at the age of fourteen years, he had already
four years study of Latin and one of Greek to his credit. Such was his record in
Latin that his priest teachers attempted to influence him toward the priesthood.
His family, however, had other plans and believing that he had enough
schooling, decided that he should be a cook. As he enjoyed good food, had a
taste for travel and independence, and was inclined to submit to family direction,
he rather willingly entered upon the career planned for him. He learned the
business thoroughly and for six years practiced his art in Germany, Belgium,
France, England and Scandinavia. Wherever he went, he gave his hours of
freedom to reading and study in libraries and museums.
During his first trip through Italy and on a visit to Pompeii he conceived the idea
of depicting some day the table of the Romans and of making the present
translation. He commenced to gather all the necessary material for this work,
which included intensive studies of the ancient arts and languages. Meanwhile,
he continued his hotel work also, quite successfully. At the age of twenty-four he
was assistant manager of the fashionable Hotel Bristol, Vienna.
However, the necessities of existence prevented his giving that time and study to
art, which is necessary if it was to become a real career. In Vienna he found
music, drama, languages, history, literature and gastronomy, and met interesting
people from all parts of the globe. While the years at Vienna were the happiest of
his life, he had a distaste for the “superheated, aristocratic and military
atmosphere.” It was at that city that he met the man who was responsible for his
coming to America. Were we writing Mr. Vehling’s biography, we would have
ample material for a racy and startling narrative. We desire only to indicate the
remarkable preparation for the work before us, which he has had. A Latin
scholar of exceptional promise, a professional cook of pronounced success, and
an artist competent to illustrate his own work! Could such a combination be
anticipated? It is the combination that has made this book possible.
The book has claims even upon our busy and practical generation. Mr. Vehling
has himself stated them:
“The important addition to our knowledge of the ancients—for our
popular notions about their table are entirely erroneous and are in
need of revision.
“The practical value of many of the ancient formulæ—for ‘In Olde
Things There is Newnesse.’
“The human interest—because of the amazing mentality and the
culinary ingenuity of the ancients revealed to us from an altogether
new angle.
“The curious novelty and the linguistic difficulty, the philological
interest and the unique nature of the task, requiring unique
prerequisites—all these factors prompted us to undertake this
translation.”
One word as to Mr. Vehling’s work in America. He was for five years manager
of catering at the Hotel Pfister in Milwaukee; for two and a half years he was
inspector and instructor of the Canadian Pacific Railway; he was connected with
some of the leading hotels in New York City, and with the Eppley and the Van
Orman Hotels chains, in executive capacity. He not only has the practical side of
food use and preparation, he is an authority upon the science in his field. His
printed articles on food and cookery have been read with extraordinary interest,
and his lectures upon culinary matters have been well received. It is to be hoped
that both will eventually be published in book form.
There is no financial lure in getting out an English translation of Apicius. It is a
labor of love—but worth the doing. We have claimed that Mr. Vehling has
exceptional fitness for the task. This will be evident to anyone who reads his
book. An interesting feature of his preparation is the fact that Mr. Vehling has
subjected many of the formulæ to actual test. As Dr. Lister in the old edition of
1705 increased the value and interest of the work by making additions from
various sources, so our editor of today adds much and interesting matter in his
supplements, notes and illustrations.
It is hardly expected that many will follow Mr. Vehling in testing the Apician
formulæ. Hazlitt in speaking of “The Young Cook’s Monitor” which was printed
in 1683, says:
“Some of the ingredients proposed for sauces seem to our ears rather
prodigious. In one place a contemporary peruser has inserted an
ironical calculation in MS. to the effect that, whereas a cod’s head
could be bought for fourpence, the condiments recommended for it
were not to be had for less than nine shillings.”
We shall close with a plagiarism oft repeated. It was a plagiarism as long ago as
1736, when it was admitted such in the preface of Smith’s “The Compleat
Housewife”:
“It being grown as fashionable for a book now to appear in public
without a preface, as for a lady to appear at a ball without a hoop-
petticoat, I shall conform to the custom for fashion-sake and not
through any necessity. The subject being both common and
universal, needs no argument to introduce it, and being so necessary
for the gratification of the appetite, stands in need of no encomiums
to allure persons to the practice of it; since there are but a few
nowadays who love not good eating and drinking....”
Old Apicius and Joseph Dommers Vehling really need no introduction.
FREDERICK STARR
Seattle, Washington, August 3, 1926.
PREFACE
The present first translation into English of the ancient cookery book dating back
to Imperial Roman times known as the Apicius book is herewith presented to
antiquarians, friends of the Antique as well as to gastronomers, friends of good
cheer.
Three of the most ancient manuscript books that exist today bearing the name of
Apicius date back to the eighth and ninth century. Ever since the invention of
printing Apicius has been edited chiefly in the Latin language. Details of the
manuscript books and printed editions will be found under the heading of
Apiciana on the following pages.
The present version has been based chiefly upon three principal Latin editions,
that of Albanus Torinus, 1541, who had for his authority a codex he found on the
island of Megalona, on the editions of Martinus Lister, 1705-9, who based his
work upon that of Humelbergius, 1542, and the Giarratano-Vollmer edition,
1922.
We have also scrutinized various other editions forming part of our collection of
Apiciana, and as shown by our “family tree of Apicius” have drawn either
directly or indirectly upon every known source for our information.
The reasons and raison d’être for this undertaking become sufficiently clear
through Dr. Starr’s introduction and through the following critical review.
It has been often said that the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach; so
here is hoping that we may find a better way of knowing old Rome and antique
private life through the study of this cookery book—Europe’s oldest and Rome’s
only one in existence today.
J. D. V.
Chicago, in the Spring of 1926.
THANKS
For many helpful hints, for access to works in their libraries and for their kind
and sympathetic interest in this work I am especially grateful to Professor Dr.
Edward Brandt, of Munich; to Professor Dr. Margaret Barclay Wilson, of
Washington, D.C., and New York City; to Mr. Arnold Shircliffe, and Mr. Walter
M. Hill, both of Chicago.
J. D. V.
Chicago, in the Summer of 1936.
THE BOOK OF APICIUS
WINE DIPPER
Found in Pompeii. Each end of the long handle takes the form of
a bird’s head. The one close to the bowl holds in its bill a stout
wire which is loosely fastened around the neck of the bowl, the
two ends being interlocked. This allows the bowl to tilt
sufficiently to hold its full contents when retired from the
narrow opening of the amphora. The ancients also had dippers
with extension handles to reach down to the bottom of the deep
amphora. Ntl. Mus., Naples, 73822; Field M. 24181.
THE BOOK OF APICIUS
A STUDY OF ITS TIMES, ITS AUTHORS AND
THEIR SOURCES, ITS
AUTHENTICITY AND ITS PRACTICAL
USEFULNESS IN MODERN TIMES
ANYONE who would know something worth while about the private and
public lives of the ancients should be well acquainted with their table. Then as
now the oft quoted maxim stands that man is what he eats.
Much of the ancient life is still shrouded and will forever be hidden by envious
forces that have covered up bygone glory and grandeur. Ground into mealy dust
under the hoofs of barbarian armies! Re-modeled, re-used a hundred times!
Discarded as of no value by clumsy hands! The “Crime of Ignorance” is a factor
in league with the forces of destruction. Much is destroyed by blind strokes of
fate—fate, eternally pounding this earth in its everlasting enigmatic efforts to
shape life into something, the purpose of which we do not understand, the
meaning of which we may not even venture to dream of or hope to know.
Whatever there has been preserved by “Providence,” by freaks of chance, by
virtue of its own inherent strength—whatever has been buried by misers,
fondled, treasured by loving hands of collectors and connoisseurs during all
these centuries—every speck of ancient dust, every scrap of parchment or
papyrus, a corroded piece of metal, a broken piece of stone or glass, so eagerly
sought by the archaeologists and historians of the last few generations—all these
fragmentary messages from out of the past emphasize the greatness of their time.
They show its modernity, its nearness to our own days. They are now hazy
reminiscences, as it were, by a middle-aged man of the hopes and the joys of his
own youth. These furtive fragments—whatever they are—now tell us a story so
full and so rich, they wield so marvelous a power, no man laying claim to
possessing any intelligence may pass them without intensely feeling the eternal
pathetic appeal to our hearts of these bygone ages that hold us down in an
envious manner, begrudging us the warm life-blood of the present, weaving
invisible ties around us to make our hearts heavy.
However, we are not here to be impeded by any sentimental considerations.
Thinking of the past, we are not so much concerned with the picture that dead
men have placed in our path like ever so many bill boards and posters! We do
not care for their “ideals” expounded in contemporary histories and eulogies. We
are hardly moved by the “facts” such as they would have loved to see them
happen, nor do we cherish the figments of their human, very human,
subconsciousness.
To gain a correct picture of the Roman table we will therefore set aside for a
while the fragments culled from ancient literature and history that have been
misused so indiscriminately and so profusely during the last two thousand years
—for various reasons. They have become fixed ideas, making reconstruction
difficult for anyone who would gain a picture along rational lines. Barring two
exceptions, there is no trustworthy detailed description of the ancient table by an
objective contemporary observer. To be sure, there are some sporadic efforts,
mere reiterations. The majority of the ancient word pictures are distorted views
on our subject by partisan writers, contemporary moralists on the one side,
satirists on the other. Neither of them, we venture to say, knew the subject
professionally. They were not specialists in the sense of modern writers like
Reynière, Rumohr, Vaerst; nor did they approach in technical knowledge
medieval writers like Martino, Platina, Torinus.
True there were exceptions. Athenaeus, a most prolific and voluble magiric
commentator, quoting many writers and specialists whose names but for him
would have never reached posterity. Athenaeus tells about these gastronomers,
the greatest of them, Archestratos, men who might have contributed so much to
our knowledge of the ancient world, but to us these names remain silent, for the
works of these men have perished with the rest of the great library at the disposal
of this genial host of Alexandria.
Too, there are Anacharsis and Petronius. They and Athenaeus cannot be
overlooked. These three form the bulk of our evidence.
Take on the other hand Plutarch, Seneca, Tertullian, even Pliny, writers who have
chiefly contributed to our defective knowledge of the ancient table. They were
no gourmets. They were biased, unreliable at best, as regards culinary matters.
They deserve our attention merely because they are above the ever present mob
of antique reformers and politicians of whom there was legion in Rome alone,
under the pagan régime. Their state of mind and their intolerance towards
civilized dining did not improve with the advent of Christianity.
The moralists’ testimony is substantiated and supplemented rather than refuted
by their very antipodes, the satirists, a group headed by Martial, Juvenal and the
incomparable Petronius, who really is in a class by himself.
There is one more man worthy of mention in our particular study, Horace, a true
poet, the most objective of all writers, man-about-town, pet of society, mundane
genius, gifted to look calmly into the innermost heart of his time. His eyes
fastened a correct picture on the sensitive diaphragm of a good memory, leaving
an impression neither distorted nor “out of focus.” His eye did not “pick up,” for
sundry reasons, the defects of the objects of observation, nor did it work with the
uncanny joy of subconscious exaggeration met with so frequently in modern
writing, nor did he indulge in that predilection for ugly detail sported by modern
art.
So much for Horatius, poet. Still, he was not a specialist in our line. We cannot
enroll him among the gifted gourmets no matter how many meals he enjoyed at
the houses of his society friends. We are rather inclined to place him among the
host of writers, ancient and modern, who have treated the subject of food with a
sort of sovereign contempt, or at least with indifference, because its study
presented unsurmountable difficulties, and the subject, per se, was a menial one.
With this attitude of our potential chief witnesses defined, we have no occasion
to further appeal to them here, and we might proceed to real business, to the
sifting of the trustworthy material at hand. It is really a relief to know that we
have no array of formidable authorities to be considered in our study. We have
virgin field before us—i.e., the ruins of ancient greatness grown over by a jungle
of two thousand years of hostile posterity.
POMPEII
Pompeii was destroyed in A.D. 79. From its ruins we have obtained in the last
half century more information about the intimate domestic and public life of the
ancients than from any other single source. What is more important, this vast
wealth of information is first hand, unspoiled, undiluted, unabridged, unbiased,
uncensored;—in short, untouched by meddlesome human hands.
Though only a provincial town, Pompeii was a prosperous mercantile place, a
representative market-place, a favorite resort for fashionable people. The town
had hardly recuperated from a preliminary attack by that treacherous mountain,
Vesuvius, when a second onslaught succeeded in complete destruction.
Suddenly, without warning, this lumbering force majeur visited the ill-fated
towns in its vicinity with merciless annihilation. The population, just then
enjoying the games in the amphitheatre outside of the “downtown” district, had
had hardly time to save their belongings. They escaped with their bare lives.
Only the aged, the infirm, the prisoners and some faithful dogs were left behind.
Today their bodies in plaster casts may be seen, mute witnesses to a frightful
disaster. The town was covered with an airtight blanket of ashes, lava and fine
pumice stone. There was no prolonged death struggle, no perceivable decay
extended over centuries as was the cruel lot of Pompeii’s mistress, Rome. There
were no agonies to speak of. The great event was consummated within a few
hours. The peace of death settled down to reign supreme after the dust had been
driven away by the gentle breezes coming in from the bay of Naples. Some
courageous citizens returned, searching in the hot ashes for the crashed-in roofs
of their villas, to recover this or that. Perhaps they hoped to salvage the strong
box in the atrium, or a heirloom from the triclinium. But soon they gave up.
Despairing, or hoping for better days to come, they vanished in the mist of time.
Pompeii, the fair, the hospitable, the gay city, just like any individual out of luck,
was and stayed forgotten. The Pompeians, their joys, sorrows, their work and
play, their virtues and vices—everything was arrested with one single stroke,
stopped, even as a camera clicks, taking a snapshot.
The city’s destruction, it appears, was a formidable opening blow dealt the
Roman empire in the prime of its life, in a war of extermination waged by hostile
invisible forces. Pompeii makes one believe in “Providence.” A great disaster
actually moulding, casting a perfect image of the time for future generations! To
be exact, it took these generations eighteen centuries to discover and to
appreciate the heritage that was theirs, buried at the foot of Vesuvius. During
these long dark and dusky centuries charming goat herds had rested unctuous
shocks of hair upon mysterious columns that, like young giant asparagus, stuck
their magnificent heads out of the ground. Blinking drowsily at yonder villainous
mountain, the summit of which is eternally crowned with a halo of thin white
smoke, such as we are accustomed to see arising from the stacks of chemical
factories, the confident shepherd would lazily implore his patron saint to enjoin
that unreliable devilish force within lest the dolce far niente of the afternoon be
disturbed, for siestas are among the most important functions in the life of that
region. Occasionally the more enterprising would arm themselves with pick-axe
and shovel, made bold by whispered stories of fabulous wealth, and, defying the
evil spirits protecting it, they would set out on an expedition of loot and
desecration of the tomb of ancient splendor.
Only about a century and a half ago the archaeological conscience awoke. Only
seventy-five years ago energetic moves made possible a fruitful pilgrimage to
this shrine of humanity, while today not more than two-thirds but perhaps the
most important parts of the city have been opened to our astonished eyes by men
who know.
And now: we may see that loaf of bread baked nineteen centuries ago, as found
in the bake shop. We may inspect the ingenious bake oven where it was baked.
We may see the mills that ground the flour for the bread, and, indeed find
unground wheat kernels. We see the oil still preserved in the jugs, the residue of
wine still in the amphorae, the figs preserved in jars, the lentils, the barley, the
spices in the cupboard; everything awaits our pleasure: the taverns with their
“bars”; the ancient guests’ opinion of Mine Host scribbled on the wall, the
kitchens with their implements, the boudoirs of milady’s with the cosmetics and
perfumes in the compacts. There are the advertisements on the walls, the foods
praised with all the eclat of modern advertising, the election notices, the love
missives, the bank deposits, the theatre tickets, law records, bills of sale.
Phantom-like yet real there are the good citizens of a good town, parading,
hustling, loafing—sturdy patricians, wretched plebeians, stern centurios, boastful
soldiers, scheming politicians, crafty law-clerks, timid scribes, chattering
barbers, bullying gladiators, haughty actors, dusty travelers, making for
Albinus’, the famous host at the Via della Abbondanza or, would he give
preference to Sarinus, the son of Publius, who advertised so cleverly? Or,
perhaps, could he afford to stop at the “Fortunata” Hotel, centrally located?
There are, too, the boorish hayseeds from out of town trying to sell their
produce, unaccustomed to the fashionable Latin-Greek speech of the city folks,
gaping with their mouths wide open, greedily at the steaks of sacrificial meat
displayed behind enlarging glasses in the cheap cook shop windows. There they
giggle and chuckle, those wily landlords with their blasé habitués and their
underlings, the greasy cooks, the roguish “good mixers” at the bar and the
winsome if resolute copæ—waitresses—all ready to go, to do business. So
slippery are the cooks that Plautus calls one Congrio—sea eel—so black that
another deserves the title Anthrax—coal.
There they are, one and all, the characters necessary to make up what we call
civilization, chattering agitatedly in a lingo of Latin-Greek-Oscan—as if life
were a continuous market day.
It takes no particular scholarship, only a little imagination and human sympathy
to see and to hear the ghosts of Pompeii.
There is no pose about this town, no mise-en-scène, no stage-setting. No heroic
gesture. No theatricals, in short, no lies. There is to be found no shred of that
vainglorious cloak which humans will deftly drape about their shoulders
whenever they happen to be aware of the camera. There is no “registering” of
any kind here.
Pompeii’s natural and pleasant disposition, therefore, is ever so much more in
evidence. Not a single one of this charming city’s movements was intended for
posterity. Her life stands before our eyes in clear reality, in naked, unadorned
truth. Indeed, there were many things that the good folks would have loved to
point to with pride. You have to search for these now. There are, alas and alack, a
few things they would have hidden, had they only known what was in store for
them. But all these things, good, indifferent and bad, remained in their places;
and here they are, unsuspecting, real, natural, charming like Diana and her wood
nymphs.
Were it not quite superfluous, we would urgently recommend the study of
Pompeii to the students of life in general and to those of Antiquity in particular.
Those who would know something about the ancient table cannot do without
Pompeii.
Who was Apicius? This is the surname of several renowned gastronomers of old
Rome. There are many references and anecdotes in ancient literature to men
bearing this name. Two Apicii have definitely been accounted for. The older one,
Marcus A. lived at the time of Sulla about 100 B.C. The man we are most
interested in, M. Gabius Apicius, lived under Augustus and Tiberius, 80 B.C. to
A.D. 40. However, both these men had a reputation for their good table.
ATHENAEUS ON APICIUS
It is worth noting that the well-read Athenaeus, conversant with most authors of
Antiquity makes no mention of the Apicius book. This collection of recipes,
then, was not in general circulation during Athenaei time (beginning of the third
century of our era), that, maybe, it was kept a secret by some Roman cooks. On
the other hand it is possible that the Apicius book did not exist during the time of
Athenaeus in the form handed down to us and that the monographs on various
departments of cookery (most of them of Greek origin, works of which indeed
Athenaeus speaks) were collected after the first quarter of the third century and
were adorned with the name of Apicius merely because his fame as a gourmet
had endured.
What Athenaeus knows about Apicius (one of three known famous eaters
bearing that name) is the following:
“About the time of Tiberius [42 B.C.-37 A.D.] there lived a man,
named Apicius; very rich and luxurious, for whom several kinds of
cheesecake called Apician, are named [not found in our present A.].
He spent myriads of drachmas on his belly, living chiefly at
Minturnæ, a city of Campania, eating very expensive crawfish,
which are found in that place superior in size to those of Smyrna, or
even to the crabs of Alexandria. Hearing, too, that they were very
large in Africa, he sailed thither, without waiting a single day, and
suffered exceedingly on his voyage. But when he came near the
coast, before he disembarked (for his arrival made a great stir among
the Africans) the fishermen came alongside in their boats and
brought him some very fine crawfish; and he, when he saw them,
asked if they had any finer; and when they said that there were none
finer than those which they had brought, he, recollecting those at
Minturnæ ordered the master of the ship to sail back the same way
into Italy, without going near the land....
“When the emperor Trajan [A.D. 52 or 53-117] was in Parthia [a
country in Asia, part of Persia?] at a distance of many days from the
sea, Apicius sent him fresh oysters, which he had kept so by a clever
contrivance of his own; real oysters....”
(The instructions given in our Apicius book, Recipe 14, for the keeping of
oysters would hardly guarantee their safe arrival on such a journey as described
above.)
Athenaeus tells us further that many of the Apician recipes were famous and that
many dishes were named after him. This confirms the theory that Apicius was
not the author of the present book but that the book was dedicated to him by an
unknown author or compiler. Athenaeus also mentions one Apion who wrote a
book on luxurious living. Whether this man is identical with the author or patron
of our book is problematic. Torinus, in his epistola dedicatoria to the 1541
edition expresses the same doubt.
Marcus Gabius (or Gavius) Apicius lived during Rome’s most interesting epoch,
when the empire had reached its highest point, when the seeds of decline, not yet
apparent, were in the ground, when in the quiet villages of that far-off province,
Palestine, the Saviour’s doctrines fascinated humble audiences—teachings that
later reaching the very heart of the world’s mistress were destined to tarnish the
splendor of that autocrat.
According to the mention by various writers, this man, M. Gabius Apicius, was
one of the many ancient gastronomers who took the subject of food seriously.
Assuming a scientific attitude towards eating and food they were criticised for
paying too much attention to their table. This was considered a superfluous and
indeed wicked luxury when frugality was a virtue. These men who knew by
intuition the importance of knowing something about nutrition are only now
being vindicated by the findings of modern science.
M. Gabius Apicius, this most famous of the celebrated and much maligned bon-
vivants, quite naturally took great interest in the preparation of food. He is said
to have originated many dishes himself; he collected much material on the
subject and he endowed a school for the teaching of cookery and for the
promotion of culinary ideas. This very statement by his critics places him high in
our esteem, as it shows him up as a scientist and educator. He spent his vast
fortune for food, as the stories go, and when he had only a quarter million dollars
left (a paltry sum today but a considerable one in those days when gold was
scarce and monetary standards in a worse muddle than today) Apicius took his
own life, fearing that he might have to starve to death some day.
This story seems absurd on the face of it, yet Seneca and Martial tell it (both
with different tendencies) and Suidas, Albino and other writers repeat it without
critical analysis. These writers who are unreliable in culinary matters anyway,
claim that Apicius spent one hundred million sestertii on his appetite—in gulam.
Finally when the hour of accounting came he found that there were only ten
million sestertii left, so he concluded that life was not worth living if his
gastronomic ideas could no longer be carried out in the accustomed and
approved style, and he took poison at a banquet especially arranged for the
occasion.
In the light of modern experience with psychology, with economics, depressions,
journalism, we focus on this and similar stories, and we find them thoroughly
unreliable. We cannot believe this one. It is too melodramatic, too moralistic
perhaps to suit our modern taste. The underlying causes for the conduct, life and
end of Apicius have not been told. Of course, we have to accept the facts as
reported. If only a Petronius had written that story! What a story it might have
been! But there is only one Petronius in antiquity. His Trimalchio, former slave,
successful profiteer and food speculator, braggard and drunkard, wife-beater—an
upstart who arranged extravagant banquets merely to show off, who, by the way,
also arranged for his funeral at his banquet (Apician fashion and, indeed,
Petronian fashion! for Petronius died in the same manner) and who peacefully
“passed out” soundly intoxicated—this man is a figure true to life as it was then,
as it is now and as it probably will continue to be. Last but not least: Mrs.
Trimalchio, the resolute lady who helped him “make his pile”—these are human
characters much more real, much more trustworthy than anything and everything
else ever depicted by any ancient pen; they bring out so graphically the
modernity of antiquity. Without Petronius and Pompeii the antique world would
forever remain at an inexplicably remote distance to our modern conception of
life. With him, and with the dead city, the riddles of antiquity are cleared up.
THE BOOK
Many dishes listed in Apicius are named for various celebrities who flourished at
a later date than the second Apicius. It is noteworthy, however, that neither such
close contemporaries as Heliogabalus and Nero, notorious gluttons, nor
Petronius, the arbiter of fashion of the period, are among the persons thus
honored. Vitellius, a later glutton, is well represented in the book. It is fair to
assume, then, that the author or collector of our present Apicius lived long after
the second Apicius, or, at least, that the book was augmented by persons
posterior to M. Gabius A. The book in its present state was probably completed
about the latter part of the third century. It is almost certain that many recipes
were added to a much earlier edition.
CŒLIUS-CÆLIUS
Age-old mysteries surrounding our book have not yet been cleared up. Medieval
savants have squabbled in vain. Mrs. Pennell’s worries and the fears of the
learned Englishmen that Apicius might be a hoax have proven groundless. Still,
the mystery of this remarkable book is as perplexing as ever. The authorship will
perhaps never be established. But let us forever dispel any doubt about its
authenticity.
Modern writers have never doubted the genuineness. To name but a few who
believe in Apicius: Thudichum, Vollmer, Brandt, Vicaire, Rumohr, Schuch,
Habs, Gollmer.
What matters the identity of the author? Who wrote the Iliad, the Odyssey, the
Nibelungen-Lied? Let us be thankful for possessing them!
Apicius is a genuine document of Roman imperial days. There can be no doubt
of that!
The unquestionable age of the earliest known manuscripts alone suffices to
prove this.
The philologist gives his testimony, too. A medieval scholar could never have
manufactured Apicius, imitating his strikingly original terminology. “Faking” a
technical treatise requires an intimate knowledge of technical terms and
familiarity with the ramifications of an intricate trade. We recommend a
comparison of Platina’s text with Apicius: the difference of ancient and medieval
Latin is convincing. Striking examples of this kind have been especially noted in
our dictionary of technical terms.
LATIN SLANG
MODERN RESEARCH
And now, from a source totally different than the two important manuscripts so
much discussed here, we receive additional proof of the authenticity of Apicius.
In the codex Salmasianus (cf. III, Apiciana) we find some thirty formulæ
attributed to Apicius, entitled: Apici excerpta a Vinidario vir. inl. They have been
accepted as genuine by Salmasius and other early scholars. Schuch incorporated
the excerpta with his Apicius, placing the formulæ in what he believed to be the
proper order. This course, for obvious reasons, is not to be recommended. To be
sure, the excerpta are Apician enough in character, though only a few correspond
to, or are actual duplicates of, the Apician precepts. They are additions to the
stock of authentic Apician recipes. As such, they may not be included but be
appended to the traditional text. The excerpta encourage the belief that at the
time of Vinidarius (got. Vinithaharjis) about the fifth century there must have
been in circulation an Apicius (collection of recipes) much more complete than
the one handed down to us through Fulda. It is furthermore interesting to note
that the excerpta, too, are silent about Cœlius.
We may safely join Vollmer in his belief that M. Gabius Apicius, celebrated
gourmet living during the reign of Tiberius was the real author, or collector, or
sponsor of this collection of recipes, or at least of the major part thereof—the
formulæ bearing the names of posterior gourmets having been added from time
to time. This theory also applies to the two instances where the name of Varro is
mentioned in connection with the preparation of beets and onions (bulbs). It is
hardly possible that the author of the book made these references to Varro. It is
more probable that some well-versed posterior reader, perusing the said articles,
added to his copy: “And Varro prepared beets this way, and onions that way....”
(cf. Book III, [70]) Still, there is no certainty in this theory either. There were
many persons by the names of Commodus, Trajanus, Frontinianus, such as are
appearing in our text, who were contemporaries of Apicius.
With our mind at ease as regards the genuineness of our book we now may view
it at a closer range.
OBSCURE TERMINOLOGY
Apicius contains technical terms that have been the subject of much speculation
and discussion. Liquamen, laser, muria, garum, etc., belong to these. They will
be found in our little dictionary. But we cannot refrain from discussing some at
present to make intelligible the most essential part of the ancient text.
Take liquamen for instance. It may stand for broth, sauce, stock, gravy,
drippings, even for court bouillon—in fact for any liquid appertaining to or
derived from a certain dish or food material. Now, if Apicius prescribes
liquamen for the preparation of a meat or a vegetable, it is by no means clear to
the uninitiated what he has in mind. In fact, in each case the term liquamen is
subject to the interpretation of the experienced practitioner. Others than he would
at once be confronted with an unsurmountable difficulty. Scientists may not
agree with us, but such is kitchen practice. Hence the many fruitless
controversies at the expense of the original, at the disappointment of science.
Garum is another word, one upon which much contemptuous witticism and
serious energy has been spent. Garum simply is a generic name for fish essences.
True, garus is a certain and a distinct kind of Mediterranean fish, originally used
in the manufacture of garum; but this product, in the course of time, has been
altered, modified, adulterated,—in short, has been changed and the term has
naturally been applied to all varieties and variations of fish essences, without
distinction, and it has thus become a collective term, covering all varieties of fish
sauces. Indeed, the corruption and degeneration of this term, garum, had so
advanced at the time of Vinidarius in the fifth century as to lose even its
association with any kind of fish. Terms like garatum (prepared with g.) have
been derived from it. Prepared with the addition of wine it becomes œnogarum,
—wine sauce—and dishes prepared with such wine sauce receive the adjective
of œnogaratum, and so forth.
The original garum was no doubt akin to our modern anchovy sauce, at least the
best quality of the ancient sauce. The principles of manufacture surely are alike.
Garum, like our anchovy sauce, is the purée of a small fish, named garus, as yet
unidentified. The fish, intestines and all, was spiced, pounded, fermented, salted,
strained and bottled for future use. The finest garum was made of the livers of
the fish only, exposed to the sun, fermented, somehow preserved. It was an
expensive article in old Rome, famed for its medicinal properties. Its mode of
manufacture has given rise to much criticism and scorn on the part of medieval
and modern commentators and interpreters who could not comprehend the
“perverse taste” of the ancients in placing any value on the “essence from
putrified intestines of fish.”
However, garum has been vindicated, confirmed, endorsed, reiterated,
rediscovered, if you please, by modern science! What, pray, is the difference in
principle between garum (the exact nature of which is unknown) and the oil of
the liver of cod (or less expensive fish) exposed to the beneficial rays of
ultraviolet light—artificial sunlight—to imbue the oil with an extra large and
uniform dose of vitamin D? The ancients, it appears, knew “vitamin D” to exist.
Maybe they had a different name for “vitamins,” maybe none at all. The name
does not matter. The thing which they knew, does. They knew the nutritive value
of liver, proven by many formulæ. Pollio, one of the vicious characters of
antiquity, fed murenas (sea-eel) with slaves he threw into the piscina, the fish
pond, and later enjoyed the liver of the fish.
Some “modern” preparations are astonishingly ancient, and vice versa. Our
anchovy sauce is used freely to season fish, to mix with butter, to be made into
solid anchovy or fish paste. There are sardine pastes, lobster pastes, fish
forcemeats found in the larder of every good kitchen—preparations of Apician
character. A real platter of hors d’oeuvres, an antipasto is not complete unless
made according to certain Apician precepts.
Muria is salt water, brine, yet it may stand for a fluid in which fish or meat, fruits
or vegetables have been pickled.
The difficulties of the translator of Apicius who takes him literally, are
unconsciously but neatly demonstrated by the work of Danneil. Even he,
seasoned practitioner, condemns garum, muria, asa fœtida, because professors
before him have done so, because he forgets that these very materials still form a
vital part of some of his own sauces only in a different shape, form or under a
different name. Danneil calls some Apician recipes “incredibly absurd,”
“fabulous,” “exaggerated,” but he thinks nothing of the serving of similar
combinations in his own establishment every day in the year.
Danneil would take pride in serving a Veal Cutlet à la Holstein. (What have we
learned of Apicius in the Northern countries?). The ancient Holsteiner was not
satisfied unless his piece of veal was covered with a nice fat herring. That
“barbarity” had to be modified by us moderns into a veal cutlet, turned in milk
and flour, eggs and bread crumbs, fried, covered with fried eggs, garnished with
anchovies or bits of herring, red beets, capers, and lemon in order to qualify for a
restaurant favorite and “best seller.” Apicius hardly has a dish more
characteristic and more bewildering.
What of combinations of fish and meat?
De gustibus non est disputandum. It all goes into the same stomach. May it be a
sturdy one, and let its owner beware. What of our turkey and oyster dressing? Of
our broiled fish and bacon? Of our clam chowder, our divine Bouillabaisse? If
the ingredients and component parts of such dishes were enumerated in the
laconic and careless Apician style, if they were stated without explicit
instructions and details (supposed to be known to any good practitioner) we
would have recipes just as mysterious as any of the Apician formulæ.
Danneil, like ever so many interpreters, plainly shared the traditional belief, the
egregious errors of popular history. People still are under the spell of the
fantastic and fanciful descriptions of Roman conviviality and gastronomic
eccentricities. Indeed, we rather believe in the insanity of these descriptions than
in the insane conduct of the average Roman gourmet. It is absurd of course to
assume and to make the world believe that a Roman patrician made a meal of
garum, laserpitium, and the like. They used these condiments judiciously; any
other use thereof is physically impossible. They economized their spices which
have caused so much comment, too. As a matter of fact, they used condiments
niggardly and sparingly as is plainly described in some formulæ, if only for the
one good and sufficient reason that spices and condiments which often came
from Asia and Africa were extremely expensive. This very reason, perhaps,
caused much of the popular outcry against their use, which, by the way, is
merely another form of political propaganda, in which, as we shall see, the mob
guided by the rabble of politicians excelled.
We moderns are just as “extravagant” (if not more) in the use of sauces and
condiments—Apician sauces, too! Our Worcestershire, catsup, chili, chutney,
walnut catsup, A I, Harvey’s, Punch, Soyer’s, Escoffier’s, Oscar’s (every
culinary coryphee endeavors to create one)—our mustards and condiments in
their different forms, if not actually dating back to Apicius, are, at least lineal
descendants from ancient prototypes.
To readers little experienced in kitchen practice such phrases (often repeated by
Apicius) as, “crush pepper, lovage, marjoram,” etc., etc., may appear stereotyped
and monotonous. They have not survived in modern kitchen parlance, because
the practice of using spices, flavors and aromas has changed. There are now in
the market compounds, extracts, mixtures not used in the old days. Many
modern spices come to us ready ground or mixed, or compounded ready for
kitchen use. This has the disadvantage in that volatile properties deteriorate more
rapidly and that the goods may be easily adulterated. The Bavarians, under Duke
Albrecht, in 1553 prohibited the grinding of spices for that very reason! Ground
spices are time and labor savers, however. Modern kitchen methods have put the
old mortar practically out of existence, at the expense of quality of the finished
product.
The enviable Apicius cared naught for either time or labor. He gave these two
important factors in modern life not a single thought. His culinary procedures
required a prodigious amount of labor and effort on the part of the cooks and
their helpers. The labor item never worried any ancient employer. It was either
very cheap or entirely free of charge.
The selfish gourmet (which gourmet is not selfish?) almost wonders whether the
abolition of slavery was a well-advised measure in modern social and economic
life. Few people appreciate the labor cost in excellent cookery and few have any
conception of the cost of good food service today. Yet all demand both, when
“dining out,” at least. Who, on the other hand, but a brute would care to dine
well, “taking it out of the hide of others?”
Hence we moderns with a craving for gourmandise but minus appropriations for
skilled labor would do well to follow the example of Alexandre Dumas who
cheerfully and successfully attended to his own cuisine. Despite an extensive
fiction practice he found time to edit “Le Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine” and
was not above writing mustard advertisements, either.
SUMPTUARY LAWS
The appetite of the ancients was at times successfully curbed by sumptuary laws,
cropping out at fairly regular intervals. These laws, usually given under the
pretext of safeguarding the morals of the people and accompanied by similar
euphonious phrases were, like modern prohibitions, vicious and virulent
effusions of the predatory instinct in mankind. We cannot give a chronological
list of them here, and are citing them merely to illustrate the difficulty
confronting the prospective ancient host.
During the reign of Cæsar and Augustus severe laws were passed, fixing the
sums to be spent for public and private dinners and specifying the edibles to be
consumed. These laws classified gastronomic functions with an ingenious eye
for system, professing all the time to protect the public’s morals and health; but
they were primarily designed to replenish the ever-vanishing contents of the
Imperial exchequer and to provide soft jobs for hordes of enforcers. The
amounts allowed to be spent for various social functions were so ridiculously
small in our own modern estimation that we may well wonder how a Roman
host could have ever made a decent showing at a banquet. However, he and the
cooks managed somehow. Imperial spies and informers were omnipresent. The
market places were policed, the purchases by prospective hosts carefully noted,
dealers selling supplies and cooks (the more skillful kind usually) hired for the
occasion were bribed to reveal the “menu.” Dining room windows had to be
located conveniently to allow free inspection from the street of the dainties
served; the passing Imperial food inspector did not like to intrude upon the
sanctity of the host’s home. The pitiable host of those days, his unenviable
guests and the bewildered cooks, however, contrived and conspired somehow to
get up a banquet that was a trifle better than a Chicago quick lunch.
How did they do it?
In the light of modern experience gained by modern governments dillydallying
with sumptuary legislation that has been discarded as a bad job some two
thousand years ago, the question seems superfluous.
Difficile est satyram non scribere! To make a long story short: The Roman host
just broke the law, that’s all. Indeed, those who made the laws were first to break
them. The minions, appointed to uphold the law, were easily accounted for. Any
food inspector too arduous in the pursuit of his duty was disposed of by
dispatching him to the rear entrance of the festive hall, and was delivered to the
tender care of the chief cook.
Such was the case during the times of Apicius. Indeed, the Roman idea of good
cheer during earlier epochs was provincial enough. It was simply barbaric before
the Greeks showed the Romans a thing or two in cookery. The methods of
fattening fowl introduced from Greece was something unheard-of! It was
outrageous, sacrilegious! Senators, orators and other self-appointed saviors of
humanity thundered against the vile methods of tickling the human palate, deftly
employing all the picturesque tam-tam and élan still the stock in trade of ever so
many modern colleagues in any civilized parliament. The speeches, to be sure,
passed into oblivion, the fat capons, however, stayed in the barnyards until they
had acquired the saturation point of tender luscious calories to be enjoyed by
those who could afford them. How the capon was “invented” is told in a note on
the subject.
Many other so-called luxuries, sausage from Epirus, cherries from the Pontus,
oysters from England, were greeted with a studied hostility by those who
profited from the business of making laws and public opinion.
Evidently, the time and the place was not very propitious for gastronomic over-
indulgence. Only when the ice was broken, when the disregard for law and order
had become general through the continuous practice of contempt for an
unpopular sumptuary law, when corruption had become wellnigh universal
chiefly thanks to the examples set by the higher-ups, it was then that the torrent
of human passion and folly ran riot, exceeding natural bounds, tearing
everything with them, all that is beautiful and decent, thus swamping the great
empire beyond the hopes for any recovery.
Most of the Apician directions are vague, hastily jotted down, carelessly edited.
One of the chief reasons for the eternal misunderstandings! Often the author fails
to state the quantities to be used. He has a mania for giving undue prominence to
expensive spices and other (quite often irrelevant) ingredients. Plainly, Apicius
was no writer, no editor. He was a cook. He took it for granted that spices be
used within the bounds of reason, but he could not afford to forget them in his
formulæ.
Apicius surely pursues the correct culinary principle of incorporating the
flavoring agents during the process of cooking, contrary to many moderns who,
vigorously protesting against “highly seasoned” and “rich” food, and who,
craving for “something plain” proceed to inundate perfectly good, plain roast or
boiled dishes with a deluge of any of the afore-mentioned commercial “sauces”
that have absolutely no relation to the dish and that have no mission other than to
grant relief from the deadening monotony of “plain” food. Chicken or mutton,
beef or venison, finnan haddie or brook trout, eggs or oysters thus “sauced,”
taste all alike—sauce! To use such ready-made sauces with dishes cooked à
l’anglaise is logical, excusable, almost advisable. Even the most ascetic of men
cannot resist the insidiousness of spicy delights, nor can he for any length of
time endure the insipidity of plain food sans sauce. Hence the popularity of such
sauces amongst people who do not observe the correct culinary principle of
seasoning food judiciously, befitting its character, without spoiling but rather in
enhancing its characteristics and in bringing out its flavor at the right time,
namely during coction to give the kindred aromas a chance to blend well.
Continental nations, adhering to this important principle of cookery (inherited
from Apicius) would not dream of using ready-made (English) sauces.
We have witnessed real crimes being perpetrated upon perfectly seasoned and
delicately flavored entrées. We have watched ill-advised people maltreat good
things, cooked to perfection, even before they tasted them, sprinkling them as a
matter of habit, with quantities of salt and pepper, paprika, cayenne, daubing
them with mustards of every variety or swamping them with one or several of
the commercial sauce preparations. “Temperamental” chefs, men who know
their art, usually explode at the sight of such wantonness. Which painter would
care to see his canvas varnished with all the hues in the rainbow by a patron
afflicted with such a taste?
Perhaps the craving for excessive flavoring is an olfactory delirium, a
pathological case, as yet unfathomed like the excessive craving for liquor, and,
being a problem for the medical fraternity, it is only of secondary importance to
gastronomy.
To say that the Romans were afflicted on a national scale with a strange spice
mania (as some interpreters want us to believe) would be equivalent to the
assertion that all wine-growing nations were nations of drunkards. As a matter of
fact, the reverse is the truth.
Apicius surely would be surprised at some things we enjoy. Voilà, a recipe,
“modern,” not older than half a century, given by us in the Apician style or
writing: Take liquamen, pepper, cayenne, eggs, lemon, olive oil, vinegar, white
wine, anchovies, onions, tarragon, pickled cucumbers, parsley, chervil, hard-
boiled eggs, capers, green peppers, mustard, chop, mix well, and serve.
Do you recognize it? This formula sounds as phantastic, as “weird” and as “vile”
as any of the Apician concoctions, confusing even a well-trained cook because
we stated neither the title of this preparation nor the mode of making it, nor did
we name the ingredients in their proper sequence. This mystery was conceived
with an illustrative purpose which will be explained later, which may and may
not have to do with the mystery of Apicius. Consider, for a moment, this
mysterious creation No. 2: Take bananas, oranges, cherries, flavored with bitter
almonds, fresh pineapple, lettuce, fresh peaches, plums, figs, grapes, apples,
nuts, cream cheese, olive oil, eggs, white wine, vinegar, cayenne, lemon, salt,
white pepper, dry mustard, tarragon, rich sour cream, chop, mix, whip well.
Worse yet! Instead of having our appetite aroused the very perusal of this quasi-
Apician mixtum compositum repels every desire to partake of it. We are justly
tempted to condemn it as being utterly impossible. Yet every day hundreds of
thousand portions of it are sold under the name of special fruit salad with
mayonnaise mousseuse. The above mystery No. 1 is the justly popular tartar
sauce.
Thus we could go on analyzing modern preparations and make them appear as
outlandish things. Yet we relish them every day. The ingredients, obnoxious in
great quantities, are employed with common sense. We are not mystified seeing
them in print; they are usually given in clear logical order. This is not the style of
Apicius, however.
LATIN CUNNING
We can hardly judge Apicius by what he has revealed but we rather should try to
discover what he—purposely or otherwise—has concealed if we would get a
good idea of the ancient kitchen. This thought occurred to us at the eleventh
hour, after years of study of the text and after almost despairing of a plausible
solution of its mysteries. And it seems surprising that Apicius has never been
suspected before of withholding information essential to the successful practice
of his rather hypothetical and empirical formulæ. The more we scrutinize them,
the more we become convinced that the author has omitted vital directions—
same as we did purposely with the two modern examples above. Many of the
Apician recipes are dry enumerations of ingredients supposed to belong to a
given dish or sauce. It is well-known that in chemistry (cookery is but applied
chemistry) the knowledge of the rules governing the quantities and the sequence
of the ingredients, their manipulation, either separately or jointly, either
successively or simultaneously, is a very important matter, and that violation or
ignorance of the process may spell failure at any stage of the experiment. In the
kitchen this is particularly true of baking and soup and sauce making, the most
intricate of culinary operations.
There may have been two chief reasons for concealing necessary information.
Apicius, or more likely the professional collectors of the recipes, may have
considered technical elaboration of the formulæ quite superfluous on the
assumption that the formulæ were for professional use only. Every good
practitioner knows, with ingredients or components given, what manipulations
are required, what effects are desired. Even in the absence of detailed
specifications, the experienced practitioner will be able to divine correct
proportions, by intuition. As a matter of fact, in cookery the mention in the right
place of a single ingredient, like in poetry the right word, often suffices to
conjure up before the gourmet’s mental eye vistas of delight. Call it inspiration,
association of ideas or what you please, a single word may often prove a guide, a
savior.
Let us remember that in Apicii days paper (parchment, papyrus) and writing
materials were expensive and that, moreover, the ability of correct logical and
literary expression was necessarily limited in the case of a practising cook who,
after all, must have been the collector of the Apician formulæ. This is
sufficiently proven by the lingua coquinaria, the vulgar Latin of our old work. In
our opinion, the ancient author did not consider it worth his while to give
anything but the most indispensable information in the tersest form. This he
certainly did. A comparison of his literary performance with that of the artistic
and accomplished writer of the Renaissance, Platina, will at once show up
Apicius as a hard-working practical cook, a man who knew his business but who
could not tell what he knew.
Like ever so many of his successors, he could not refrain from beginning and
concluding many of his articles with such superfluities as “take this” and “And
serve,” etc., all of which shows him up as a genuine cook. These articles, written
in the most laconic language possible—the language of a very busy, very
harassed, very hurried man, are the literary product of a cook, or several of them.
The other chief motive for condensing or obscuring his text has a more subtle
foundation. Indeed, we are surprised that we should possess so great a collection
of recipes, representing to him who could use them certain commercial and
social value. The preservation of Apicius seems entirely accidental. Experienced
cooks were in demand in Apicii times; the valuation of their ministrations
increased proportionately to the progress in gastronomy and to the prosperity of
the nation. During Rome’s frugal era, up to 200 B.C. the primitive cooks were
just slaves and household chattels; but the development of their trade into an art,
stimulated by foreign precepts, imported principally from Greece, Sicily and
Asia Minor, opened up to the practitioners not only the door to freedom from
servitude but it offered even positions of wealth with social and political
standing, often arousing the envy, satire, criticism of bona-fide politicians,
journalists, moralists, satirists and of the ever-present hordes of parasites and
hangers-on. Some cooks became confidants, even friends and advisors of men in
high places, emperors, (cf. life of Vitellius) and through their subtle influence
upon the mighty they may have contributed in no mean measure to the fate of
the nation. But such invisible string-pullers have not been confined to those days
alone. (Take Rasputin! Take the valet to William I, reputed to have had more
“say” than the mighty Bismarck, who, as it developed, got “the air” while the
valet died in his berth.)
Such being the case, what potential power reposed in a greasy cookery
manuscript! And, if so, why bare such wonderful secrets to Tom, Dick and
Harry?
Weights and measures are given by Apicius in some instances. But just such
figures can be used artfully to conceal a trap. Any mediocre cook, gaining
possession of a choice collection of detailed and itemized recipes would have
been placed in an enviable position. Experimenting for some time (at his
master’s expense) he would soon reach that perfection when he could demand a
handsome compensation for his ministrations. Throughout antique times,
throughout the middle ages down to the present day (when patent laws no longer
protect a secret) strict secrecy was maintained around many useful and lucrative
formulæ, not only by cooks, but also by physicians, alchemists and the various
scientists, artisans and craftsmen. Only the favorite apprentice would be made
heir to or shareholder in this important stock in trade after his worthiness had
been proven to his master’s satisfaction, usually by the payment of a goodly sum
of money—apprentice’s pay. We remember reading in Lanciani (Rodolfo L.:
Ancient Rome in the Light of Recent Discoveries) how in the entire history of
Rome there is but one voice, that of a solitary, noble-minded physician,
complaining about the secrecy that was being maintained by his colleagues as
regards their science. To be sure, those fellows had every reason in the world for
keeping quiet: so preposterous were their methods in most cases! This secrecy
indeed must have carried with it a blessing in disguise. Professional reserve was
not its object. The motive was purely commercial.
Seeing where the information given by Apicius is out of reason and
unintelligible we are led to believe that such text is by no means to be taken very
literally. On the contrary, it is quite probable that weights and measures are not
correct: they are quite likely to be of an artful and studied unreliability. A secret
private code is often employed, necessitating the elimination or transposition of
certain words, figures or letters before the whole will become intelligible and
useful. If by any chance an uninitiated hand should attempt to grasp such veiled
directions, failure would be certain. We confess to have employed at an early
stage of our own career this same strategy and time-honored camouflage to
protect a precious lot of recipes. Promptly we lost this unctuous manuscript, as
we feared we would; if not deciphered today, the book has long since been
discarded as being a record of the ravings of a madman.
The advent of the printing press changed the situation. With Platina, ca. 1474, an
avalanche of cookery literature started. The secrets of Scappi, “cuoco secreto” to
the pope, were “scooped” by an enterprising Venetian printer in 1570. The guilds
of French mustard makers and sauce cooks (precursors of modern food firms and
manufacturers of ready-made condiments) were a powerful tribe of secret
mongers in the middle ages. English gastronomic literature of the 16th, 17th and
even the 18th century is crowded with “closets opened,” “secrets let out” and
other alluring titles purporting to regale the prospective reader with profitable
and appetizing secrets of all sorts. Kitchen secrets became commercial articles.
These remarks should suffice to illustrate the assumption that the Apicius book
was not created for publication but that it is a collection of abridged formulæ for
private use, a treasure chest as it were, of some cook, which after the demise of
its owner, collector, originator, a curious world could not resist to play with,
although but a few experienced masters held the key, being able to make use of
the recipes.
MEAT DIET
In perusing Apicius only one or two instances of cruelty to animals have come to
our attention (cf. recipes No. 140 and 259). Cruel methods of slaughter were
common. Some of the dumb beasts that were to feed man and even had to
contribute to his pleasures and enjoyment of life by giving up their own lives
often were tortured in cruel, unspeakable ways. The belief existed that such
methods might increase the quality, palatability and flavor of the meat. Such
beliefs and methods may still be encountered on the highways and byways in
Europe and Asia today. Since the topic, strictly speaking does not belong here,
we cannot depict it in detail, and in passing make mention of it to refer students
interested in the psychology of the ancients to such details as are found in the
writings of Plutarch and other ancient writers during the early Christian era. It
must be remembered, however, that such writers (including the irreproachable
Plutarch) were advocates of vegetarianism. Some passages are inspired by true
humane feeling, but much appears to be written in the interest of vegetarianism.
The ancients were not such confirmed meat eaters as the modern Western
nations, merely because the meat supply was not so ample. Beef was scarce
because of the shortage of large pastures. The cow was sacred, the ox furnished
motive power, and, after its usefulness was gone, the muscular old brute had
little attraction for the gourmet. Today lives a race of beef eaters. Our beef diet,
no doubt is bound to change somewhat. Already the world’s grazing grounds are
steadily diminishing. The North American prairies are being parcelled off into
small farms the working conditions of which make beef raising expensive. The
South American pampas and a strip of coastal land in Australia now furnish the
bulk of the world’s beef supply. Perhaps Northern Asia still holds in store a large
future supply of meat but this no doubt will be claimed by Asia. Already North
America is acclimating the Lapland reindeer to offset the waning beef, to utilize
its Northern wastes.
With the increasing shortage of beef, with the increasing facilities for raising
chicken and pork, a reversion to Apician methods of cookery and diet is not only
probably but actually seems inevitable. The ancient bill of fare and the ancient
methods of cookery were entirely guided by the supply of raw materials—
precisely like ours. They had no great food stores nor very efficient marketing
and transportation systems, food cold storage. They knew, however, to take care
of what there was. They were good managers.
Such atrocities as the willful destruction of huge quantities of food of every
description on the one side and starving multitudes on the other as seen today
never occurred in antiquity.
Many of the Apician dishes will not appeal to the beef eaters. It is worthy of note
that much criticism was heaped upon Apicius some 200 years ago in England
when beef eating became fashionable in that country. The art of Apicius requires
practitioners of superior intellect. Indeed, it requires a superior clientèle to
appreciate Apician dishes. But practitioners that would pass the requirements of
the Apician school are scarce in the kitchens of the beef eaters. We cannot blame
meat eaters for rejecting the average chef d’œuvre set before them by a mediocre
cook who has learned little besides the roasting or broiling of meats. Once the
average man has acquired a taste for the refined compositions made by a talented
and experienced cook, say, a composition of meats, vegetables or cereals,
properly “balanced” by that intuition that never fails the real artist, the fortunate
diner will eventually curtail the preponderant meat diet. A glance at some
Chinese and Japanese methods of cookery may perhaps convince us of the
probability of these remarks.
Nothing is more perplexing and more alarming than a new dish, but we can see
in a reversion to Apician cookery methods only a dietetic benefit accruing to this
so-called white race of beef eaters.
Apicius certainly excels in the preparation of vegetable dishes (cf. his cabbage
and asparagus) and in the utilization of parts of food materials that are today
considered inferior, hardly worth preparing for the table except by the very
careful and economical housekeeper. Properly prepared, many of these things are
good, often more nutritious than the dearer cuts, and sometimes they are really
delicious.
One has but to study the methods of ancient and intelligent people who have
suffered for thousands of years under the perennial shortage of food supplies in
order to understand and to appreciate Apician methods. Be it far from us to
advocate their methods, or to wish upon us the conditions that engendered such
methods; for such practices have been pounded into these people by dire
necessity. They have graduated from the merciless school of hunger.
Food materials, we repeat, were never as cheap and as abundant as they are
today. But who can say that they always will be so in the future?
SCIENCE CONFIRMING ANCIENT METHODS
DISGUISING FOODS
Apicius is often blamed for his endeavor to serve one thing under the guise of
another. The reasons for such deceptions are various ones. Fashion dictated it.
Cooks were not considered “clever” unless they could surprise guests with a
commonplace food material so skillfully prepared that identification was
difficult or impossible. Another reason was the absence of good refrigeration,
making “masking” necessary. Also the ambition of hosts to serve a cheaper food
for a more expensive one—veal for chicken, pork for partridge, and so on. But
do we not indulge in the same “stunts” today? We either do it with the intention
of deceiving or to “show off.” Have we not “Mock Turtle Soup,” Mouton à la
Chasseur, mutton prepared to taste like venison, “chicken” salad made of veal or
of rabbit? In Europe even today much of the traditional roast hare is caught in
the alley, and it belongs to a feline species. “Roof hare.”
FOOD ADULTERATIONS
Like in all other branches of ancient endeavor, cookery had reached a state of
perfection around the time of Apicius when the only chance for successful
continuation of the art lay in the conquest of new fields, i.e., in expansion,
generalization, elaboration and in influence from foreign sources. We have
witnessed this in French cookery which for the last hundred years has
successfully expanded and has virtually captured the civilized parts of the globe,
subject however, always to regional and territorial modifications.
This desirable expansion of antique cookery did not take place. It was violently
and rather suddenly checked principally by political and economic events during
the centuries following Apicius, perhaps principally by the forces that caused the
great migration (the very quest of food!). Suspension ensued instead. The heirs
to the ancient culture were not yet ready for their marvelous heritage. Besides
their cultural unpreparedness, the cookery of the ancients, like their humor, did
not readily appeal to the “Nordic” heirs. Both are so subtle and they depend so
much upon the psychology and the economic conditions of a people, and they
thus presented almost unsurmountable obstacles to the invaders. Still lo! already
in the fifth century, the Goth Vinithaharjis, started to collect the Apician
precepts.
OUR PREDECESSORS
The usefulness in our days of Apicius as a practical cookery book has been
questioned, but we leave this to our readers to decide after the perusal of this
translation.
If not useful in the kitchen, if we cannot grasp its moral, what, then, is Apicius?
Merely a curio?
The existing manuscripts cannot be bought; the old printed editions are highly
priced by collectors, and they are rare. Still, the few persons able to read the
messages therein cannot use them: they are not practitioners in cookery.
None of the Apician editors (except Danneil and the writer) were experienced
practising gastronomers. Humelbergius, Lister, Bernhold were medical men.
Two serious students, Schuch and Wuestemann, gave up academic positions to
devote a year to the study of modern cookery in order to be able to interpret
Apicius. These enthusiasts overlooked, however, two facts: Apicius cannot be
understood by inquiring into modern average cookery methods, nor can
complete mastery of cookery, practical as well as theoretical, including the
historical and physiological aspects of gastronomy be acquired in one year.
Richard Gollmer, another Apicius editor, declares that the results of this course
in gastronomy were negative. We might add here that Schuch’s edition of
Apicius, apart from the unwarranted inclusion of the excerpta of Vinidarius is
the least reliable of all editions.
Gollmer published a free version of Apicius in German in 1909. If he did not
render the original very faithfully and literally, it must be said in all fairness that
his methods of procedure were correct. Gollmer attempted to interpret the
ancient text for the modern reader. Unfortunately he based his work upon that of
Schuch and Wuestemann and Lister. A year or so later Eduard Danneil published
a version of his own, also based on Schuch. This editor is a practising chef,
—Hof-Traiteur or caterer to the court of one of the then reigning princes of
Germany. Danneil’s preface is dated 1897, though the date of publication is
1911. In view of the fact that Gollmer had covered the ground and that Danneil
added nothing new to Apician lore, his publication seems superfluous. Danneil’s
translation differs in that the translator adhered literally to the questionable
Schuch version whereas Gollmer aspired to a free and readable version for an
educated public.
A comparison reveals that the one author is not a cook while the other is not a
savant.
Like the scholars who tried their hand at cookery, there are a number of worthy
and ambitious practitioners of cookery who have endeavored to reach the heights
of scholarship, among them Carême and Soyer, men of great calibre.
Unfortunately, the span of human life is short, the capacity of the human mind is
limited. Fruitful achievements in widely different fields of endeavor by one man
are rare. This is merely to illustrate the extreme difficulty encountered by anyone
bent on a venturesome exploration of our subject and the very narrow chances of
success to extricate himself with grace from the two-thousand year old labyrinth
of philosophical, historical, linguistical and gastronomical technicalities.
This task will become comparatively easy, however, and surely interesting and
with a foreboding of many delights and surprises if we penetrate the jungle aided
by the experience of predecessors, steadfastly relying on the “theory of
evolution” as a guide, and armed with the indispensable equipment for
gastronomical research, i.e., the practical and technical knowledge of cookery,
mastery of languages, augmented by practical experience gathered by
observations and travel in many lands, and last but not least, if we are obsessed
with the fixed idea that so menial a subject is worth all the bother.
We have purposely refrained from presenting here a treatise in the customary
scientific style. We know, there are repetitions, digressions, excursions into
adjacent fields that may be open to criticism. We really do not aim to make this
critical review an exhibition of scholarly attainments with all the necessary
brevity, clarity, scientific restraint and etiquette. Such style would be entirely out
of our line. Any bookish flavor attaching itself to our work would soon replace a
natural fragrance we aim to preserve, namely our close contact with the subject.
Those interested in the scholarly work that has been contributed to this cause are
referred to modern men like Vollmer, Giarratano, Brandt and others named in the
bibliography. Of the older scientists there is Martinus Lister, a man whose
knowledge of the subject is very respectable and whose devotion to it is
unbounded, whose integrity as a scientist is above reproach. His notes and
commentaries together with those of Humelbergius, the editor-physician of
Zürich, will be enjoyed and read with profit by every antiquary. The labors of
Bernhold and Schuch are meritorious also, the work, time, and esprit these men
have devoted to the subject is enormous. As for Torinus, the opinions are
divided. Humelbergius ignores him, Gryphius pirates him, Lister scorns him, we
like him. Lister praises his brother physician, Humelbergius: Doctus quidem vir
et modestus! So he is! The notes by Humelbergius alone and his word: Nihil
immutare ausi summus! entitles him to all the praise Lister can bestow.
Unfortunately, the sources of his information are unknown.
Lacking these, we have of course no means of ascertaining whether he always
lived up to his word that he is not privileged to change. Humelbergius and Lister
may have made contributions of value from a philological point of view but their
work appears to have less merit gastronomically than that of Torinus. To us the
Basel editor often seems surprisingly correct in cases where the gastronomical
character of a formula is in doubt.
In rendering the ancient text into English we, too, have endeavored to follow
Humelbergii example; hence the almost literal translation of the originals before
us, namely, Torinus, Humelbergius, Lister, Bernhold, Schuch and the latest,
Giarratano-Vollmer which reached us in 1925 in time for collating. We have
wavered often and long whether or not to place alongside this English version
the original Latin text, but due to the divergencies we have finally abandoned the
idea, for practical reasons alone.
In translating we have endeavored to clear up mysteries and errors; this
interpretation is a work quite apart and independent of that of the translation. It
is merely the sum and substance of our practical experience in gastronomy. It is
not to be taken as an attempt to change the original but is presented in good
faith, to be taken on its face value. This interpretation appears in the form of
notes directly under each article, for quick reference and it is our wish that it be
of some practical service in contributing to the general understanding and
appreciation of our ancient book.
For the sake of expediency we have numbered and placed a title (in English) on
each ancient recipe, following the example of Schuch. This procedure may be
counted against us as a liberty taken with the text. The text has remained
inviolate. We have merely aimed at a rational and legible presentation—work
within the province and the duty of an editor-translator and technical expert.
We do not claim credit for any other work connected with the task of making this
most unique book accessible to the English speaking public and for the
competition for scholastic laurels we wish to stay hors de combat. We feel we
are not privileged to pass final judgment upon the excellent work done by
sympathetic and erudite admirers of our ancient book throughout the better part
of four centuries, and we cannot side with one or the other in questions
philological, historical, or of any other nature, except gastronomical. We are
deeply indebted to all of our predecessors and through conversations and
extensive correspondence with other modern researchers, Dr. Edward Brandt and
Dr. Margaret B. Wilson, we are enabled to predict new developments in Apician
research. The debates of the scientists, it appears, are not yet closed.
As a matter of fact, the various differences of opinion in minor questions are of
little import to us as compared with the delightful fact that we here possess an
Apicius, not only a genuine Roman, but an “honest-to-goodness” human being
besides. A jolly fellow is Apicius with a basketful of happy messages for a
hungry world. We therefore want to make this work of ours the entertainment
and instruction the subject deserves to be. If we succeed in proving that Apicius
is not a mummified, bone-dry classic but that he has “the goods,” namely some
real human merit we shall have accomplished more than the savants to whom
this popularization of our hero has been denied so far.
After all, we live in a practical age, and it is the practical value, the matter-of-
fact contribution to our happiness and well-being by the work of any man,
ancient or modern, which counts in these days of materialism.
So let us tell the truth, and let us sum up in a few words:
We do not know who Apicius is. We do not know who wrote the book bearing
his name. We do not know when it was written, or whether it is of Greek or of
Roman origin. Furthermore, we do not understand many of its precepts!
We do know, however, that it is the oldest work dealing with the food and the
cookery of the ancient world’s greatest empire, and that, as such, it is of the
utmost interest and importance to us.
In this sense we have endeavored to treat the book.
After all, the proof of the pudding is in the eating. This homely solid wisdom is
literally true of our good old Apicius. We have tested many of his precepts, and
have found them practical, good, even delightful. A few, we will say, are of the
rarest beauty and of consummate perfection in the realm of gastronomy, while
some others again are totally unintelligible for reasons sufficiently explained.
Always remembering Humelbergius, we have “laid off” of these torsos,
recommending them to some more competent commentator. Many of the ancient
formula tried have our unqualified gastronomic approval.
If our work has not differed from that of our predecessors, if it shows the same
human frailties and foibles, we have at least one mark of distinction among the
editors in that we have subjected the original to severe practical tests as much as
this is possible with our modern food materials. We experienced difficulty in
securing certain spices long out of use. Nevertheless, the experience of actually
sampling Apician dishes and the sensation of dining in the manners of the
Cæsars are worth the trouble we took with Apicius. This is a feeling of partaking
of an entirely new dish, met with both expectancy and with suspicion,
accentuated by the hallowed traditions surrounding it which has rewarded us for
the time and expense devoted to the subject. Ever since we have often dined in
the classical fashion of the ancients who, after all, were but “folks” like
ourselves.
If you care not for the carnal pleasures in Apician gastronomy—for gulam,—if
you don’t give a fig for philology, there still is something healthy, something
infinitely soothing and comforting—“educational”—in the perusal of the old
book and in similar records.
When we see Apicius, the famous “epicure” descending to the very level of a
common food “fakir,” giving directions for making Liburnian oil that has never
seen that country....
When we note, with a gentle shudder, that the grafters of Naples, defying even
the mighty Augustus, leveled the “White Earth Hill” near Puteoli because an
admixture of plaster paris is exceedingly profitable to the milling profession....
When Apicius—celebrated glutton—resorts to the comparatively harmless
“stunt” of keeping fresh vegetables green by boiling them in a copper kettle with
soda....
When we behold hordes of ancient legislators, posing as dervishes of
moderation, secretly and openly breaking the prohibition laws of their own
making....
When we turn away from such familiar sights and, in a more jovial mood,
heartily laugh at the jokes of that former mill slave, Plautus (who could not pay
his bills) and when we wonder why his wise cracks sound so familiar we
remember that we have heard their modern versions only yesterday at the Tivoli
on State Street....
When, finally, in the company of our respected Horatius we hear him say in the
slang of his day: Ab ovo usque ad mala, and compare this bright saying with our
own dear “From Soup to Nuts.”...
Then we arrive at the comforting conclusion that we moderns are either very
ancient and backward or that indeed the ancients are very modern and
progressive; and it is our only regret that we cannot decide this perplexing
situation to our lasting satisfaction.
Very true, there may be nothing new under the sun, yet nature goes on eternally
fashioning new things from old materials. Eternally demolishing old models in a
manner of an economical sculptor, nature uses the same old clay to create new
specimens. Sometimes nature slightly alters the patterns, discarding what is unfit
for her momentary enigmatic purposes, retaining and favoring that which pleases
her whimsical fancy for the time being.
Cookery deals exclusively with nature’s works. Books on cookery are essentially
books on nature’s actions and reactions.
In the perpetual search for perfection, life has accomplished one remarkable
thing: the development of man, the animal which cooks. Gradually nature has
revealed herself to man principally through the food he takes, cooks and
prepares for the enjoyment of himself and his fellow men.
PROŒMII FINIS
“DINNER GONG”
Heavy bronze disk and substantial “knocker” to signal slaves.
Found in Pompeii. “Hurry, fellows, the cakes are piping hot!”—
Plautus. Ntl. Mus., Naples, 78622; Field M., 24133.
III
IV
V
[8] TO CLARIFY MUDDY WINE VINUM EX ATRO CANDIDUM FACIES
PUT BEAN MEAL AND THE WHITES OF THREE EGGS IN A MIXING
BOWL. MIX THOROUGHLY WITH A WHIP AND ADD TO THE WINE,
STIRRING FOR A LONG TIME. THE NEXT DAY THE WINE WILL BE
CLEAR [1]. ASHES OF VINES HAVE THE SAME EFFECT.
[1] Ex Lister whose version we prefer. He says, Alias die erit candidum
while Tor. adds white salt, saying, sal si adieceris candidum, same as
Tac. This is unusual, although the ancients have at times treated wine
with sea water.
VI
VIII
IX
[13] TO KEEP FRIED FISH UT PISCES FRICTI DIU DURENT
IMMEDIATELY AFTER THEY ARE FRIED POUR HOT VINEGAR OVER
THEM.
Dann. Exactly as we today with fried herring and river lamprey.
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
XIX
XX
XXI
END OF BOOK I
[1] Tor. Artoptes; Tac. Artoptus. This may have been derived from
artopta—a vessel in which bread and pudding are baked. However,
Sarcoptes is the better word, which is Greek, meaning “chopped meats.”
[2] Tac. Ambolatum, and so in Tor. p. 15, De Ambolato. Cap. IIII. cf. our
note following No. 58.
II
III
IV
END OF BOOK II
ELABORATE THERMOSPODIUM
A heater for the service of hot foods and drinks in the dining
room. Hot drinks were mixed and foods were served from
apparatus of this kind. The fuel was charcoal. There were public
places, specializing in hot drinks, called Thermopolia. This
specimen was found at Stabiæ, one of the ill-fated towns
destroyed by eruption of Mt. Vesuvius. Ntl. Mus., Naples,
72986; Field M., 24307.
SERVICE PAN
Round, with decorated handle. This and the pan with the
Hercules head on handle used in connection with the plain
Thermospodium to serve hot foods in the dining room.
Hildesheim Treas.
BOOK III. THE GARDENER
Lib. III. Cepuros
CHAP. I. TO BOIL ALL VEGETABLES GREEN.
CHAP. II. VEGETABLE DINNER, EASILY DIGESTED.
CHAP. III. ASPARAGUS.
CHAP. IV. PUMPKIN, SQUASH.
CHAP. V. CITRUS FRUIT, CITRON.
CHAP. VI. CUCUMBERS.
CHAP. VII. MELON GOURD, MELON.
CHAP. VIII. MALLOWS.
CHAP. IX. YOUNG CABBAGE, SPROUTS, CAULIFLOWER.
CHAP. X. LEEKS.
CHAP. XI. BEETS.
CHAP. XII. POT HERBS.
CHAP. XIII. TURNIPS, NAVEWS.
CHAP. XIV. HORSERADISH AND RADISHES.
CHAP. XV. SOFT CABBAGE.
CHAP. XVI. FIELD HERBS.
CHAP. XVII. NETTLES.
CHAP. XVIII. ENDIVE AND LETTUCE.
CHAP. XIX. CARDOONS.
CHAP. XX. COW-PARSNIPS.
CHAP. XXI. CARROTS AND PARSNIPS.
II
III
VI
VII
VIII
IX
XI
XII
XIII
XIV
XV
XVII
XVIII
XIX
XX
XXI
II
[139] SMELT PIE, OR, SPRAT CUSTARD PATINA DE ABUA SIVE APUA [1]
BONELESS PIECES OF ANCHOVIES OR [other small] FISH, EITHER
ROAST [fried] BOILED, CHOP VERY FINE. FILL A CASSEROLE
GENEROUSLY WITH THE SAME [season with] CRUSHED PEPPER AND A
LITTLE RUE, ADD SUFFICIENT BROTH AND SOME OIL, AND MIX IN,
ALSO ADD ENOUGH RAW EGGS SO THAT THE WHOLE FORMS ONE
SOLID MASS. NOW CAREFULLY ADD SOME SEA-NETTLES BUT TAKE
PAIN THAT THEY ARE NOT MIXED WITH THE EGGS. NOW PUT THE
DISH INTO THE STEAM SO THAT IT MAY CONGEAL [but avoid boiling]
[2]. WHEN DONE SPRINKLE WITH GROUND PEPPER AND CARRY
INTO THE DINING ROOM. NOBODY WILL BE ABLE TO TELL WHAT HE
IS ENJOYING [3].
[1] Tac., Tor. sic. List., G.-V. p. de apua sine apua—a dish of anchovies
(or smelts) without anchovies. Tor. formula bears the title patina de
apua, and his article opens with the following sentence: patin de abua
sive apua sic facies. He is therefore quite emphatic that the dish is to be
made with the abua or apua (an anchovy) and not without apua, as List.
has it. Lan. calls the dish: P. de apabadiade, not identified.
[2] Tor. impones ad uaporem ut cum ouis meare possint—warning, get
along with the eggs, i.e. beware of boiling them for they will curdle, and
the experiment is hopelessly lost. List. however, reads meare possint
thus: bullire p.—boil (!) It is quite plain that Tor. has the correct formula.
[3] et ex esu nemo agnoscet quid manducet. Dann. renders this sentence
thus: “Nobody can value this dish unless he has partaken of it himself.”
He is too lenient. We would rather translate it literally as we did above,
or say broadly, “And nobody will be any the wiser.” List. dwells at
length upon this sentence; his erudite commentary upon the cena dubia,
the doubtful meal, will be found under the heading of cena in our
vocabulary. List. pp. 126-7. List. undoubtedly made the mistake of
reading sine for sive. He therefore omitted the apua from his formula.
The above boastful sentence may have induced him to do so.
The above is a fish forcemeat, now seldom used as an integral dish, but
still popular as a dressing for fish or as quenelles. The modern fish
forcemeat is usually made of raw fish, cream and eggs, with the
necessary seasoning. The material is poached or cooked much in the
same manner as prescribed by the ancient recipe.
[145] SALT FISH BALLS IN WINE SAUCE [1] PATELLA ARIDA [2]
DRY PIECES OF SALT TURSIO [3] ARE BONED, CLEANED [soaked in
water, cooked] SHREDDED FINE AND SEASONED WITH GROUND
PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, PARSLEY, CORIANDER, CUMIN, RUE
SEEDS AND DRY MINT. MAKE FISH BALLS OUT OF THIS MATERIAL
AND POACH THE SAME IN WINE, BROTH AND OIL; AND WHEN
COOKED, ARRANGE THEM IN A DISH. THEN MAKE A SAUCE [utilizing
the broth, the court bouillon in which the balls were cooked] SEASON WITH
PEPPER, LOVAGE, SATURY, ONIONS AND WINE AND VINEGAR, ALSO
ADD BROTH AND OIL AS NEEDED, BIND WITH ROUX [4] [pour over the
balls] SPRINKLE WITH THYME AND GROUND PEPPER [5].
[1] Reminding us of the Norwegian fiske boller in wine sauce, a popular
commercial article found canned in delicatessen stores.
[2] List. patella sicca—dry, perhaps because made of dried fish.
[3] List. isicia de Tursione; G.-V. Thursione. Probably a common
sturgeon, or porpoise, or dolphin. List. describes it as “a kind of salt fish
from the Black Sea; a malicious fish with a mouth similar to a rabbit”;
Dann. thinks it is a sturgeon, but in Goll. it appears as tunny. The
ancients called the sturgeon acipenser; but this name was gradually
changed into styrio, stirio and sturio, which is similar to tursio (cf. styrio
in the vocabulary). The fish in question therefore may have been
sturgeon for which the Black Sea is famous.
[4] List., G.-V. ovis obligabis—tie with eggs—certainly preferable to the
Tor. version.
[5] Tor. thyme.
The above is an excellent way of making fish balls, it being taken for
granted, of course, that the salt fish be thoroughly soaked and cooked in
milk before shaping into balls. The many spices should be used very
moderately, some to be omitted entirely. We read between the lines of
the old formula that the Tursio had a long journey from Pontus to Rome;
fish however dry acquires a notorious flavor upon such journeys which
must be offset by herbs and spices.
It is quite possible that the ancients made a réduction of the herbs and
spices mentioned in this formula; in fact, the presence of vinegar leads
us to believe this, in which case this formula would be nothing but a
very modern sauce. The herbs and spices in a réduction are crushed and
boiled down in vinegar and wine, and strained off, they leave their finest
flavor in the sauce.
III
IV
END OF BOOK IV
II
LENTILS LENTICULA [1]
III
IV
[200] BARLEY BROTH ALICAM VEL SUCCUM TISANÆ SIC FACIES [2]
CRUSH WELL WASHED BARLEY, SOAKED THE DAY BEFORE, PLACE
ON THE FIRE TO BE COOKED. WHEN HOT ADD PLENTY OIL, A SMALL
BUNCH OF DILL, DRY ONION, SATURY AND COLOCASIUM, TO BE
COOKED TOGETHER BECAUSE THIS GIVES A BETTER JUICE; ADD
GREEN CORIANDER AND A LITTLE SALT; BRING IT TO A BOILING
POINT. WHEN WELL HEATED TAKE OUT THE BUNCH [dill] AND
TRANSFER THE BARLEY INTO ANOTHER VESSEL TO AVOID
BURNING ON THE BOTTOM OF THE POT; THIN IT OUT [with water,
broth, milk] AND STRAIN INTO A POT, COVERING THE TIPS OF THE
COLOCASIA [2]. NEXT CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, A LITTLE DRY FLEA-
BANE, CUMIN AND SYLPHIUM, STIR WELL, ADD VINEGAR,
REDUCED MUST AND BROTH; PUT IT BACK IN THE POT; THE
REMAINING COLOCASIA FINISH ON A GENTLE FIRE.
[1] A repetition of Book IV, Chap. IV, Tisanam vel sucum, our ℞ No.
172
[2] Tor. still has difficulties with the vegetable called by Lister
colocasium. He reads here colonium and colosium. G.-V. colœfium. Cf.
Note 1 to ℞ No. 172 and Note to Nos. 74, 216, 244 and 322.
[201] ANOTHER GRUEL ALITER TISANAM [1]
SOAK CHICK-PEAS, LENTILS AND PEAS, CRUSH BARLEY AND COOK
WITH THE LEGUMES, WHEN WELL COOKED ADD PLENTY OF OIL.
NOW CUT GREENS, LEEKS, CORIANDER, DILL, FENNEL, BEETS,
MALLOWS, CABBAGE STRUNKS, ALL SOFT AND GREEN AND VERY
FINELY CUT, AND PUT IN A POT. THE CABBAGE COOK [separately; also]
CRUSH FENNEL SEED, PLENTY OF IT, ORIGANY, SILPHIUM, AND
LOVAGE, AND WHEN GROUND, ADD BROTH TO TASTE, POUR THIS
OVER THE PORRIDGE, STIR, AND USE SOME FINELY CHOPPED
CABBAGE STEMS TO SPRINKLE ON TOP.
[1] A repetition of ℞ No. 173.
VI
VIII
END OF BOOK V
OSTRICH IN STRUTHIONE
II
III
IV
VI
VIII
IX
END OF BOOK VI
[In addition to the above chapters two more are inserted in the text of
Book VII, namely Chap. X, Fresh Ham and Chap. XI, To Cook Salt
Pork; these being inserted after Chap. IX, Pork Shoulder, making a total
of XIX Chapters.]
I
SOW’S WOMB, CRACKLINGS, UDDER, TENDERLOIN, TAILS AND
FEET VULVÆ STERILES, CALLUM LUMBELLI COTICULÆ ET UNGELLÆ
II
III
IV
VI
BOILED, STEWED MEATS, AND DAINTY FOOD IN ELIXAM ET COPADIA
[274] WHITE [bread] [1] SAUCE FOR BOILED VIANDS JUS CANDIDUM
IN ELIXAM
WHITE SAUCE FOR BOILED DISHES IS MADE THUS: [2] PEPPER,
BROTH, WINE, RUE, ONIONS, NUTS, A LITTLE SPICE, BREAD SOAKED
TO THE SATURATION POINT, OIL, WHICH IS COOKED AND SPREAD
UNDER [the meat].
[1] Our present bread sauce, somewhat simpler, but essentially the same
as the Apician sauce, is very popular with roast partridge, pheasant and
other game in England.
[2] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.
[276] WHITE SAUCE FOR DAINTY FOOD IN COPADIIS [1] JUS ALBUM
TAKE CUMIN, LOVAGE, RUE SEED, PLUMS FROM DAMASCUS [2]
SOAK IN WINE, ADD HONEY MEAD AND VINEGAR, THYME AND
ORIGANY TO TASTE [3].
[1] Lacking definite description of the copadia it is hard to differentiate
between them and the offelæ.—Cupedia (Plaut. and Goll.), nice dainty
dishes, from cupiditas, appetite, desire for dainty fare. Hence
cupedinarius (Terent.) and cupediarius (Lamprid.) a seller or maker of
dainties, a confectioner.
[2] Damascena; they correspond apparently to our present stewed
(dried) prunes. It is inconceivable how this sauce can be white in color,
but, as a condiment and if taken in small quantity, it has our full
approval.
[3] G.-V. agitabis, i.e. stir the sauce with a whip of thyme and origany
twigs. Cf. note to following.
VII
PAUNCH VENTRICULA
VIII
IX
HAM PERNA
XI
XII
LIVERS AND LUNGS JECINORA SIVE PULMONES
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
XVII
XVIII
SNAILS COCHLEAS
XIX
EGGS OVA
CRATICULA
Combination broiler and stove; charcoal fuel. The sliding rods
are adjustable to the size of food to be cooked thereon. Pans of
various sizes would rest on these rods. In the rear two openings
to hold the caccabus, or stewpot, of which we have four different
illustrations. The craticula usually rested on top of a stationary
brick oven or range. The apparatus, being moveable, is very
ingenious. The roughness of the surface of this specimen is
caused by corrosion and lava adhering to its metal frame. Found
in Pompeii. Ntl. Mus., Naples, 121321; Field M., 26145.
CACCABUS
A stewpot, marmite, kettle. The cover, rising from the
circumference to the center in a succession of steps, fits inside
the mouth of the kettle. Ntl. Mus., Naples 72766; Field M.,
24178.
BOOK VIII. QUADRUPEDS
Lib. VIII. Tetrapus
CHAP. I. WILD BOAR.
CHAP. II. VENISON.
CHAP. III. CHAMOIS, GAZELLE.
CHAP. IV. WILD SHEEP.
CHAP. V. BEEF AND VEAL.
CHAP. VI. KID AND LAMB.
CHAP. VII. PIG.
CHAP. VIII. HARE.
CHAP. IX. DORMOUSE.
[332] MAKE A HOT SAUCE FOR ROAST BOAR THUS JURA FERVENTIA
IN APRUM ASSUM FACIES SIC [1]
CRUSH PEPPER, CUMIN, CELERY SEED, MINT, THYME, SATURY,
SAFFRON, TOASTED NUTS, OR TOASTED ALMONDS, HONEY, WINE,
BROTH, VINEGAR AND A LITTLE OIL.
[1] Tor. In aprum uerò assum, indicating, perhaps, that ordinary pork
also was prepared “boar style.” Cf. ℞ No. 362.
[335] COLD SAUCE FOR BOILED BOAR [1] IUS FRIGIDUM IN APRUM
ELIXUM
PEPPER, CUMIN, LOVAGE, CRUSHED CORIANDER SEED, DILL SEED,
CELERY SEED, THYME, ORIGANY, LITTLE ONION, HONEY, VINEGAR,
MUSTARD, BROTH AND OIL.
[1] ℞ No. 336 precedes this formula in Tor.
II
III
IV
[350] COLD SAUCE FOR WILD SHEEP IUS FRIGIDUM IN OVIFERO [1]
PEPPER, LOVAGE, THYME, CUMIN, CRUSHED TOASTED NUTS,
HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, AND OIL; SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER.
[1] List. omni fero; which Dann. interprets, “All kind of game.” Cf. note
1 to ℞ No. 348.
[352] VEAL OR BEEF WITH LEEKS VITULINAM [1] SIVE BULULAM CUM
PORRIS
[or] WITH QUINCES [2] OR WITH ONIONS, OR WITH DASHEENS [3]
[use] BROTH, PEPPER, LASER AND A LITTLE OIL.
[1] G.-V. same as vitellinam.
[2] Tor. cydoniis; List. succidaneis.
[3] Cf. ℞ No. 332 et al.
VI
[362] THE RAW KID OR LAMB [1] HÆDUS SIVE AGNUS CRUDUS
IS RUBBED WITH OIL AND PEPPER AND SPRINKLED WITH PLENTY
OF CLEAN SALT AND CORIANDER SEED, PLACED IN THE OVEN,
SERVED ROAST.
[1] It is quite evident that this sentence belongs to the preceding
formula; but all the texts make a distinct separation.
VII
PIG IN PORCELLO
VIII
HARE LEPOREM
[388] HARE IN ITS OWN BROTH [1] ALITER LEPOREM EX SUO IURE
PREPARE THE HARE, BONE IT, GARNISH [2] PUT IT IN A STEW POT [3]
AND WHEN HALF DONE ADD A SMALL BUNCH OF LEEKS,
CORIANDER, DILL; WHILE THIS IS BEING DONE, PUT IN THE
MORTAR PEPPER, LOVAGE, CUMIN, CORIANDER SEED, LASER ROOT,
DRY ONION, MINT, RUE, CELERY SEED; CRUSH, MOISTEN WITH
BROTH, ADD HONEY, THE HARE’S OWN GRAVY, REDUCED MUST
AND VINEGAR TO TASTE; LET IT BOIL, TIE WITH ROUX, DRESS,
GARNISH THE ROAST ON A PLATTER, UNDERLAY THE SAUCE,
SPRINKLE AND SERVE.
[1] Cf. Goll. ℞ No. 381.
[2] with vegetables for braising, possibly larding.
[3] braisière, for this is plainly a “potroast” of hare. The boned carcass
should be tied; this is perhaps meant by or is included in ornas—garnish,
i.e. getting ready for braising.
IX
DORMICE GLIRES
CACCABUS
Stewpot, marmite, without a base, to fit into a hole of stove. The
flat lid fits into the mouth of the pot. Found in Pompeii. Ntl.
Mus., Naples, 74806; Field M., 24171.
BOOK IX. SEAFOOD
Lib. IX. Thalassa
CHAP. I. SHELLFISH.
CHAP. II. RAY.
CHAP. III. CALAMARY.
CHAP. IV. CUTTLEFISH.
CHAP. V. POLYPUS.
CHAP. VI. OYSTERS.
CHAP. VII. ALL KINDS OF BIVALVES.
CHAP. VIII. SEA URCHIN.
CHAP. IX. MUSSELS.
CHAP. X. SARDINES.
CHAP. XI. FISH SAUCES.
CHAP. XII. BAIAN SEAFOOD STEW.
SHELLFISH IN LOCUSTA
II
IV
VI
OYSTERS IN OSTREIS
VII
VIII
IX
XI [1]
[426] SAUCE FOR CATFISH, BABY TUNNY AND TUNNY IUS IN SILURO
[2] IN PELAMYDE [3] ET IN THYNNO [4]
TO MAKE THEM MORE TASTY USE [5] PEPPER, LOVAGE, CUMIN,
ONIONS, MINT, RUE, SAGE [6] DATE WINE, HONEY, VINEGAR,
MUSTARD AND OIL.
[1] The twelve chapters of Book IX, as shown in the beginning of the
text are here increased to fourteen by G.-V., to wit, XII, IUS IN MULLO
TARICHO and XIII, SALSUM SINE SALSO, but these are more properly
included in the above chapter XI, as does Tor. All of the above fish were
salt, and probably were important commercial articles. The silurus, for
instance, is best in the river Danube in the Balkans, while the red mullet,
as seen in ℞ No. 427 came from the sea of Galilee. Cf. ℞ Nos. 144,
149.
[2] Silurus, probably the sly silurus, or sheatfish, in the U. S. called
horn-pout—a large catfish.
[3] Pelamis, a tunny before it is a year old.
[4] Tunny, Tunafish.
[5] Tor. wanting in the others.
[6] Cf. note 1 to ℞ No. 424.
XII
[427] SAUCE FOR SALT RED MULLET IUS IN MULLO [1] TARICHO [2]
IF IN NEED OF CONDIMENTS USE [3] PEPPER, RUE, ONIONS, DATES,
GROUND MUSTARD; MIX ALL WITH [flaked meat of] SEA URCHINS,
MOISTEN WITH OIL, AND POUR OVER THE FISH WHICH IS EITHER
FRIED OR BROILED, OMITTING SALT [4].
[1] Tor. mulo, the red sur-mullet—a very esteemed fish.
[2] Tarichea, town of Galilee, on the sea of Galilee. Salt mullet as
prepared at Tarichea was known as Tarichus. This became finally a
generic name for all kinds of salt fish, whether coming from Tarichea or
from elsewhere. We have an interesting analogy in “Finnan Haddie,”
smoked Haddock from Findon, Scotland, corrupted into “Finnan,” and
now used for any kind of smoked Haddock. Cf. ℞ Nos. 144, 149.
[3] Tor. Quite correctly, he questions the need of condiments for salt
fish.
[4] List. uses this last sentence as the title for the next formula, implying
that more salt be added to the salt fish; Tor. is explicit in saying that no
salt be added which of course, is correct.
XIII
XII [XIV]
ROAST PLATTER
The indenture is corrugated to receive the juices of the roast.
Hildesheim Treas.
Go to transcription of text
TITLE PAGE, TORINUS EDITION, BASEL, 1541
Inscribed with comments by Lappius, contemporary scholar.
The fly-leaf bears the autograph of M. Tydeman, 1806, and
references to the above Lappius. There are further inscriptions
by ancient hands in Latin and French, referring to the Barnhold
[sic] Apicius, to The Diaitetike, to Aulus Cornelius, Celsus,
Hippocrates and Galen. Also complaints about the difficulties to
decipher the Apician text.
APICIUS
Book X
CACCABUS
Stewpot, kettle, marmite. The cover fits over the mouth. The
rings in which the bail plays are attached by rivets to a sort of
collar encircling the neck of the pot. Ntl. Mus., Naples, 74775;
Field M., 24173.
BOOK X. THE FISHERMAN [1]
Lib. X. Halieus
CHAP. I. DIFFERENT KINDS OF FISH.
CHAP. II. MURENAS.
CHAP. III. EEL.
[432] A SAUCE FINES HERBES FOR FRIED FISH IUS DIABOTANON [2]
PRO [3] PISCE FRIXO
USE ANY KIND OF FISH. PREPARE [clean, salt, turn in flour] SALT [4]
AND FRY IT. CRUSH PEPPER, CUMIN, CORIANDER SEED, LASER
ROOT, ORIGANY, AND RUE, ALL CRUSHED FINE, MOISTENED WITH
VINEGAR, DATE WINE, HONEY, REDUCED MUST, OIL AND BROTH.
POUR IN A SAUCE PAN, PLACE ON FIRE, WHEN SIMMERING POUR
OVER THE FRIED FISH, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.
[1] This chapter principally deals with fish sauces. Apparently it is by a
different author than Books I-VIII, which have many formulæ for fish.
While we have no direct proof, we are inclined to believe that Book X is
a Roman version of a Greek treatise on fish sauces, a monograph, of
which there existed many, according to Athenæus, which specialized on
the various departments of cookery.
[2] Tor. Diabotom (in Greek characters); Greek, relating to herbs.
[3] Tor. G.-V. in.
[4] G.-V. salsas.
[433] SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH IUS IN PISCE ELIXO
PEPPER, LOVAGE, CUMIN, SMALL ONIONS, ORIGANY, NUTS,
FIGDATES, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, MUSTARD, A LITTLE OIL;
HEAT THIS SAUCE, AND IF YOU WISH [it to be richer, add] RAISINS.
[434] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH ALITER IN PISCE ELIXO [1]
CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE, GREEN CORIANDER, SATURY, ONION, [hard]
BOILED YOLKS, RAISIN WINE, VINEGAR, OIL AND BROTH.
[1] Tor. frixo—fried fish, although his heading reads elixo.
[435] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH ALITER IUS IN PISCE ELIXO
PREPARE THE FISH CAREFULLY; IN THE MORTAR PUT SALT,
CORIANDER SEED, CRUSH AND MIX WELL; TURN THE FISH
THEREIN, PUT IT IN A PAN, COVER IT AND SEAL IT WITH PLASTER [1]
COOK IT IN THE OVEN. WHEN DONE RETIRE [the fish from the pan]
SPRINKLE WITH STRONG VINEGAR AND SERVE.
[1] Remarkable culinary ingenuity, resembling in principle the North
American Indian method of cooking whitefish wrapped in clay. Today
we use flour and water made into a stiff paste to seal a pan hermetically
if no “pressure cooker” is available.
This formula cannot be classified under “Sauce for Boiled Fish.”
[436] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH ALITER IUS IN PISCE ELIXO
WHEN THE FISH IS PREPARED, PUT THE SAME IN A FLAT PAN WITH
CORIANDER SEED, WATER AND GREEN DILL; WHEN COOKED
SPRINKLE WITH VINEGAR AND SERVE [1].
[1] Another fair example of the incompleteness, on the one hand, of the
directions, and of the superfluity, on the other hand, of words such as the
initial and the closing words, which characterizes so many of the
formulæ. This is characteristic of ever so many culinary authors of all
ages, who, lacking literary training, assume that the reader is thoroughly
versed with the methods indicated. A versatile modern author would
have said: “Poach the filleted fish in small water seasoned with
coriander seed and green dill; sprinkle with vinegar before serving.” He
mentioned neither the salt nor the oil which he undoubtedly used.
[445]
THIS SAUCE IS ALSO SUITABLE FOR BOILED [tunny]; IF DESIRED ADD
HONEY.
[446] SAUCE FOR PERCH IUS IN PERCAM [1]
PEPPER, LOVAGE, CRUSHED CUMIN, ONIONS, STONED DAMASCUS
PRUNES, WINE, MEAD, VINEGAR, OIL, REDUCED MUST; COOK IT.
[1] Perca, perch—sea perch or sea bass.
II
[459] SAUCE FOR BROILED TOOTH FISH IUS IN DENTICE ASSO [1]
SAUCE FOR BROILED TOOTH [1] FISH IS MADE THUS [2] PEPPER,
LOVAGE, CORIANDER, MINT, DRY RUE, COOKED QUINCES [3],
HONEY, WINE, BROTH, OIL; HEAT AND TIE WITH ROUX.
[1] Dentex; Hum. dentex forma auratæ similis, verum major—the tooth-
fish is similar to the dory in shape, though larger.
[2] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.
[3] Malum Cydonicum.
III
EEL
Go to transcription of text
OPENING CHAPTER, BOOK I, VENICE, 1503
From the Lancilotus edition, printed by Tacuinus in Venice in
1503. Identical with the two previous editions except for very
minor variants. The rubrication is not completed here. Fine
initials were painted in the vacant spaces by hand; the small
letter in the center of the square being the cue for the rubricator.
This practice, a remnant from the manuscript books, was very
soon abandoned after the printing of books became
commercialized.
THE EXCERPTS FROM APICIUS BY
VINIDARIUS
Go to transcription of text
BREVIS PIMENTORUM
Manuscript of the 8th Century. From the Codex Salmasianus,
Excerpts from Apicius by Vinidarius.
CACCABUS
Stewpot, marmite, or kettle. With a ring base. The cover fits
over the mouth. Ntl. Mus., Naples, 74813; Field M., 24172.
THE EXCERPTS FROM APICIUS
BY VINIDARIUS
THE ILLUSTRIOUS MAN
Apici Excerpta A Vinidario Viro Inlustri
FIFTH CENTURY
Vinidarius, a Goth, of noble birth or a scientist, living in Italy. Vinithaharjis is
the native name. Of his time and life very little is known. It appears that he was a
student of Apicius and that he made certain excerpts from that book which are
preserved in the uncial codex of Salmasius, sæc. VIII, Paris, lat. 10318.
Vollmer in his Apicius commentary says that Salmasius and his predecessors
have accepted them as genuine. Schuch incorporated these recipes in the Apicius
text of his editions, in appropriate places, as he thought. This course cannot be
recommended, although the recipes should form an integral part of any Apicius
edition.
M. Ihm, who faithfully reprinted the excerpta in the Archiv f. lat. Lex. XV, 64,
ff. says distinctly: “These excerpts have nothing to do with the ten books of
Apicius, even if some recipes resemble each other ...” and other researchers have
expressed the same opinion. Vollmer, however, does not share this view.
If I may be permitted to concur with Vollmer, I would say that the excerpts are
quite Apician in character, and that in a sense they fill certain gaps in the Apicius
text, although the language is strongly vulgarized which may be readily expected
to be the case in the age of Vinidarius.
The recipes of Anthimus, written around A.D. 511 also confirm the close
relation existing between Vinidarius and Apicius. Anthimus was the Greek
physician to Theodoric I, (The Great), Frankish king living in Italy. He was not
acquainted with Apicius.
SUMMARY OF SPICES BREVIS PIMENTORUM [1]
WHICH SHOULD BE IN THE HOUSE ON HAND SO THAT THERE MAY
BE NOTHING WANTING [in the line of condiments]: SAFFRON, PEPPER,
GINGER, LASER, LEAVES [laurel-bay-nard], MYRTLE BERRIES,
COSTMARY, CHERVIL [2], INDIAN SPIKENARD, ADDENA [3],
CARDAMOM, SPIKENARD.
[1] Pigmentorum—specierum—spices. The old pigmentum is really any
coloring matter; the word, corrupted to pimento and pimiento is now
used for sweet red pepper and also for allspice.
[2] Cariofilu—cærefolium—Chærephyllon; Fr. Cerfeuille; Ger. Kerbel.
This should be among the herbs.
[3] Not identified.
Ia
II
[470] A STUFFED CHARTREUSE CACCABINAM [1] FUSILEM
[Take cooked] MALLOWS, LEEKS, BEETS, OR COOKED CABBAGE
SPROUTS [shoots or tender strunks] THRUSHES [roast] AND QUENELLES
OF CHICKEN, TIDBITS OF PORK OR SQUAB CHICKEN AND OTHER
SIMILAR SHREDS OF FINE MEATS THAT MAY BE AVAILABLE;
ARRANGE EVERYTHING ALTERNATELY IN LAYERS [in a mould or in a
casserole]. CRUSH PEPPER AND LOVAGE WITH 2 PARTS OF OLD WINE,
1 PART BROTH, 1 PART HONEY AND A LITTLE OIL. TASTE IT; AND
WHEN WELL MIXED AND IN DUE PROPORTIONS PUT IN A SAUCE
PAN AND ALLOW TO HEAT MODERATELY; WHEN BOILING ADD A
PINT OF MILK IN WHICH [about eight] EGGS HAVE BEEN DISSOLVED;
[next] POUR [this spiced custard] OVER [the layers of vegetables and meats,
heat slowly without allowing to boil] AND WHEN CONGEALED SERVE
[either in the casserole, or carefully unmould the dish on a service platter] [2].
[1] It is interesting to note how the generic terms, salacaccabia and
caccabina have degenerated here. In these formulas the terms have lost
all resemblance to the former meaning, the original “salt meat boiled in a
pot.” Such changes are very often observed in the terminology of our
modern kitchens, in every language. They make the definition of terms
and the classification of subjects extremely difficult. They add much to
the confusion among cooks and guests in public dining places and create
misunderstandings that only an expert can explain.
[2] This dish affords an opportunity for a decorative scheme by the
arrangement of the various vegetables and meats in a pleasing and
artistic manner, utilizing the various colors and shapes of the bits of food
as one would use pieces of stone in a mosaic. Of course, such a design
can be appreciated only if the chartreuse is served unmoulded, i.e. if the
cook succeeds in unmoulding it without damaging the structure.
III
IV
VI
VII
[476] [Sauce for] ANY KIND OF FISH, FRIED MAKE THUS: PISCES
FRIXOS CUIUSCUMQUE GENERIS
CRUSH PEPPER, CORIANDER SEED, LASER ROOT, ORIGANY, RUE,
FIGDATES, MOISTEN WITH VINEGAR, OIL, BROTH, ADDING
REDUCED MUST, ALL THIS PREPARE AND MIX CAREFULLY, PLACE
IN SMALL CASSEROLE TO HEAT. WHEN THOROUGHLY HEATED,
POUR OVER THE FRIED FISH, SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER AND SERVE.
IX
[477] [Sauce for] SAME FRIED FISH MAKE THUS: ITEM PISCES FRIXOS
CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE [1], LAUREL BERRIES, CORIANDER, AND
MOISTEN WITH HONEY, BROTH [2], WINE, RAISIN WINE, OR
REDUCED SPICED WINE; COOK THIS ON A SLOW FIRE, BIND WITH
RICE FLOUR AND SERVE.
[1] Sch. ligisticum.
[2] Wanting in Sch.
XI
XII
[480] [Cold Sauce for] SARDINES MAKE THUS: SARDAS [1] SIC FACIES
CRUSH PEPPER, LOVAGE SEED, ORIGANY, DRY ONIONS, HARD
BOILED YOLKS, VINEGAR, OIL; THIS MUST BE COMBINED INTO ONE
[2] AND UNDERLAID.
[1] A kind of small tunny, which, like our herring, used to be pickled or
salt, corresponding to the anchovy. A “sardine,” from the island of
Sardinia; Sardus, the inhabitant of Sardinia.
[2] The absence of detailed instructions as to the manipulation of the
yolks, oil and vinegar is regrettable; upon them depends the certainty or
uncertainty of whether the ancients had our modern mayonnaise.
XIII
XIV
XV
XVI
[484] MURENA [1], EEL [2] OR MULLET MAKE THUS: MURENAM AUT
ANGUILLAS VEL MULLOS SIC FACIES
CLEAN THE FISH AND CAREFULLY PLACE IN A SAUCE PAN. IN THE
MORTAR PUT PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, MINT, DRY ONIONS,
CRUSH, MOISTEN WITH A SMALL GLASS OF WINE, HALF OF THAT OF
BROTH, AND OF HONEY ONE THIRD PART, AND A MODERATE
AMOUNT OF REDUCED MUST, SAY A SPOONFUL. IT IS NECESSARY
THAT THE FISH BE ENTIRELY COVERED BY THIS LIQUOR SO THAT
THERE MAY BE SUFFICIENT JUICE DURING THE COOKING.
[1] The ancients considered the murena one of the finest of fish; the best
were brought from the straits of Sicily. Rich Romans kept them alive in
their fish ponds, often large and elaborate marble basins called, piscina,
fattened the fish, kept it ready for use. Pollio fattened murenas on human
flesh, killing a slave on the slightest provocation and throwing the body
into the fish pond; he would eat only the liver of such murenas. This is
the only case of such cruelty on record, and it has often been cited and
exaggerated.
[2] Perhaps the sea-eel, or conger, according to Dann. Also very much
esteemed. The witty Plautus names a cook in one of his comedies
“Congrio,” because the fellow was “slippery.”
XVII
XVIII
XIX
[487] A DISH OF SOLE WITH EGGS PATINA SOLEARUM EX OVIS
SCALE [skin] CLEAN [the soles], PLACE IN A [shallow] SAUCE PAN, ADD
BROTH, OIL [white] WINE, A BUNCH OF LEEKS AND CORIANDER
SEED, PLACE ON FIRE TO COOK, GRIND A LITTLE PEPPER, ORIGANY,
MOISTEN WITH THE FISH LIQUOR [from the sauce pan]. TAKE 10 RAW
EGGS, BEAT THEM AND MIX WITH THE REMAINING LIQUOR; PUT IT
ALL BACK OVER THE FISH, AND ON A SLOW FIRE ALLOW TO HEAT
[without boiling] AND THICKEN TO THE RIGHT CONSISTENCY;
SPRINKLE WITH PEPPER [1].
[1] Very similar to Sole au vin blanc. Cf. ℞ No. 155.
XX
XXI
XXIII
XXIV
XXV
XXVI
XXVII
[495] PLAIN LAMB [1] AGNUM SIMPLICEM
OF THE SKINNED LAMB MAKE SMALL CUTLETS WHICH WASH
CAREFULLY AND ARRANGE IN A SAUCE PAN, ADD OIL, BROTH,
WINE, LEEKS, CORIANDER CUT WITH THE KNIFE; WHEN IT
COMMENCES TO BOIL, STIR VERY FREQUENTLY [2] AND SERVE.
[1] Unquestionably the ancient equivalent for “Irish Stew.”
[2] Cf. note 3 to ℞ 492, XXIV; the presence of onion, however, would
do no harm here.
XXVIII
XXIX
XXX
XXXI
A. MANUSCRIPTS
SUMMARY OF MANUSCRIPTS
DESCRIPTION OF MANUSCRIPTS
I, 9TH CENTURY
Rome, Vatican Library. Vat. Vrbinas, lat. 1146, Ninth century. 58 sheets, 2 blanks
in the beginning and 2 at the end. Size 23.75 × 18.75 cm., heavy parchment, 20-
21 lines to the page, not numbered. Sheet 1 R, illuminated by square panel in
purple and gold letters (capit. quadr.) INCP || API || CÆ ||—Nothing else. Sheet 1
V—3 R the title, EPIM e || LES LI || BER I, and the titles of Book I, illuminated
with columns, flowers and birds. Sheet 3 R between the foot of the columns
EXPLICIVNT CAPITVLA. Sheet 3 V a panel in purple similar to sheet 1 R with
inscription, INCP || CONDITV || PARADOXV. Sheet 4 R commences the text
with the title, I, Conditum Paradoxum. Captions, marginal figures and initials in
red. The captions are written in good uncials throughout, the first text words
usually in half uncials, continuing in an even and beautiful minuscle. The
Explicits and Incipits invariably in capitalis rustica. Sheet 58 V end of text with
EXPLICIT LIBER X.
Traube, Vollmer and others believe that this manuscript was written in or in the
vicinity of Tours in the 9th century.
Paris, lat. 10318. 8th century. Codex Salmasianus, pp. 196-203, Apici excerpta a
Vinidario vir. inl. (See illustration.)
Excerpts from Apicius, 31 formulæ not found in the traditional Apicius and quite
different in character. Cf. Notes on Vinidarius, preceding the Excerpta which
follow the end of Book X of Apicius.
V, 15TH CENTURY
Paris, lat. 8209, paper, 15th century. 131 sheets, 30 lines to the page.
Florence, Laur. 73, 20. 15th century. 84 sheets, 26 lines to the page.
Florence, Laur. Strozz. 67, 15th century. 50 sheets, 23 lines to the page. Title,
Apicius.
Florence, Riccardianus, 141 (L III 29), paper, 179 sheets, irregular number of
lines, pp. 123-179, Apicius. 15th century.
IX, 1462
Florence, Riccardianus, 662 (M I 26), finished April 4th, 1462, paper, 79 sheets,
26 lines to the page. Pp. 41-79 Apicius, written by Pascutius Sabinus, Bologna,
1462.
X, 1490
Oxford, Bodl. Canon, lat. 168 4to min. 78 pp. dated May 28th, 1490. (In fine)
scriptum per me Petrum Antonium Salandum Reginensem die xxviii Maii
MCCCCLXXXX.
Oxford, Bodl. Add. B 110, 15th century, Italian, cf. H. Schenkl, Bibl. Britann. I.
p. 79 n. 384 and F. Madan, A Summary Catalogue of Western Mss. in the
Bodleian Library, Oxford, 1905, p. 660. Vollmer says that this Ms. belonged to a
son of Humelbergius, as proven by P. Lehmann.
XIII
XIV
XV-XVI
Munich, lat. 756. Ex bibl. Petri Victorii 49. 15th century. This codex is
particularly valuable and important for the identification of the Apicius text. Cf.
Vollmer, Studien, pp. 10 seq.
B. PRINTED EDITIONS
COMMENTARIES ON APICIUS
These summaries and descriptions of the known manuscript books and printed
editions of Apicius are presented with a desire to afford the students a survey of
the field treated in this volume, to illustrate the interest that has existed
throughout the past centuries in our ancient book.
Copies of any Apicius edition and commentaries are scarce; famous collectors
pride themselves in owning one or several of them. Of the well-known
collections of cookery books the most outstanding perhaps is that of Theodor
Drexel, of Frankfurt on the Main, who owned nine different editions of Apicius.
The Drexel catalogue forms the basis of a bibliography—Verzeichnis der
Litteratur über Speise und Trank bis zum Jahre 1887, bearbeitet von Carl Georg,
Hannover, 1888, describing some 1700 works.
The Drexel collection, combined with that of Dr. Freund, is now in the
Staatsbibliothek in Berlin and is undoubtedly the finest collection of its kind.
Another famous collection of cookery books is described in My Cookery Books,
by Elizabeth Robins Pennell, Boston, 1903, listing three of the Apicii.
The Pennell collection was destroyed by a flood in London while being stored
away in a warehouse during the world war.
The most important bibliography, well-known to bibliophiles, is the
Bibliographie gastronomique par Georges Vicaire, Paris, 1890. Vicaire mentions
eleven Apicius editions.
The Baron Pichon and the Georges Vicaire collections are both dispersed.
Despite ardent efforts over a period of many years the writer has been unable to
secure either an Apicius manuscript or the editions No. 1 and 2. The existence of
No. 2 on our list is doubtful. Therefore, we do not pretend having inspected or
read each and every edition described herein, but by combining the efforts of the
authorities here cited we have gathered the following titles and descriptions in
order to present a complete survey of the Apician literature.
No date, but attributed to ca. 1483-6. Given as the earliest edition by most
authorities. 4to, old vellum, 30 sheets, the pages not numbered. Georg-Drexel,
No. 13; Pennell, p. 111; Vicaire, col. 29.
APICIUS CULINARIS (sic) (CURA BLASII LANCILOTI In fine) IMPRESSUM MEDIOLANI PER
MAGISTRUM GUILIERUM DE SIGNERRE ROTHOMAGENSEM. ANNO DOMINI M CCCC
LXXXX DIE VIII MENSIS JANUARII.
Large 8vo. Edition disputed by bibliographers.
Ex Bernhold, præfatio, p. IX, who (we are translating from his Latin text) says,
“Here is the exterior of the book as extant in the Nuremberg library, most
accurately and neatly described by the very famous and most worthy physician
of that illustrious republic, Dr. Preus, a friend of mine for thirty years; whose
integrity, of course, is above reproach; these are his own words—The book is
made in the size called large octavo. It must be mentioned that the sheets are
indeed large, so that the size might be styled an ordinary quarto. Fabricius, in his
Bibliotheca, the newest edition, quotes a copy under this name. The entire book
consists of five parts [sheets, folded into eight leaves—sixteen printed pages—
stitched together] and two leaves. These five parts contain the text proper; these
two sheets preceding them, are occupied by the title page, the dedication and a
kind of poetic address. The text itself commences with p. 5, I should say, though
there is no regular pagination. However, there are nevertheless in the lower ends
of the leaves, called the limp parts, some conspicuous letters on the first four
leaves of the sheets, while the remaining four leaves though belonging to the
respective parts, are blank. For instance aI., aII., aIII., aIIII. Then follows the
next sheet or part, signed, bI., II., III., IIII. in the same manner, with the four
following leaves blank. And thus in the same manner follows sheet c, d, e. The
two leaves preceding the five parts which comprise the text proper, contain the
title of the book, Apicius Culinaris [sic] nowhere, to be sure, appears a note of
the place or the date where and when the book was made, and on this whole first
page, aside from the words already noted, there is nothing else in evidence than
the picture of an angel, in the center of which there is the sign, IHS, and around
the circle the following words are read, ‘Joannes de Lagniano M.’ At the feet of
the angel spaces may be seen that are inscribed with the letters, I.O.L. The next
page, or the verso of the title page, exhibits the dedication of Blasius Lancilotus,
extending to the upper part of the third page. On this very same page occurs the
poem by Ludovicus Vopiscus, addressed to Joannes Antonius Riscius,
comprising five very beautiful distichs. The remaining part of the third page is
finished off with the word, ‘Finis,’ while the fourth page is entirely blank. The
text of Apicius commences with the fifth, as mentioned above, and from now on
the leaves are numbered by letters, as previously described. At the end of the
text, on the last page of the book, a poem is conspicuous, entitled, ‘Antonius
Mota to the Public,’ consisting of four neat distichs, followed by another
composition, containing five distichs by Joannes Salandus. And conclusion of
the entire work is made with these words, ‘Printed at Milan by Master
Guiliermus de Signerre Rothomagensis, in the year of the Lord 1490, on the 8th
day of the month of January.’
“From this edition, the oldest as well as the rarest—with no other known earlier
edition—all the variants given herewith have been collected by Goezius.” Thus
far Bernhold.
The existence of this edition is doubted by Brunet, according to Vicaire. This
ancient description corresponds substantially to that of Vicaire of the following
edition of 1498 which Vicaire proclaims to be the first dated Apicius edition. It
is interesting to note, however, what Bernhold has to say of this 1498 edition.
“Without a doubt a repetition of the preceding edition,” says he; and he goes on
quoting the Bibliotheca Latina Fabricio-Ernestina (Jo. Alberti Fabricii
Bibliothec. Latin. edit ab Ernesti 1708) to the effect that two editions were
printed at Milan, one of 1490 by Blasius Lancilotus and one of 1498 by
Guiliermus de Signerre Rothomagensis.
Our inquiry at the Municipal library of Nürnberg has revealed the fact that this
copy of 1490 is no longer in the possession of the library there.
Go to transcription of text
COLOPHON, MILAN EDITION, 1498
From the Lancilotus edition of Apicius, printed by Signerre,
Milan, 1498, the first dated edition. The poems by Mota and
Salandus are identical with the colophon of the 1503 Venice
edition.
Note the date of this colophon and observe how easily it can be
read for “the 8th day of January, 1490” which date is attributed
to our Apiciana No. 2. This edition, as is noted, is doubtful,
although several bibliographers speak about it.
This copy has on the fly leaf the book plate of “Georgius Klotz, M.D.
Francofurti ad Mœnum” and the autograph of John S. Blackie, 1862.
Bernhold, p. XI. Not in Georg-Drexel. Vicaire, 28; he reads Appicius [sic]
Culinarius. Pennell and Vicaire read Guilerum, Bernhold Guilierum.
Vicaire’s description of this edition tallies with that of Bernhold’s and his
collaborator’s account of the preceding edition. There are certain copies of this
edition, bearing the following titles, Apicius de re coquinaria and Apicivs in re
qvoqvinaria. Cf. Vicaire, 28-29.
GESAMTKATALOG DER WIEGENDRUCKE, Leipzig, 1926, II, p. 510, places as the first
printed edition Apicius in re quoquinaria [sic] printed by William de Signerre at
Milan, on the 20th day of January, 1498. The second place is given APICIUS DE RE
COQUINARIA printed by Bernardinus de Vitalibus at Venice, no date, circa 1500
(our No. 1). This classification follows that of Brunet in 1840. Neither the
Gesamtkatalog nor Brunet make any mention whatsoever of the doubtful 1490
Milan edition (our No. 2).
Vicaire, col. 33, mentioning this edition citing Bernhold, quotes Brunet as
doubting the existence of this 1490 edition, but we fail to notice this expression
of doubt since our Brunet is altogether silent on the subject, same as the other
bibliographers.
Vicaire, col. 28-29, quotes Brunet as saying that the undated Apicius (our No. 1)
despite its sub-titles of Suetonius, contains only the Apicius text, a statement
confirmed by Pennell.
A search of all the available works of Joh. Alb. Fabricius—Bibliotheca Latina
[Classics], Hamburg, 1722, Bibliographia Antiquaria, ib. 1760 and the
Bibliotheca Latina mediæ et infimæ [middle ages], ib. 1735, has failed to reveal
a trace of the 1490 Apicius, displayed by Bernhold, as described by Fabricius
and as seen by Preus in the Nürnberg Municipal Library.
Our facsimile of the 1498 colophon shows how easily its date can be mistaken
for “the 8th day of January, 1490,” Bernhold’s very date! Evidently an error of
this kind made victims of Preus, Bernhold and Fabricius (if, indeed, he quoted it)
and caused us some ardent searching among dusty tomes. We have therefore
come to the conclusion that either this 1490 edition disappeared between the
year 1787 and our time or else that it never existed.
Go to transcription of text
TITLE PAGE, VENICE EDITION, 1503
From the Blasius Lancilotus edition, printed by Johannes de
Cereto de Tridino alias Tacuinus, Venice, 1503. This is the
second dated edition of Apicius, resembling very closely the
undated edition and also the Milan edition, printed by Signerre
1498, the first to bear a date. Same size as the original. This is a
first timid attempt at giving a book a title page. Most books
printed before this date have no title pages.
On the last page of our copy are the two poems mentioned in the 1490 Milan
edition (No. 2) “Antonius mota ad uulgus” (4 distichs) and “Iohannes salandi
Lectori” (5 distichs). The verso of this page is blank. The dedication, on the
verso of title page, is likewise by Blasius Lancilotus. It appears that this edition
is closely related to No. 2.
Vicaire, 30; unknown to Georg-Drexel and Pennell.
In the collection of the author.
Strange enough, there is another edition of this work, bearing the same editor’s
name, printed at Lyons, France, in the same year. This edition, printed by
Gryphius, bears the abbreviated title as follows:
Go to transcription of text
TITLE PAGE, HUMELBERGIUS EDITION, ZÜRICH, 1542
The Gabriel Humelbergius edition is printed by Froschauer, one
of the great printers of the Renaissance. Showing the autograph
of Johannes Baptista Bassus. The best of the early Apicius
editions.
Go to transcription of text
TITLE PAGE, LISTER EDITION, LONDON, 1705
The first Apicius edition by Martin Lister, Court Physician to
Queen Anne. Printed in London in 1705 by the famous printer,
William Bowyer. This is one of the rarest of the Apician books,
the edition being limited to 120 copies. It has been said that the
second edition (Amsterdam, 1709) was limited to 100 copies,
but there is no evidence to that effect.
Lister’s preface to the reader occupies pp. I-XIV; the same appears in the 1709
(2nd) edition. The ten books of Apicius occupy pp. 1-231; the index comprises
11 unnumbered leaves; on the verso of the 11th leaf, the errata. One leaf for the
“Catalogus” (not mentioned by Vicaire) a bibliography of the editor’s extensive
writings, and works used in this edition principally upon nature and medical
subjects. This list was ridiculed by Dr. King. Cf. Introduction by Frederick Starr
to this present work. The last leaf blank. Our copy is in the original binding, and
perfect in every respect.
Go to transcription of text
VERSO OF TITLE PAGE
of the first Lister edition, London, 1705, giving evidence of the
edition being limited to 120 copies. This edition was done at the
expense of the men named in this list. Note particularly “Isaac
Newton, Esq.,” Sir Christopher Wren and a few more names
famous to this day.}
[Same as above] The Second Edition. Vicaire, 33. not in G.-Drexel nor Pennell.
LES DIX LIVRES DE CUISINE D’APICIUS traduits du latin pour la Première fois et
commentés par Bertrand Guégan. Paris René Bonnel Éditeur rue Blanche, No. 8.
No date (in fine October 16th, 1933). Three blank leaves, false title; on verso,
facing the title page (!) “du mème auteur”—a full-page advertisement of the
author’s many-sided publications, past and future. Title page, verso blank. On p.
ix Introduction, a lengthy discourse on dining in ancient times, including a
mention of Apician manuscripts and editions. This commences on p. Li with Les
Manuscrits d’Apicius. The Introduction finishes on p. Lxxviii. On p. 1 Les Dix
Livres d’Apicius, on p. 2 a facsimile in black of the incipit of the Vatican
manuscript, Apiciana II. On p. 3 commences the translation into French of the
Apician text, finishing on p. 308. Table Analytique (index) pp. 309-322. Follow
three unnumbered sheets, on the first page of which is the Justification du tirage,
with the date of printing and the printer’s name, Durand of Chartres. The copies
printed are numbered from 1 to 679. The copy before us is No. 2; copies 1 to 4
are printed on Montval vellum, 5 to 29 on Dutch Pannekoek vellum, the rest, 30
to 679 on Vidalon vellum paper.
Unfortunately, the present work did not reach us until after ours had gone to
press. The text of this edition, the first to appear in the French language, could
not be considered in our work, for this reason.
However, a few casual remarks about it may be in order here.
A hasty perusal reveals the disconcerting fact that the editor has been influenced
by and has followed the example of Schuch by the adoption of his system of
numbering the recipes. We do not approve of his inclusion of the excerpts of
Vinidarius in the Apician text.
The observations presented in this edition are rich and varied. The material,
comprising the Introduction and also the explanatory notes to the recipes are
interesting, copious and well-authenticated. The editor reveals himself to be a
better scholar, well-read in the classics, than a practical cook, well-versed in
kitchen practice. Frequently, for instance, he confounds liquamen with garum,
the age-old shortcoming of the Apician scholars.
The advertisement facing the title page of this work is misplaced, disturbing.
Nevertheless, we welcome this French version which merits a thorough study;
this we hope to publish at some future date. Any serious and new information on
Apicius is welcome and much needed to clear up the mysteries. The advent of a
few additional cooks on the scene doesn’t matter. Let them give lie to the old
proverb that too many cooks spoil the broth. Apicius has been so thoroughly
scrambled during the sixteen-hundred years preceding his first printing which
started the scholars after him. So far, with the exception of a few minor
instances, they have done remarkably well. The complete unscrambling can be
done only by many new cooks, willing to devote much pain and unremunerative,
careful, patient work in discovering new evidence and adding it to what there is
already, to arrive at the truth of the matter.
DESCRIPTION OF COMMENTARIES
APICIANÆ FINIS
A
Abalana, Abellana, hazelnut, see Avellana
Abbreviations, explanation of, p. xv
ABDOMEN, sow’s udder, belly, fat of lower part of belly, figur. Gluttony,
intemperance
ABROTANUM, —ONUM, —ONUS the herb lad’s love; or, according to most
Southernwood. ABROTONUM is also a town in Africa
Absinth. ABSINTHIUM, the herb wormwood. The Romans used A. from
several parts of the world. ℞ 3, also APSINTHIUM
ABSINTHIATUS, —UM, flavored with wormwood, ℞ 3
ABSINTHITES, wine tempered or mixed with wormwood; modern absinth or
Vermouth, cf. ℞ 3
ABSINTHIUM ROMANUM, ℞ 3
ABUA, a small fish; see APUA, ℞ 138, 139, 147
ACER, ACEO, ACIDUM, to be or to make sour, tart
ACETABULUM, a “vinegar” cruet: a small measure, equivalent to 15 Attic
drachms; see Measures
ACETUM, vinegar
—— MULSUM, mead
ACICULA, ACUS, the needle fish, or horn-back, or horn-beak; a long fish with
a snout sharp like a needle; the gar-fish, or sea-needle
ACIDUM, sour; same as ACER
ACINATICIUS, a costly raisin wine
ACINOSUS, full of kernels or stones
ACINUS, —UM, a grain, or grape raisin berry or kernel
ACIPENSER, a large fish, sturgeon, ℞ 145; also see STYRIO
ACOR, —UM, sourness, tartness; the herb sweetcane, gardenflag, galangale
ACRIMONIA, acidity, tartness, sourness; harshness of taste
ACUS, same as ACICULA
Adjustable Table, illustration, p. 138
ADULTERAM, “tempting” dish, ℞ 192
Adulterations of food in antiquity, pp. 33, 39, seq. 147; ℞ 6, 7, 9, 15, 17, 18.
Also see Cookery, deceptive
Advertising cooked ham, ℞ 287
Advertising ancient hotels, p. 6
Aegineta, Paulus, writer on medicine and cookery, see Apiciana, No. 5-6
AENEUM, a “metal” cooking utensil, a CACCABUS, which see; AENEUM
VAS, a mixing bowl; AENEA PATELLA, a pewter, bronze or silver service
platter. Aeno Coctus, braised, sometimes confused with oenococtum, stewed in
wine
AËROPTES, fowl, birds; the correct title of Book VI, see p. 141
Aethiopian Cumin ℞ 35
“AFFE” (Ger.) Monkey; ℞ 55; also see Caramel Coloring
AGITARE (OVA), to stir, to beat (eggs)
AGNUS, IN AGNO, lamb; AGNINUS, pertaining to L. ℞ 291 seq., 355, 364,
495
—— COPADIA AGNINA, ℞ 355 seq.
—— AGNI COCTURA, ℞ 358
—— ASSUS, ℞ 359
—— AGNUM SIMPLICEM, ℞ 495
—— TARPEIANUS, ℞ 363
AGONIA, cattle sacrificed at the festivals: only little of the victims was wasted
at religious ceremonies. The priests, after predicting the future from the
intestines, burned them but sold the carcass to the innkeeper and cooks of the
POPINA, hence the name. These eating places of a low order did a thriving
business with cheaply bought meats which, however, usually were of the best
quality. In Pompeii such steaks were exhibited in windows behind magnifying
glasses to attract the rural customer
Albino, writer, p. 10
ALBUM, ALBUMEN, white; —— OVORUM, the “whites” of egg; ——
PIPER, white pepper, etc.
ALEX, (ALEC, HALEC), salt water, pickle, brine, fish brine. Finally, the fish
itself when cured in A. cf. MURIA
Alexandria, the city founded by Alexander the Great, important Mediterranean
harbor. A. was a rival of Rome and Athens in Antiquity, famous for its luxury
Alexandrine dishes ℞ 75, 348, seq.
ALICA, spelt. ℞ 200
ALICATUM, any food treated with ALEX, which see
ALLIATUM, a garlic sauce, consisting of a purée of pounded garlic whipped up
with oil into a paste of a consistency of mayonnaise, a preparation still popular
in the Provence today; finally, anything flavored with garlic or leeks
ALLIUM, garlic; also leek. Fr. AILLE
Almonds, AMYGDALA, peeling and bleaching of A. ℞ 57
AMACARUS, sweet-marjoram, feverfew
AMBIGA, a small vessel in the shape of a pyramid
AMBOLATUS, unidentified term; p. 172; ℞ 57, 59
Amerbach Manuscript, Apiciana XIV
AMMI, (AMMIUM, AMI, AMIUM), cumin
AMURCA (AMUREA), the lees of oil
AMYGDALA (—UM) Almonds, ℞ 57; OLEUM AMYGDALIUM, almond oil
AMYLARE (AMULARE), to thicken with flour. AMYLATUM (AMULATUM)
that which is thickened with flour. Wheat or rice flour and fats or oil usually
were used for this purpose, corresponding to our present roux. However, the
term was also extended to the use of eggs for the purpose of thickening fluids,
thus becoming equivalent to the present liaison, used for soups and sauces.
Hence AMYLUM and AMULUM, which is also a sort of frumenty
Anacharsis, the Scythian, writer. He described a banquet at Athens during the
Periclean age. pp. 3, 7
ANAS, a duck or drake; ℞ 212-17. ANATEM, ℞ 212; ANATEM EX RAPIS, ℞
214
Anchovy, a small fish; ℞ 147; cf. APUA. —— forcemeat, ℞ 138; —— sauce
and GARUM (which see) ℞ 37; —— omelette ℞ 147
ANET(H)ATUM, flavored with dill; ANET(H)UM, dill, also anise
ANGUILLA, eel, ℞ 466-7, 484. cf. CONGRIO
ANGULARUS, a “square” dish or pan
ANISUM, anise, pimpinella
ANSER, goose, gander; IN ANSERE, ℞ 234; —— JUS CANDIDUM ℞ 228
ANTIPASTO, “Before the Meal,” modern Italian appetizer; the prepared article
usually comes in cans or glasses, consisting of tunny, artichokes, olives, etc.,
preserved in oil
APER, see APRUS
APEXABO, a blood sausage; cf. LONGANO
Aphricocks, ℞ 295
APHROS, ℞ 295
APHYA, see APUA
Apician Cheesecakes, p. 9
—— cookery, influence, p. 16, 23
—— Archetypus, p. 19
—— manuscripts, p. 19, p. 253, seq.
—— Terminology, p. 22
—— dishes, compared with modern dishes, p. 23
—— sauces, p. 24
—— Style of writing, p. 26
—— research, p. 34 seq.
Apiciana, Diagram of, p. 252
Apicius, pp. 7, 9
—— The man, p. 9
—— Athenaeus on, p. 9
—— and Platina, p. 9
—— Expedition to find crawfish, p. 9
—— ships oysters, p. 10
—— school, p. 10
—— death, pp. 10, 11
—— reflecting Roman conditions, pp. 14, 15
—— authenticity of, pp. 18, 19
—— writer, p. 26, ℞ 176, 436
—— confirmed by modern science, p. 33
—— editors as cooks, p. 34 seq.
Apion, writer, quoted by Athenaeus, p. 9
APIUM, celery, smallage, parsley. ℞ 104
APOTHERMA (—UM, APODERMUM) hot porridge, gruel, pudding. ℞ 57; cf.
TISANA
APPARATUS, preparation; —— MENSAE, getting dinner ready
Appetizers. ℞ 174 and others. According to Horace, eggs were the first dishes
served. The “moveable appetizer” of Apicius is very elaborate, p. 210
Appert, François, ℞ 24, father of the modern canning methods
Apples, ℞ 22, 171
APRUS, APRUGNUS, wild boar. ℞ 329-38. APRINA, PERNA, ℞ 338, also
APER
APUA (ABUA, APHYA), a small kind of fish, anchovy, sprat, whiting, white
bait, or minnow. ℞ 138-9, 146, cf. Pliny. Apua is also a town in Liguria; its
inhabitants APUANI
AQUA, water; —— CALIDA, hot w.; —— CISTERNINA, well w.; ——
MARINA, sea w.; —— NITRATA, soda w. for the cooking of vegetables; ——
RECENS; fresh, i.e., not stale w.; —— PLUVIALE, rain w.
AQUALICUS lower part of belly, paunch, ventricle, stomach, maw
Archetypus Fuldensis, manuscript, see Apiciana Diagram
ARCHIMAGIRUS, principal cook, chef, cf. Cooks’ names
ARIDA (—US, —UM) dry; —— MENTHA, dry mint
ARTEMISIA, the herb mugwort, motherwort, tarragon
ARTOCREAS, meat pie
ARTOPTES, Torinus’ title of Book II; better: SARCOPTES, minces, minced
meats
ARTYMA, spice; cf. CONDIMENTUM
Asa foetida, use of —— ℞ 15, p. 23
ASARUM, the Herb foalbit, foalfoot, coltsfoot, wild spikenard
ASCALONICA CEPA, “scallion,” young onion
Asparagus, ASPARAGUS, p. 188, ℞ 72, —— and figpecker, ℞ 132, ——
custard pie, ℞ 133
ASSATURA, a roast, also the process of roasting. ℞ 266-270
ASSUS, roast
ASTACUS, a crab or lobster
Athenaeus, writer, pp. 3, seq.
—— on Apicius, p. 10
Athene, Dish illustration, p. 158
ATRIPLEX, the herb orage, or orach
ATRIUM, living room in a Roman residence, formerly used for kitchen
purposes, hence the name, “black room,” because of the smoky walls. Like all
simple things then and now, the Atrium often developed into a magnificently
decorated court, with fountains and marble statues, and became a sort of parlor
to receive the guests of the house
ATTAGENA (ATAGENA), heath cock, a game bird. ℞ 218, seq.
AURATA, a fish, “golden” dory, red snapper. ℞ 157, 461, 462
AVELLANA, hazelnut, filbert, Fr. AVELLINE
—— NUX, —— NUCLEUS, kernel of f. ℞ 297 and in the list of the
Excerpta
AVENA, a species of bearded grass, haver-grass, oats, wild oats
AVIBUS, IN— ℞ 220, 21, 24, 27
AVICULARIUS, bird keeper, poulterer
AVIS, bird, fowl; AVES ESCULENTAE, edible birds. —— HIRCOSAE, ill-
smelling birds, ℞ 229-30, —— NE LIQUESCANT, ℞ 233
B
BACCA, berry, seed. —— MYRTHEA, myrtle berry; —— RUTAE, rue berry;
—— LAUREA, laurel berry, etc.
Bacon, ℞ 285-90; see also SALSUM
BAIAE, a town, watering place of the ancients, for which many dishes are
named. ℞ 205. BAIANUM pertaining to BAIAE; hence EMPHRACTUM ——,
FABAE, etc. ℞ 202, 205, 432; Baian Seafood Stew, ℞ 431
Bakery in Pompeii, illustration, p. 2
Bantam Chicken, ℞ 237
Barracuda, a fish, ℞ 158
Barley Broth, ℞ 172, 200, 247
BARRICA, ℞ 173
Barthélemy, J. J., writer, translator of Anacharsis, p. 8
Baseggio, G., editor, Apiciana, No. 13, p. 270
BASILICUM, basil
Bavarian Cabbage, ℞ 87
Beans, ℞ 96, 189, 194-8, 247; Green —— ℞ 247; —— sauté, ℞ 203; —— in
mustard, ℞ 204
—— Baian style, ℞ 202
—— “Egyptian,” see COLOCASIUM
Beauvilliers, A., French cook; cf. Styrio
Beef, p. 30; shortage of —— diet, p. 30
—— “Beef Eaters,” p. 30
—— dishes, ℞ 351, seq.
Beets, ℞ 70, 97, 98, 183
—— named for Varro, ℞ 70, 97, 98
Bernardinus, of Venice, printer, p. 258
Bernhold, J. M., editor, Apiciana, Nos. 2-3, 12-14, pp. 258, seq.
BETA, beet, which see BETACEOS VARRONES, ℞ 70
Bibliographers of Apicius, see Apiciana
Birds, Book VI, ℞ 210-227; treatment of strong-smelling —— ℞ 229, 230
BLITUM, a pot herb, the arrack or orage, also spinach, according to some
interpreters
Boar, wild, ℞ 329-38, p. 314
Boiled Dinners, ℞ 125
BOLETAR, a dish for mushrooms, ℞ 183
BOLETUS, mushroom, ℞ 309-14
Bordelaise, ℞ 351
Borrichius, Olaus, p. 268
BOTELLUS, (dim. of BOTULUS) small sausage, ℞ 60. BOTULUS, a sausage,
meat pudding, black pudding, ℞ 60, 61, 172
BOUILLABAISSE, a fish stew of Marseilles, ℞ 431, 481
Bouquet garni, ℞ 138
BOVES, Beef cattle; cf. BUBULA
Bowls for mixing wine, etc., see Crater
—— for fruit or dessert, illustration, p. 61
Brain Sausage, ℞ 45
—— Custard, ℞ 128
—— and bacon, ℞ 148
—— and chicken with peas, ℞ 198
Brandt, Edward, Editor, Commentator, ℞ 29, 170, p. 273
BRASSICA, cabbage, kale; —— CAMPESTRA, turnip; —— OLERACEA,
cabbage and kale; —— MARINA, sea kale (?)
Bread, Alexandrine, ℞ 126; Picentian ——, ℞ 125. The methods of grinding
flour and baking is illustrated with our illustrations of the Casa di Forno of
Pompeii and the Slaves grinding flour, which see, pp. 142, 149. Apicius has no
directions for baking, an art that was as highly developed in his days as was
cookery
BREVIS PIMENTORUM, facsimile, p. 234
Brissonius, writer, quoting Lambecius, ℞ 376
Broiler and Stove, illustration, p. 182
Broth, see LIQUAMEN; Barley ——, ℞ 172, 200, 201
—— How to redeem a spoiled, ℞ 9
BUBULA, Beef, flesh of oxen, p. 30, ℞ 351, 352
BUBULUS CASEUS, cow’s cheese
BUCCA, BUCCEA, mouth, cheek; also a bite, a morsel, a mouth-full; Fr.
BOUCHÉE; BUCELLA (dim.) a small bite, a dainty bit, delicate morsel; hence
probably, Ger. “Buss’l” a little kiss and “busseln,” to spoon, to kiss, in the
Southern German dialect
BUCCELLATUM, a biscuit, Zwieback, soldier’s bread, hard tack
BULBUS, a bulbous root, a bulb, onion, ℞ 285, 304-8
BULBI FRICTI, ℞ 308
BULLIRE, to boil; Fr. BOUILLIR
BUTYRUM, butter. Was little used in ancient households, except for cosmetics.
Cows were expensive, climate and sanitary conditions interfered with its use in
the Southern kitchen. The Latin butyrum is said to derive from the German
Butter
C
CABBAGE, ℞ 87-92, 103; p. 188
Bavarian, ℞ 87
Ingenious way of cooking, ℞ 88
Chartreuse, ℞ 469
CACABUS, CACCABUS, a cook pot, marmite; see OLLA. Illustrations, pp.
183, 209, 223, 235. Hence: CACCABINA, dish cooked in a caccabus. See also
SALACACCABIA, ℞ 468. I Exc. 470
CAELIUS, see Coelius
CAEPA, CEPA, onion; —— ARIDA, fresh onion; —— ROTUNDA, round
onion; —— SICCA, dry o.; —— ASCALONICA, young o. “scallion;” ——
PALLACANA or PALLICANA, a shallot, a special Roman variety
Calamary, cuttlefish, ℞ 405, p. 343
CALAMENTHUM, cress, watercress
CALLUM, CALLUS (—— PORCINUM) tough skin, bacon skin, cracklings. ℞
9, 251, 255
CAMERINUM, town in Umbria, ℞ 3, where Vermouth was made
CAMMARUS MARINUS, a kind of crab-fish, ℞ 43
CANABINUM, CANNABINUM, hemp, hempen
CANCER, crab
Canning, ℞ 23-24
CANTHARUS, illustrations, p. 231; p. 274
CAPON, ℞ 166, 249; CAPONUM TESTICULI, ℞ 166
CAPPAR, caper
CAPPARA, purslane, portulaca
CAPPARUS, CARABUS, ℞ 397
CAPRA, she-goat, also mountain goat, chamois; Ger. GEMSE; ℞ 346-8
Caramel coloring, ℞ 55, 73, 119, 124, 146
CARDAMOMUM, cardamom, aromatic seed
CARDAMUM, nasturtium, cress
Cardoons, ℞ 112-4
CARDUS, CARDUUS, cardoon, edible thistle, ℞ 112-3
Carême, Antonin, The most talented French cook of the post-revolution period;
his chartreuses compared, ℞ 186, p. 35
CARENUM, CAROENUM, wine or must boiled down one third of its volume
to keep it. ℞ 35
CAREUM, CARUM, Carraway
CARICA (—— FICUS) a dried fig from Caria, a reduction made of the fig wine
was used for coloring sauce, similar to our caramel color, which see
CARIOTA, CARYOTA, a kind of large date, figdate; also a wine, a date wine;
℞ 35
CARO, flesh of animals, ℞ 10; —— SALSA, pickled meat
CAROTA, CAROETA, carrot; ℞ 121-3
Carthusian monks, inventors of the CHARTREUSE, ℞ 68, see also Carême
CARTILAGO, gristle, tendon, cartilage
CARYOPHYLLUS, clove
Casa di Forno, Pompeii, “House of the Oven,” illustration, p. 2
CASEUS, cheese; ℞ 125, 303; —— BUBULUS, cow’s cheese; ——
VESTINUS, ℞ 126
CASTANEA, chestnut, ℞ 183 seq.
Catesby, writer, ℞ 322
Catfish, ℞ 426
CATTABIA, see Salacaccabia
Caul Sausage, Kromeski, ℞ 45
CAULICULOS, ℞ 87-92; also Col— cul— and coliclus
Cauliflower, ℞ 87
Caviare, see STYRIO
Celery, ℞ 104
Celsinus, a Roman, ℞ 376-7
CENA, COENA, a meal, a repast; CENULA, a light luncheon; —— RECTA, a
“regular” meal, a formal dinner, usually consisting of GUSTUS, appetizers and
light ENTRÉES, the CENA proper which is the PIÈCE DE RESISTANCE and
the MENSÆ SECUNDAE, or desserts. The main dish was the CAPUT CENAE;
the desserts were also called BELLARIA or MENSAE POMORUM, because
they usually finished with fruit. Hence Horace’s saying “AB OVO USQUE AD
MALA” which freely translated and modernized means, “Everything from soup
to nuts.”
—— AUGURALIS, —— PONTIFICALIS, —— CAPITOLINA, ——
PERSICA, ——SYBARITICA, —— CAMPANAE, —— CEREALIS, ——
SALIARIS, ——TRIUMPHALIS, —— POLINCTURA are all names for state
dinners, official banquets, refined private parties each with its special
significance which is hard to render properly into our language except by
making a long story of it
—— PHILOSOPHICA, —— PLATONICA, —— LACONICA, ——
RUSTICA, ——CYNICA are all more or less skimpy affairs, while the ——
ICCI is that of a downright miser. —— HECATES is a hectic meal, ——
TERRESTRIS a vegetarian dinner, —— DEUM, a home-cooked meal, and a
—— SATURNIA is one without imported dishes or delicacies, a national dinner
—— NOVENDIALIS is the feast given on the ninth day after the burial of a
dead man when his ashes were scattered while yet warm and fresh. ——
DUBIA, ℞ 139, is the “doubtful meal” which causes the conscientious physician
Lister so much worry
The CENA, to be sure, was an evening meal, the PRANDIUM, a noon-day
meal, a luncheon, any kind of meal; the JENTACULUM, a breakfast, an early
luncheon; the MERENDA was a snack in the afternoon between the meals for
those who had “earned” a bite
There are further CENAE, such as —— DAPSILIS, —— PELLOCIBILIS,
—— UNCTA, —— EPULARIS, —— REGALIS, all more or less generous
affairs, and our list of classical and sonorous dinner names is by no means
exhausted herewith. The variety of these names is the best proof of how
seriously a meal was considered by the ancients, how much thought was devoted
to its character and arrangements
CEPA, same as CAEPA, onion
CEPAEA, purslane, sea-purslane, portulaca
CEPUROS, Gr., gardener; title of Book III
CERASUM, cherry, Fr. CERISE; Cerasus is a city of Pontus (Black Sea) whence
Lucullus imported the cherry to Rome
CEREBRUM, CEREBELLUM, brains, ℞ 46
CEREFOLIUM, CAEREFOLIUM, chervil, Ger. KERBEL, Fr. CERFEUILLE
Cereto de Tridino, printer, see Tacuinus
CERVUS, stag, venison, ℞ 339-45
Cesena, a town in Italy where there is an Apicius Ms.; Apiciana XII
CHAMAE, cockles
Chamois, ℞ 346 seq.
Charcoal used for filtering, ℞ 1
CHARTREUSE, ℞ 68, 131, 145a, 186, 469-70; also see Carthusian monks and
Carême
“Chasseur,” ℞ 263
Cheese, cottage, ℞ 303; also see CASEUS
Cheltenham codex, Apiciana I
Cherries, ℞ 22, see CERASUS
Chestnuts, ℞ 183-84a
Chicken, PULLUS
—— forcemeat, ℞ 50; —— broth, 51; —— fricassé, 56; —— boiled, 235,
236, 242; —— and dasheens, 244; —— creamed, with paste, 247; —— stuffed,
248, 199, 213-17, 235; —— in cream, 250; —— disjointed, 139, note 1; ——
Bantam, 237; —— cold, in its own gravy, 237; —— fried or sauté, 236; ——
Guinea hen, 239; —— Fricassé Varius, 245; —— à la Fronto, 246; ——
Parthian style, 237; —— and leeks, 238; —— with laser, 240; —— roast, 241;
—— and pumpkin, 243; —— galantine, 249; —— fried with cream sauce, 250;
—— Maryland, Wiener Backhähndl, 250
Chick-peas, ℞ 207-9; p. 247
Chimneys on pies, ℞ 141
Chipolata garniture, ℞ 378
CHOENIX, a measure,—2 SEXTARII, ℞ 52
Chops, ℞ 261
CHOUX DE BRUXELLES AUX MARRONS, ℞ 92
Christina, Queen of Sweden, eating Apician dishes, pp. 37, 38
CHRYSOMELUM, CHRYSOMALUM, a sort of quince
CIBARIA, victuals, provisions, food; same as CIBUS. Hence CIBARIAE
LEGES, sumptuary laws; CIBARIUM VAS, a vessel or container for food;
CIBARIUS, relating to food; also CIBATIO, victualling, feeding, meal, repast
CIBARIUM ALBUM, white repast, white dish, blancmange. Fr. BLANC
MANGER, “white eating.” A very old dish. Platina gives a fine recipe for it; in
Apicius it is not yet developed. The body of this dish is ground almonds and
milk, thickened with meat jelly. Modern cornstarch puddings have no longer a
resemblance to it; to speak of “chocolate” blancmange as we do, is a barbarism.
Platina is proud of his C.A. He prefers it to any Apician dessert. We agree with
him; the incomplete Apicius in Platina’s and in our days has no desserts worth
mentioning. A German recipe of the 13th century (in “Ein Buch von guter
Spise”) calls C.A. “Blamansier,” plainly a corruption of the French. By the
translation of C.A. into the French, the origin of the dish was obliterated, a quite
frequent occurrence in French kitchen terminology
CIBORIUM, a drinking vessel
CIBUS, food, victuals, provender
CICER, chick-pea, small pulse, ℞ 207-209
Cicero, famous Roman, ℞ 409
CICONIA, stork. Although there is no direct mention of the C. as an article of
diet it has undoubtedly been eaten same as crane, egrets, flamingo and similar
birds
CINARA, CYNARA, artichoke
CINNAMONUM, cinnamon
CIRCELLOS ISICATOS, a sausage, ℞ 65
CITREA MALA, citron; see CITRUM
CITREUS, citron tree
CITRUM, CITRIUM, the fruit of the CITREUS, citron, citrus, ℞ 23, 81, 168.
The citron tree is also MALUS MEDICA. “MALUS QUAE CITRIA
VOCANTUR”; CONDITURA MALORUM MEDICORUM, Ap. Book I.; Lister
thinks this is a cucumber
CITRUS, orange or lemon tree and their fruits. It is remarkable that Apicius does
not speak of lemons, one of the most indispensable fruits in modern cookery
which grow so profusely in Italy today. These were imported into Italy probably
later. The ancients called a number of other trees CITRUS also, including the
cedar, the very name of which is a corruption of CITRUS
Classic Cookery, pp. 16-17
CLIBANUS, portable oven; also a broad vessel for bread-making, a dough
trough
CNECON, ℞ 16
CNICOS, CNICUS, CNECUS, bastard saffron; also the blessed thistle
CNISSA, smoke or steam arising from fat or meat while roasting
COCHLEAE, snails, also sea-snails, “cockles,” periwinkles, ℞ 323-25. ——
LACTE PASTAE, milk-fed snails. COCHLEARIUM, a snail “farm,” place
where snails were raised and fattened for the table. Also a “spoonful,” a measure
of the capacity of a small shell, more properly, however, COCHLEAR, a spoon,
a spoon-full, ¼ cyathus, the capacity of a small shell, also, properly, a spoon for
drawing snails out of the shells. COCHLEOLA, a small snail
COCOLOBIS, basil, basilica
COCTANA, COTANA, COTTANA, COTONA, a small dried fig from Syria
COCTIO, the act of cooking or boiling
COCTIVA CONDIMENTA, easy of digestion, not edible without cooking.
COCTIVUS, soon boiled or roasted
COCTOR, cook, which see; same as COQUUS
COCULA, same as COQUA, a female cook
COCULUM, a cooking vessel
COCUS, COQUUS, cook, which see
Coelius, name of a person, erroneously attached to that of Apicius; also Caelius,
p. 13
COLADIUM, —EDIUM, —ESIUM, —OESIUM, variations of
COLOCASIUM, which see
Colander, illustration of a, p. 58
COLICULUS, CAULICULUS, a tender shoot, a small stalk or stem, ℞ 87-92
COLO, to strain, to filter, cf. ℞ 73
COLOCASIA, COLOCASIUM, the dasheen, or taro, or tanyah tuber, of which
there are many varieties; the root of a plant known to the ancients as Egyptian
Bean. Descriptions in the notes to the ℞ 74, 154, 172, 200, 244 and 322
COLUM NIVARIUM, a strainer or colander for wine and other liquids. See
illustration, p. 58
COLUMBA, female pigeon; COLUMBUS, the male; COLUMBULUS, —A,
squab, ℞ 220. Also used as an endearing term
Columella, writer on agriculture; —— on bulbs, ℞ 307; —— mentioning
Matius, ℞ 167
COLYMBADES (OLIVAE), olives “swimming” in the brine; from
COLYMBUS, swimming pool
Combination of dishes, ℞ 46
Commentaries on Apicius, p. 272
Commodus, a Roman, ℞ 197
Compôte of early fruit, ℞ 177
CONCHA, shellfish muscle, cockle scallop, pearl oyster; also the pearl itself, or
mother-of-pearl; also any hollow vessel resembling a mussel shell (cf.
illustration, p. 125) hence CONCHA SALIS PURI, a salt cellar. Hence also
CONCHIS, beans or peas cooked “in the shell” or in the pod; and diminutives
and variations: CONCHICLA FABA, (bean in the pod) for CONCHICULA,
which is the same as CONCHIS and CONCICLA; ℞ 194-98, 411. ——
APICIANA, ℞ 195; —— DE PISA, ℞ 196; —— COMMODIANA, ℞ 197;
—— FARSILIS, ℞ 199
CONCHICLATUS, ℞ 199
CONCRESCO, grow together, run together, thicken, congeal, also curdle, etc.,
same as CONCRETIO, CONCRETUM
CONDIO, to salt, to season, to flavor; to give relish or zest, to spice, to prepare
with honey or pepper, and also (since spicing does this very thing) to preserve
CONDITIO, laying up, preserving. CONDITIVUS, that which is laid up or
preserved, same as CONDITUM
CONDITOR, one who spices. Ger. Konditor, a pastry maker
CONDIMENTARIUS, spice merchant, grocer
CONDIMENTUM, condiment, sauce, dressing, seasoning, pickle, anything used
for flavoring, seasoning, pickling —— VIRIDE green herbs, pot herbs; cf.
CONDITURA. —— PRO PELAMIDE, ℞ 445; —— PRO THYNNO, ℞ 446;
—— IN PERCAM, ℞ 447; —— IN RUBELLIONEM, ℞ 448; —— RATIO
CONDIENDI MURENAS, ℞ 449; —— LACERTOS, ℞ 456; —— PRO
LACERTO ASSO, ℞ 457; —— THYNNUM ET DENTICEM, ℞ 458; ——
DENTICIS, ℞ 460; —— IN DENTICE ELIXO, ℞ 461; —— AURATA, ℞
462; —— IN AURATAM ASSAM, ℞ 463; —— SCORPIONES, ℞ 464; ——
ANGUILLAM, ℞ 466; —— ALIUD —— ANGUILLAE, ℞ 467
CONDITUM, preserved, a preserve; cf. CONDIO; —— MELIRHOMUM, ℞ 2;
—— ABSINTHIUM ROMANUM, ℞ 3; —— PARADOXUM, ℞ 1; ——
VIOLARUM, ℞ 5
—— Paradoxum, facsimile of Vat. Ms., p. 253
CONDITURA, a pickle, a preserve, sauce, seasoning, marinade; the three terms,
C., CONDITUM and CONDIMENTUM are much the same in meaning, and are
used indiscriminately. They also designate sweet dishes and desserts of different
kinds, including many articles known to us as confections. Hence the German,
KONDITOR, for confectioner, pastry cook. Nevertheless, a general outline of
the specific meanings of these terms may be gathered from observing the nature
of the several preparations listed under these headings, particularly as follows:
—— ROSATUM, ℞ 4; (cf. No. 5) —— MELLIS, ℞ 17; —— UVARUM, ℞
20; —— MALORUM PUNICORUM, ℞ 21; —— COTONIORUM, ℞ 19;
—— FICUUM, PRUNORUM, PIRORUM, ℞ 20; —— MALORUM
MEDICORUM, ℞ 21; —— MORORUM, ℞ 25; —— OLERUM, ℞ 26; ——
RUMICIS, ℞ 27; —— LAPAE, ℞ 27; —— DURACINORUM, ℞ 29; ——
PRUNORUM, etc., ℞ 30
—in most of these instances corresponds to our modern “preserving”
CONGER, CONGRIO, CONGRUS, sea-eel, conger. CONGRUM QUEM
ANTIATES BRUNCHUM APPELLANT,—Platina, cf. ANGUILLA. Plautus
uses this fish name to characterize a very cunning person, a “slippery” fellow. A
cook is thus called CONGRIO in one of his plays
CONILA, CUNILA, a species of the plant ORIGANUM, origany, wild
marjoram. See SATUREIA
CONYZA, the viscous elecampane
Cook, COCUS, COQUUS is the most frequent form used, COCTOR, infrequent.
COQUA, COCULA, female cook; though female cooks were few. The word is
derived from COQUERE, to cook, which seems to be an imitation of the sound,
produced by a bubbling mess
The cook’s work place (formerly ATRIUM, the “black” smoky room) was the
CULINA, the kitchen, hence in the modern Romance tongues CUISINE,
CUCINA, COCINA. Those who work there are CUISINIERS, COCINEROS,
the female a CUISINIÈRE, and so forth
The German and Swedish for “kitchen” are KÜCHE and KÖKET, but the
words “cook” and “KOCH” are directly related to COQUUS
A self-respecting Roman cook, especially a master of the art, having charge
of a crew, would assume the title of MAGIRUS, or ARCHIMAGIRUS, chief
cook. This Greek—“MAGEIROS”—plainly shows the high regard in which
Greek cookery stood in Rome. No American CHEF would think of calling
himself “chief cook,” although CHEF means just that. The foreign word sounds
ever so much better both in old Rome and in new New York. MAGEIROS is
derived from the Greek equivalent of the verb “to knead,” which leads us to the
art of baking. Titles and distinctions were plentiful in the ancient bakeshops,
which plainly indicates departmentisation and division of labor
The PISTOR was the baker of loaves, the DULCIARIUS the cake baker,
using honey for sweetening. Martial says of the PISTOR DULCIARIUS, “that
hand will construct for you a thousand sweet figures of art; for it the frugal bee
principally labors.” The PANCHESTRARIUS, mentioned in Arnobius, is
another confectioner. The LIBARIUS still another of the sweet craft. The
CRUSTULARIUS and BOTULARIUS were a cookie baker and a sausage
maker respectively
The LACTARIUS is the milkman; the PLACENTARIUS he who makes the
PLACENTA, a certain pancake, also a kind of cheese cake, often presented
during the Saturnalia. The SCRIBLITARIUS belongs here, too: in our modern
parlance we would perhaps call these two “ENTREMETIERS.” The
SCRIBLITA must have been a sort of hot cake, perhaps an omelet, a pancake, a
dessert of some kind, served hot; maybe just a griddle cake, baked on a hot
stone, a TORTILLA—what’s the use of guessing! but SCRIBLITAE were good,
for Plautus, in one of his plays, Poenulus, shouts, “Now, then, the SCRIBLITAE
are piping hot! Come hither, fellows!” Not all of them did eat, however, all the
time, for Posidippus derides a cook, saying, CUM SIS COQUUS, PROFECTUS
EXTRA LIMEN ES, CUM NON PRIUS COENAVERIS, “What? Thou art a
cook, and hast gone, without dinner, over the threshold?”
From the FOCARIUS, the scullion, the FORNACARIUS, the fireman, or
furnace tender, and the CULINARIUS, the general kitchen helper to the
OBSONATOR, the steward, the FARTOR to the PRINCEPS COQUORUM, the
“maître d’hôtel” of the establishment we see an organization very much similar
to our own in any well-conducted kitchen
The Roman cooks, formerly slaves in the frugal days of the nation, rose to
great heights of civic importance with the spread of civilization and the advance
of luxury in the empire. Cf. “The Rôle of the Mageiroi in the Life of the Ancient
Greeks” by E. M. Rankin, Chic., 1907, and “Roman Cooks” by C. G. Harcum,
Baltimore, 1914, two monographs on this subject
Cookery, Apician, as well as modern c., discussed in the critical review of the
Apicius book
—— examples of deceptive c. in Apicius, ℞ 6, 7, 9, 17, 229, 230, 384, 429
—— of flavoring and spicing, ℞ 15, 277, 281, 369
—— deserving special mention for ingenuity and excellence, ℞ 15, 21, 22,
72, 88, 177, 186, 212, 213, 214, 250, 287, 315, 428
—— modern Jewish, resembling Apicius, ℞ 204 seq.
—— examples of attempts to remove disagreeable odors, ℞ 212-14, 229, 230,
292
—— removing sinews from fowl, ℞ 213
—— utensils, p. 15
Coote, C. T., commentator, pp. 19, 273
COPA, a woman employed in eating places and taverns, a bar maid, a waitress,
an entertainer, may be all that in one person. One of the caricatures drawn on a
tavern wall in Pompeii depicts a COPA energetically demanding payment for a
drink from a reluctant customer, p. 7
COPADIA, dainties, delicate bits, ℞ 125, 179, 180, 271, 276, seq., 355
Copper in Vegetable Cookery, ℞ 66
Copyists and their work, p. 14
COQUINA, cooking, kitchen. COQUINARIS, —IUS, relating to the kitchen.
COQUO, —IS, COXI, COCTUM, COQUERE, to cook, to dress food, to
function in the kitchen, to prepare food for the table. See cook
COR, heart
CORDYLA, CORDILLA, ℞ 419, 423
CORIANDRUM, the herb coriander; CORIANDRATUM, flavored with c.;
LIQUAMEN EX CORIANDRO, coriander essence or extract
Corn, green, ℞ 99
CORNUM, cornel berry; “CORNA QUAE VERGILIUS LAPIDOSA
VOCAT”—Platina
CORNUTUS, horn-fish, ℞ 442
CORRUDA, the herb wild sparrage, or wild asparagus
CORVUS, a kind of sea-fish, according to some the sea-swallow. Platina
describes it as a black fish of the color of the raven (hence the name), and ranks
it among the best of fish, cf. STURNUS
COTANA, see COCTANA
COTICULA (CAUDA?), minor cuts of pork, either spareribs, pork chops, or
pig’s tails
COTONEA, a herb of the CUNILA family, wallwort, comfrey or black bryony
COTONEUM, COTONEUS, COTONIUS, CYDONIUS, quince-apple, ℞ 163
COTULA, COTYLA, a small measure, ½ sextarius
COTURNIX, quail
COSTUM, COSTUS, costmary; fragrant Indian shrub, the root of burning taste
but excellent flavor
Court-bouillon, ℞ 37, 138
Cow-parsnips, p. 188, ℞ 115-122, 183
COXA, ℞ 288
Crabs, ℞ 485; crabmeat croquettes, ℞ 44
Cracklings, p. 285, ℞ 255
Crane, ℞ 212, 213, p. 265. Crane with turnips, ℞ 214-17
CRATER, CRATERA, a bowl or vessel to mix wine and water; also a mixing
bowl and oil container—see illustrations, p. 140
CRATICULA, grill, gridiron; illustration, p. 182
Crême renversée, ℞ 129, 143
CREMORE, DE—, ℞ 172
CRETICUM HYSOPUM, ℞ 29, Cretan hyssop
CROCUS, —OS, —ON, —UM, saffron; hence CROCEUS, saffron-flavored,
saffron sauce or saffron essence. CROCIS, a certain herb or flavor, perhaps
saffron
Croquettes, ℞ 42, seq.
Cucumber, CUCUMIS, ℞ 82-84
CUCURBITA, pumpkin, gourd, ℞ 73-80, 136
CULINA, kitchen; CULINARIUS, man employed in the kitchen; pertaining to
the kitchen
CULTER, a knife for carving or killing; the blade from 9 to 13 inches long
CUMANA, earthen pot or dish; casserole, ℞ 237
Cumberland sauce, ℞ 345
CUMINUM, CYMINUM, cumin; CUMINATUM, —US, sauce or dish seasoned
with cumin, ℞ 39, 40. Aethiopian, Libyan, and Syriac cumin are named, ℞ 178
CUNICULUS, rabbit, cony
CUNILAGO, a species of origany, flea-bane, wild marjoram, basilica
CUPELLUM, CUPELLA, dim., of CUPA, a small cask or tun. Ger. KUFE; a
“cooper” is a man who makes them
CURCUMA ZEODARIA, turmeric
Custard, brain, ℞ 27; —— nut, ℞ 128, 142; —— of vegetables and brain, ℞
130; —— of elderberries, ℞ 134; —— rose, ℞ 135; see also ℞ 301
Cutlets, ℞ 261, 471-3
Cuttle-fish, ℞ 42, 406-8
CYAMUS, Egyptian bean
CYATHUS, a measure, for both things liquid and things dry, which according to
Pliny 21.109, amounted to 10 drachms, and, according to Rhem. Fann. 80., was
the 12th part of a SEXTARIUS, roughly one twelfth pint. Also a goblet, and a
vessel for mixing wine, ℞ 131
CYDONIIS, PATINA DE, ℞ 163, see also Malus
CYMA, young sprout, of colewort or any other herb; also cauliflower, ℞ 87-9-
92
CYPERUS, CYPIRUS, a sort of rush with roots like ginger, see MEDIUM
CYRENE, a city of Africa, famous for its Laser Cyrenaicum, the best kind of
laser, which see. Also Kyrene
D
DACTYLIS, long, “finger-like” grape or raisin; —US, long date, fruit of a date
tree, ℞ 30
DAMA, a doe, deer, also a gazelle, antilope (DORCAS). In some places the
chamois of the Alps is called DAMA
DAMASCENA [PRUNA], plum or prune from Damascus, ℞ 30. Either fresh or
dried
Danneil, E., editor, pp. 33-34, 35, 271
Dasheen, ℞ 74, 152, 172, 216, 244, 322
Dates, stuffed, ℞ 294
DAUCUM, —US, —ON, a carrot
DE CHINE, see Dasheen
“Decline of the West,” p. 17
DECOQUO, to boil down
DEFRUTARIUS, one who boils wine; CELLA DEFRUTARIA, a cellar where
this is done, or where such wine is kept
DEFRUTUM, DEFRICTUM, DEFRITUM, new wine boiled down to one half
of its volume with sweet herbs and spices to make it keep. Used to flavor sauces,
etc., see also Caramel color
DENTEX, a sparoid marine fish, “Tooth-Fish,” ℞ 157, 459-60
Dessert Dishes, illustrations, pp. 61, 125
Desserts, absent, p. 43
Desserts, Apician, ℞ 143, 294, seq.
DIABOTANON PRO PISCE FRIXO, ℞ 432
Diagram of Apician editions, p. 252
Didius Julianus, ℞ 178
Dierbach, H. J., commentator, p. 273
Dining in Apician style, modern, p. 37
—— in Rome, compared with today, pp. 17, 18
Diocles, writer, ℞ 409
Dionysos Cup, illustration, p. 141
Dipper, illustrated, p. 3
DISCUS, round dish, plate or platter
Disguising foods, ℞ 133, pp. 33-4
Distillation, see Vinum
Dormouse, ℞ 396
Dory, ℞ 157, 462-5
Doves, p. 265
Drexel, Theodor, collector, pp. 257-8
Dubois, Urbain, chef, p. 16
Duck, p. 265, ℞ 212-3; —— with turnips, ℞ 214-7
DULCIA, sweets, cookies, confections, ℞ 16, 216, 294-6
—RIUS, pastry cook, ℞ 294
Dumas, Alexandre, cooking, p. 24
Dumpling of pheasant, ℞ 48; —— and HYDROGARUM, ℞ 49; —— with
broth, plain, ℞ 52, 181
DURACINUS, hard-skinned, rough-skinned fruit; —— PERSICA, the best sort
of peach, according to some, nectarines, ℞ 28
E
Early fruit, stewed, ℞ 177
ECHINUS, sea-urchin, ℞ 412-17
Economical methods: flavoring, ℞ 15
EDO, to eat; great eater, gormandizer, glutton
EDULA, chitterlings
Eel, ℞ 466-7
Egg Dish, illustration, p. 93
Eggs, ℞ 326-28; —— fried, ℞ 336; —— boiled, ℞ 327; —— poached, ℞ 328;
—— scrambled with fish and oysters, ℞ 159
Eglantine, ℞ 171
Egyptian Bean, ℞ 322; also see CYAMUS
EIERKÄSE, ℞ 125, 301
ELAEOGARUM, ℞ 33
Elderberry custard, ℞ 135
ELIXO, to boil, boil down, reduce. —US, —UM, boiled down, sodden, reduced.
According to Platina an ELIXUM simply is a meat bouillon as it is made today.
ELIXATIO, a court-bouillon, liquid boiled down; ELIXATURA, a reduction
EMBAMMA, a marinade, a pickle or sauce to preserve food, to give it
additional flavor; same as INTINCTUS, ℞ 344
EMBRACTUM, EMPHRACTUM, a dish “covered over”; a casserole of some
kind. E. BAIANUM, ℞ 431
Endives, ℞ 109
Enoche of Ascoli, medieval scholar, cf. Apiciana
Entrées, potted, ℞ 54, 55; —— sauces, ℞ 56; —— of fish, poultry and sausage,
℞ 139; —— of fowl and livers, ℞ 175
EPIMELES, careful, accurate; choice things. Title of Book I
Erasmus of Rotterdam, Dialogue, p. 273
ERUCA, the herb rocket, a colewort, a salad plant, a mustard plant
ERVUM, a kind of pulse like vetches or tares
ESCA, meat, food, victuals; ESCO, to eat
Escoffier, A. modern chef, writer, ℞ 338
ESCULENTES, things good to eat
ESTRIX, she-glutton
ESUS, eating
Every Day Dishes, ℞ 128, 142
EXCERPTA A VINIDARIO, p. 235
Excerpts from Apicius by Vinidarius, pp. 21, 234
EXCOQUO, to boil out, to melt, to render (fats)
F
FABA, bean, pulse. —— AEGYPTIACA, ℞ 322; —— IN FRIXORIO, string
beans in the frying pan, Fr.: HARICOTS VERTS SAUTÉS; ——
VITELLIANA, ℞ 189, 193
FABACIAE VIRIDES, green bean, ℞ 202; —— FRICTAE, ℞ 203; —— EX
SINAPI, ℞ 204
Fabricius, Albertus, bibliographer, pp. 258, seq., 268
“Fakers” of manuscripts, p. 13
FALSCHER HASE, ℞ 384
FAR, corn or grain of any kind, also spelt; also a sort of coarse meal
Farce, forcemeat, ℞ 131
FARCIMEN, sausage, ℞ 62-64
FARCIO, to fill, to stuff; also to feed by force, cram, fatten
FARINA, meal, flour, ℞ 173; —OSUS, mealy
FARNEI FUNGI, ℞ 309
FARRICA, ℞ 173
FASEOLUS, PHASEOLUS, a bean; Ger.: Fisole, ℞ 207
FARSILIS, FARTILIS, a rich dish, something crammed or fattened, ℞ 131
FARTOR, sausage maker; keeper of animals to be fattened, ℞ 166, 366
FARTURA, the fattening of animals; also the dressing used to stuff the bodies in
roasting, forcemeat, ℞ 166, 366
FATTENING FOWL, ℞ 166, 366
FENICOPTERO, IN, ℞ 220, 231
FENICULUM, FOENI—, fennel
FENUM GRAECUM, FOEN—; the herb fenugreek, also SILICIA, ℞ 206
FERCULUM, a frame or tray on which several dishes were brought in at once,
hence a course of dishes
FERULA, a rod or branch, fennel-giant; —— ASA FOETIDA, same as
LASERPITIUM
FICATUM, fed or stuffed with figs, ℞ 259-60
FICEDULA, small bird, figpecker, ℞ 132
FICUS, fig, fig tree, FICULA, small fig
Field herbs, ℞ 107; Field salad, ℞ 110; a dish of field vegetables, ℞ 134
Fieldfare, a bird, ℞ 497
Fig-fed pork, p. 285, ℞ 259
Figpecker, a bird, ℞ 132
Figs, to preserve, ℞ 22
Filets Mignons, ℞ 262
Filtering liquors, ℞ 1
Financière garniture, ℞ 166, 378
Fine ragout of brains and bacon, ℞ 147
Fine spiced wine, ℞ 1
Fish cookery, “The Fisherman,” title of Book X; —— boiled, ℞ 432, 4, 5, 6,
455; —— fried, herb sauce, ℞ 433; —— to preserve fried fish, ℞ 13; —— with
cold dressing, ℞ 486; —— baked, ℞ 476-7; —— balls in wine sauce, ℞ 145,
164; —— fond, ℞ 155; a dish of any kind of ——, ℞ 149, 150, 156; —— au
gratin, ℞ 143; —— loaf, ℞ 429; —— liver pudding, ℞ 429; —— pickled,
spiced, marinated, ℞ 480; —— oysters and eggs, ℞ 157; —— salt, any style, ℞
430, 431; stew, ℞ 153, 432; —— sauce, acid, ℞ 38-9
FISKE BOLLER, ℞ 145, 41, seq.
Flaccus, a Roman, ℞ 372
Flamingo, ℞ 220, 231-2
Flavors and spices, often referred to, especially in text; instances of careful
flavoring, ℞ 15, 276-77. Flavoring with faggots, ℞ 385, seq.
Florence Mss. Apiciana VI, VII, VIII, IX
FLORES SAMBUCI, elder blossoms
Fluvius Hirpinus, Roman, ℞ 323, 396; a man interested in raising snails,
dormice, etc., for the table
FOCUS, hearth, range; unusually built of brick, on which the CRATICULA
stood. Cf. illustrations, p. 182
FOLIUM, leaf, aromatic leaves such as laurel, etc. —— NARDI, several kinds,
nard leaf. The Indian nard furnishes nard oil, the Italian lavender
FONDULI, see SPHONDULI, ℞ 114, 121
Food adulterations, pp. 33, 34
Food disguising and adulteration, p. 33, ℞ 6, 7, 134, 147;
—— displayed in Pompeii, p. 7
Forcemeats, ℞ 42, 172
Fowl, p. 265; a dish of, ℞ 470; —— and livers, ℞ 174; various dishes and
sauce, ℞ 218, seq. Picking ——, ℞ 233; Removing disagreeable odors from
——, ℞ 229-30
French Dressing, ℞ 112
French Toast, ℞ 296
FRETALE, FRIXORIUM, FRICTORIUM, frying pan, illustrations, pp. 355,
366; cf. SARTAGO
FRICTELLA, fritter; “A FRICTO DICI NULLA RATIO OBSTAT”—Platina.
Ger. “Frikadellen” for meat balls fried in the pan. “De OFFELLIS, QUAS VEL
FRICTELLAS LICET APPELLARE”—Platina
FRICTORIUM, FRIXORIUM, same as FRETALE, frying pan
FRISILIS, FRICTILIS, FUSILIS, ℞ 131
FRITTO MISTO (It.), ℞ 46
Friture, (Fr.) frying fat, ℞ 42, seq.
FRIXUS, roast, fried, also dried or parched, term which causes some confusion
in the several editions
Frontispice, 2nd Lister Edition, illustration, p. 156
Fronto, a Roman, ℞ 246, 374
FRUGES, farinaceous dishes
Fruit dishes, ℞ 64, 72; Fruits, p. 210; —— dried, Summary, p. 370
—— Bowl illustration, pp. 61, 125
FRUMENTUM, grain, wheat or barley
Frying, ℞ 42, seq.
Frying pans, illustrated, cf. FRETALE and SARTAGO
Fulda Ms., cf. Apiciana
FUNGUS, mushroom; —ULUS, small m.; see BOLETUS —— FARNEI, ℞
309, seq.
FURCA, a two-pronged fork; —ULA, —ILLA (dim.) a small fork. FUSCINA,
—ULA, a three-pronged fork. Cf. “Forks and Fingerbowls as Milestones in
Human Progress,” by the author, Hotel Bulletin and The Nation’s Chefs,
Chicago, Aug., 1933, pp. 84-87
FURNUS, oven, bake oven. See illustration, p. 2
G
Galen, writer, ℞ 396, 410
GALLINA, hen; —ULA, little hen; —ARIUS, poulterer
GALLUS, cock
Game of all kinds, sauce for, ℞ 349
—— birds, ℞ 218, seq.
GANONAS CRUDAS, fish, ℞ 153
GARATUM, prepared with GARUM, which see
Gardener, The—Title of Book III, ℞ 377
GARUM (Gr.: GARON) a popular fish sauce made chiefly of the scomber or
mackerel, but formerly from the GARUS, hence the name, cf. p. 22, ℞ 10, 33,
471
Mackerel is the oiliest fish, and plentiful, very well suited for the making of
G.
G. was also a pickle made of the blood and the gills of the tunny and of the
intestines of mackerel and other fish. The intestines were exposed to the sun and
fermented. This has stirred up controversies; the ancients have been denounced
for the “vile concoctions,” but garum has been vindicated by modern science as
to its rational preparation and nutritive qualities. Codfish oil, for instance, has
long been known for its medicinal properties, principally Vitamin D; this is
being increased today by exposure to ultraviolet rays (just what the ancients did).
The intestines are the most nutritious portions of fish
G. still remains a sort of mystery. Its exact mode of preparation is not known.
It was very popular and expensive, therefore was subject to a great number of
variations in quality and in price, and to adulteration. For all these reasons
GARUM has been the subject of much speculation. It appears that the original
meaning of G. became entirely lost in the subsequent variations
In 1933 Dr. Margaret B. Wilson sent the author a bottle of GARUM
ROMANUM which she had compounded according to the formulae at her
disposal. This was a syrupy brown liquid, smelled like glue and had to be
dissolved in water or wine, a few drops of the G. to a glass of liquid, of which, in
turn, only a few drops were used to flavor a fish sauce, etc.
—— SOCIORUM, the best kind of G.; ALEXGARI VITIUM, the cheap
kind of G., cf. ALEX, HALEC. OENOGARUM, G. mixed with wine;
HYDROGARUM, G. mixed with water; OLEOGARUM, G. mixed with oil;
OXYGARUM, G. mixed with vinegar
GARUS, small fish from which the real GARUM was made
GELO, cause to freeze, to congeal; GELU, jelly
GELU IN PATINA, gelatine: “QUOD VULGO GELATINAM
VOCAMUS”—Platina
Georg, Carl, Bibliographer, p. 257
Gesamt-Katalog, bibliography, p. 261
Gesner, Conrad, Swiss scientist, bibliographer, polyhistor, see Schola Apitiana,
p. 206
GETHYUM, —ON, same as PALLACANA, an onion
Giarratano, C., editor, Apiciana, pp. 18, 19, 26, 271, 273
GINGIBER, ginger; also ZINGIBER, faulty reading of the “G” by medieval
scribes
GINGIDON, —IUM, a plant of Syria; according to Spengel the French carrot.
Paulus Aegineta says: “BISACUTUM (SIC ENIM ROMANI GINGIDION
APPELLANT) OLUS EST SCANDICI NON ABSIMILE,” hence a chervil root,
or parsnip, or oysterplant
GLANDES, any kernel fruit, a date, a nut, etc.
Glasse, Mrs. Hannah, writer, ℞ 127
GLIS, pl. GLIRES, dormouse, a small rodent, very much esteemed as food.
GLIRARIUM, cage or place where they were kept or raised, ℞ 396
Gluttons, p. 11
Goat, wild, ℞ 346, seq. —— liver, ℞ 291-3
Gollmer, R., editor, Apiciana, pp. 18, 35, 270
GONG for slaves, illustration, p. 151
Goose, p. 265; white sauce for, ℞ 228
Grapes, to keep, ℞ 19
Greek influence on Roman cookery, p. 12, seq.
—— Banquet, by Anacharsis, p. 8
Greek monographs, p. 43
Green beans, p. 247, ℞ 202, 206
Greens, green vegetables, ℞ 99
Grimod de la Reynière, writer, p. 4, cf. Mappa
Gruel, p. 210; ℞ 172, 200-1, seq. —— and wine, ℞ 179-80
GRUS, crane; GRUEM, ℞ 212-3; —— EX RAPIS, ℞ 215-6
Gryphius, S., printer, Apiciana No. 6, facsimile of title, p. 263
Guégan, Bertrand, editor, p. 271, seq.
Guinea Hen, ℞ 239, cf. “Turkey Origin,” by the author, Hotel Bulletin and The
Nation’s Chefs, for February and March, 1935, Chicago
GULA, gluttony
GUSTUS, taste; also appetizers and relishes and certain entrées of a meal, Hors
d’oeuvres. Cf. CENA, ℞ 174-77
H
Habs, R., writer, p. 18
HAEDUS, HAEDINUS, kid, ℞ 291-3, 355, seq.
—— SYRINGIATUS, ℞ 360; —— PARTHICUM, ℞ 364; ——
TARPEIANUM, ℞ 363; —— LAUREATUM EX LACTE, ℞ 365; ——
LASARATUM, ℞ 496
HALEC, see ALEC
HALIEUS, HALIEUTICUS, pertaining to fish; title of Book X, p. 356
Ham, fresh, p. 285, ℞ 287-9
HAND-MILL, operated by Slaves, illustration, p. 60
HAPANTAMYNOS, ℞ 497
Harcum, C. G., writer, see COQUUS
Hard-skinned peaches, to keep, ℞ 28
Hare, B. VIII, ℞ 382, seq. —— imitation, ℞ 384; —— braised, ℞ 382-3; ——
different dressings, ℞ 383; —— Stuffed, ℞ 384, 91; —— white sauce for, ℞
385; —— lights of, ℞ 386-7; —— liver, ℞ 170; —— in its own broth, ℞ 388;
—— smoked Passenianus, ℞ 389; —— tidbits, kromeskis, ℞ 390; —— boiled,
℞ 393; —— spiced sauce, ℞ 393; —— sumptuous style, ℞ 394; —— spiced,
℞ 395
Haricot of lamb, ℞ 355
HARPAGO, a meat hook for taking boiled meat out of the pot, with five or more
prongs; hence “harpoon.” Cf. FURCA
“Haut-goût” in birds, to overcome it, ℞ 229-30
Headcheese, ℞ 125
Heathcock, ℞ 218, seq.
HELENIUM, plant similar to thyme(?); the herb elecampane or starwort
Heliogabalus, emperor, p. 11
HEMINA, a measure, about half a pint
Henry VIII, of England, edict on kitchens, p. 156
HERBAE RUSTICAE, ℞ 107
Herbs, pot herbs, to keep, ℞ 25
Hildesheim Treasure, found in 1868, a great collection of Roman silverware,
now in the Kaiser Friedrich Museum, Berlin, our illustrations show a number of
these pieces, p. 43
Hip, dog-briar, ℞ 171
HIRCOSIS AVIBUS, DE, ℞ 229-30
Hirpinus, Fluvius, Roman, ℞ 323, 396, who raised animals for the table
HISPANUM, see Oleum
HOEDUS, see HAEDUS
HOLERA, pot herbs, ℞ 25, 66; also OLERA and HOLISERA, from HOLUS
HOLUS, OLUS, kitchen vegetables, particularly cabbage, ℞ 99
Home-made sweets, ℞ 294
Honey cakes, ℞ 16
Honey Refresher, ℞ 2; —— cake, ℞ 16; —— to renew spoiled, ℞ 17; testing
quality of, ℞ 18; —— pap, ℞ 181; see also Chap. XIII, Book VII
Horace, writer, pp. 3, 4, 273, ℞ 455
HORDEUM, barley
Horned fish, ℞ 442
Hors d’oeuvres, ℞ 174; cf. GUSTUS
HORTULANUS, gardener, Hortolanus, pork, ℞ 378
Horseradish, ℞ 102
House of the Oven in Pompeii, illustration, p. 2
Humelbergius, Gabriel, editor, ℞ 307; title page of his 1542 edition, p. 265
Hunter style, ℞ 263
HYDROGARATA, foods, sauces prepared with GARUM (which see) and water,
℞ 172
HYDROMELI, rain water and honey boiled down one third
HYPOTRIMA, —IMMA, a liquid dish, soup, sauce, ragout, composed of many
spiced things, ℞ 35
HYSITIUM, ISICIUM, a mince, a hash, a sausage, forcemeat, croquette, ℞ 41-
56. The term “croquette” used by Gollmer does not fully cover H.; some indeed,
resemble modern croquettes and kromeskis very closely. The ancients, having no
table forks and only a few knives (which were for the servants’ use in carving)
were fond of such preparations as could be partaken of without table ware. The
reclining position at table made it almost necessary for them to eat H.; such
dishes gave the cooks an opportunity for the display of their skill, inventive
ability, their decorative and artistic sense. As “predigested” food, such dishes are
decided preferable to the “grosses-pièces,” which besides energetic mastication
require skillful manipulation of fork and knife; such exercise was unwelcome on
the Roman couches. Modern nations, featuring “grosses-pièces” do this at the
expense of high-class cookery. The word, H., is probably a medieval
graecification of INSICIUM. Cf. ISICIA
HYSSOPUS, the herb hyssop; H. CRETICUS, marjoram. Also Hysopum
creticum, hyssop from the island of Creta, ℞ 29
I
IECUR, JECUR, liver; ℞ 291-3. IECUSCULUM, small (poultry, etc.) liver
Ihm, Max, writer, p. 19
Ill-smelling fish sauce, ℞ 9; ditto birds, ℞ 229-30
Indian peas, ℞ 187
Ink-fish, ℞ 405
INSICIA, chopped meat, sausage, forcemeat, dressing, stuffing for roasts, ℞ 42;
see Hysitia and Isicia; —ARIUS, sausage maker
INTINCTUS, a sauce, seasoning, brine or pickle in which meat, etc., is dipped.
See EMBAMMA, ℞ 344
INTUBUS, INTYBUS, —UM, chicory, succory, endive, ℞ 109
INULA HELENIUM, the herb elecampane or starwort
ISICIA, see HYSITIA, ℞ 41-54, 145
—— AMULATA AB AHENO, ℞ 54; —— DE CAMMARIS, ℞ 43; ——
DE CEREBELLIS, ℞ 45; —— DE LOLLIGINE, ℞ 42; —— DE
SPONDYLIS, ℞ 46; —— DE PULLO, ℞ 50; —— DE SCILLIS, ℞ 43; ——
HYDROGARATA, ℞ 49; —— PLENA, ℞ 48; —— SIMPLEX, ℞ 52; ——
DE TURSIONE, ℞ 145
Italian Salad, ℞ 123
IUS, JUS, any juice or liquid, or liquor derived from food, a broth, soup, sauce.
IUSCELLUM, more frequently and affectionately, IUSCULUM, the diminutive
of I.
—— DE SUO SIBI, pan-gravy; such latinity as this proves the genuineness of
the Apicius text, ℞ 153; —— IN DIVERSIS AVIBUS, ℞ 210-228; —— IN
ELIXAM, ℞ 271-7; —— IN VENATIONIBUS, ℞ 349, seq. ——
DIABOTANON, ℞ 432; —— IN PISCE ELIXO, ℞ 433-6; ——
ALEXANDRINUM, ℞ 437-9; —— CONGRO, ℞ 440; —— IN CORNUTAM,
℞ 441; —— IN MULLOS, ℞ 442-3; —— PELAMYDE, ℞ 444; —— IN
PERCAM, ℞ 446; —— IN MURENA, ℞ 448, 449-52; —— IN PISCE ELIXO,
℞ 454; —— IN LACERTOS ELIXOS, ℞ 455; —— PISCE ASSO, ℞ 456;
—— THYNNO, ℞ 457; —— ELIXO, ℞ 458; —— IN DENTICE ASSO, ℞
459-60; —— IN PISCE AURATA, ℞ 461-2; —— IN SCORPIONE, ℞ 463;
—— PISCE OENOGARUM, ℞ 464-5; —— ANGUILLAM, ℞ 466-7
J
Jardinière, ℞ 378
JECINORA, ℞ 291
Jewish Cookery, compared with Apician, ℞ 205
Johannes de Cereto de Tridino, Venetian printer, p. 261
John of Damascus, see Torinus edition of 1541, Basel
Julian Meal Mush, ℞ 178
K
Keeping meat and fish, ℞ 10-14, seq.
Kettner, writer, p. 38
Kid, p. 314, ℞ 355, seq. —— liver, ℞ 291-93; —— stew, ℞ 355-8; —— roast,
℞ 359-62; —— boned, ℞ 360-1; —— Tarpeius, ℞ 363-4; —— Prize, ℞ 365;
—— plain, ℞ 366; —— laser, ℞ 496
Kidney beans, ℞ 207-8
King, Dr. W., writer, quoted: Introduction, pp. 38, 267
Kromeskis, ℞ 44, 47, 60; cf. ISICIA and HYSITIA
Kyrene, Cyrene, City of Northern Africa, see Laser
L
Labor item in cookery, pp. 18, 24
LAC, milk; —— FISSILE, cottage cheese
LACERTUS, a sea-fish, not identified, ℞ 147, 152, 455-7
LACTARIS, having milk, made of milk; —IUS, dairyman
LACTES, small guts, chitterlings
LACTUA, LACTUCULA, lettuce, ℞ 105, 109-11
LAGANUM, a certain farinaceous dish; small cake made of flour and oil, a pan
cake
LAGENA, —ONA, —OENA, —UNA, flask, bottle
Lamb, ℞ 291-3, 355-65, 495-6; preparations same as Kid, which see
Lambecius, Petrus, writer, on “The Porker’s Last Will,” ℞ 376
Lanciani, Rodolfo, writer, pp. 29, 30
Lancilotus, Blasius, co-editor, 1498-1503 editions, pp. 27-30, 41
—see also Tacuinus
—facsimile of opening chapter, 1503, p. 232
Langoust, ℞ 485
LANX, broad platter, dish, charger, ℞ 455
LAPA, LAPATHUM, LAPADON, same as RUMEX, ℞ 26
Larding, ℞ 394
LARIDUM, LARDUM, ℞ 147, 290; cf. SALSUM
LASER, LASERPITIUM, —ICIUM, the juice or distillate of the herb by that
name, also known as SILPHIUM, SYLPHIUM, Greek, SYLPHION. Some agree
that this is our present asa foetida, while other authorities deny this. Some claim
its home is in Persia, while others say the best LASER came from Cyrene
(Kyrene), Northern Africa. The center picture of the so-called Arkesilas-Bowl of
Vulci at Paris, Cab. d. Méd. 189, represents a picture as seen by the artist in
Kyrene how King Arkesilas (VI. saec.) watches the weighing and the stowing
away in the hold of a sailing vessel of a costly cargo of sylphium. It was an
expensive and very much esteemed flavoring agent, and, for that reason, the
plant which grew only in the wild state, was probably exterminated
There is much speculation, but its true nature will not be revealed without
additional information
℞ 15, 31, 32, 34, 100; p. 22
Method of flavoring with laser-impregnated nuts, ℞ 15
LASERATUS, LASARATUS, prepared or seasoned with LASER, or
SILPHIUM
Latin title of Vehling translation, opposite title page
LAUREATUM, prepared with LAURUS; also in the sense of excellence in
quality, ℞ 365, 373
LAURUS CINNAMOMUM, cinnamon; —— NOBILIS, laurel leaf, bay leaf
La Varenne, French cook, p. 16
Laws, sumptuary, p. 25, ℞ 166
Laxatives, ℞ 4, 5, 6, 29, 34
Leeks, p. 188, ℞ 93-6; —— and beans, ℞ 96
LEGUMEN, leguminous plants; all kinds of pulse-peas, beans lentils, etc., Book
V
LENS, LENTICULA, lentils, ℞ 183-4
LEPIDIUM SATIVUM, watercress
LEPOREM MADIDUM, ℞ 382, seq. —— FARSUM, ℞ 384; ——
PASSENIANUM, ℞ 389; —— ISICIATUM, ℞ 390; —— FARSILEM, ℞ 391;
—— ELIXIUM, ℞ 392; —— SICCO SPARSUM, ℞ 394; —— LEPORIS
CONDITURA, ℞ 393-5
LEPUS, hare; LEPUSCULUM, young hare; LEPORARIUM, a place for
keeping hare; LEPORINUM MINUTAL, minced hare, Hasenpfeffer, ℞ 382-395
Lettuce, B. V, ℞ 105, 109-111; —— and endives, ℞ 109; —— purée of, ℞ 130
LEUCANTHEMIS, camomile
LEUCOZOMUS, “creamed,” prepared with milk, ℞ 250
Lex Fannia, ℞ 166
Liaison, lié, ℞ 54; cf. AMYLARE
LIBELLI, little ribs, spare ribs, also loin of pork, ℞ 251
LIBRA, weight, 1 pound (abb. “lb.” still in use); LIBRAE, balances, scales
LIBURNICUM, see oil, oleum
LIGUSTICUM, lovage (from Liguria) also LEVISTICUM; identical with
garden lovage, savory, basilica, satury, etc.
LIQUORIBUS, DE, p. 370
LIQUAMEN, any kind of culinary liquid, depending upon the occasion. It may
be interpreted as brine, stock, gravy, jus, sauce, drippings, marinade, natural
juice; it must be interpreted in the broadest sense, as the particular instance
requires. This much disputed term has been illustrated also in page 22. Also see
℞ 9, 42
Liquids, Summary of, p. 370
—— thickening of, by means of flour, eggs, etc., called Liaison, cf.
AMYLARE
Lister, Dr. Martinus, editor, edition of 1705, title page, ditto, verso of, ditto of
1709, p. 38; frontispice
—— quoted in many foot notes, ℞ 8, seq.
—— assailing Torinus, p. 13, ℞ 15, 26, 100, 205
—— edition, 1709, facsimile, p. 250
Liver kromeskis, ℞ 44; fig-fed, of pig, ℞ 259-60; —— and lungs, ℞ 291-3;
—— hash, ℞ 293; —— of fish, see GARUM and Pollio
Lobster, ℞ 398, 399, 400, 401, 2; in various ways
LOCUSTA, a langoust, spiny lobster, large lobster without claws; ℞ 397-402,
485; —— ASSAE, ℞ 398; —— ELIXAE, ℞ 399, 401-2
Loins, p. 285, ℞ 286
LOLIGO, LOLLIGO, calamary, cuttle-fish, ℞ 42, 405
LOLIUM, LOLA, darnel, rye-grass, ray-grass, meal. The seeds of this grass
were milled, the flour or meal believed to possess some narcotic properties, as
stated by Ovid and Plautus, but recent researches have cast some doubt upon its
reported deleterious qualities. Apicius, ℞ 50, reads LOLAE FLORIS
LONGANO, a blood sausage, ℞ 61. The LONGANONES PORCINOS EX
IURE TARENTINO in ℞ 140 is a part of the PATINA EX LACTE; a pork
sausage made in Tarent of the straight gut, the rectum. Lister says they are
cooked in Tarentinian sauce and are not unlike the sausage called APEXABO
and HILLA. These sausages were in vogue before the Italians learned to make
them; it was in Epirus, Greece, that they were highly developed. Their
importation into Rome caused quite a stir, politically. Lister, ℞ 50, p. 119,
describes the sausage and calls the inhabitants of Tarent “most voluptuous, soft
and delicate” because Juvenal, Sat. VI, v. 297, takes a shot at Tarent
This part of Italy, and especially Sicily, because in close contact with Greece
was for many years much farther advanced in art of cookery than the North
Lucania, district of lower Italy whence came the Lucanian sausage, p. 172, ℞
61; see also LONGANO
LUCIUS FLUVIALIS, a river fish, perch, or pike, according to some; Platina
also calls it LICIUS. Cf. MERULA
Lucretian Dish, ℞ 151
Lucullus, Roman general, proverbial glutton, has a place here because of his
importation into Rome of the cherry, which he discovered in Asia Minor. He
cannot be expected to be represented in the Apicius book because he died 57
B.C.
LUCUSTA, see LOCUSTA
LUMBUS, loin, (Ger. LUMMEL), ℞ 286; LUMBELLI, ℞ 255
Lung, ℞ 291-2
LUPINUS, lupine
LUPUS, fish, ℞ 158
M
MACELLARIUS, MACELLINUS, market man, butcher
MACELLUM, market
MACERO, to soak, soften, steep in liquor, macerate; MACERATUM, food thus
treated
MACTRA, trough for kneading dough
MAGIRUS, MAGEIROS, cook, see COQUUS
MALABATHRUM —THRON, ℞ 32, 399
Mallows, ℞ 86
MALUS, fruit tree, apple tree; —— PUNICORUM, pomegranate; ——
ASSYRIA, —— CITRUS DECUMANA, one of the larger citrus fruits; ——
MEDICA, citron tree; —— CYDONIA, quince tree
MALUM, fruit, an apple, but quinces, pomegranates, peaches, oranges,
lemons, and other fruits were likewise designated by this name. ℞ 18, 20. See
also CITRUM
It is remarkable that Apicius does not specifically speak of lemons and
oranges, fruits that must have grown in Italy at his time, that are so indispensable
to modern cookery
MALUM PUNICUM, ℞ 20, 21; —— CYDONIUM, ℞ 21; ——
GRANATUM, ℞ 20; —— MEDICUM, ℞ 24; —— ROSEUM, ℞ 178, 171.
This name, which according to Schuch simply stands for a rose-colored apple,
has led to the belief that the ancients made pies, etc., of roses. Today a certain
red-colored apple is known as “Roman Beauty.” We concur in Schuch’s opinion,
remembering, however, that the fruit of the rose tree, namely the hip, dog-briar,
or eglantine, is made into dainty confections on the Continent today. It is
therefore quite possible that MALUM ROSEUM stands for the fruit of the rose
MANDUCO, to chew, to munch, to enjoy food by munching; a glutton
MAPPA, table napkin (Fr. nappe). M. is a Punic word, according to Quintil. 1, 5,
57
Each banquet guest brought with him from his own home such a napkin or
cloth which he used during the banquet to wipe his mouth and hands. The
ancients, evidently, were conscious of the danger of infection through the
common use of napkins and table ware. Sometimes they used their napkins to
wrap up part of the meal and to give it to their slaves to carry home in. Horace,
Martial, Petronius attest to this fact. The banquet guests also employed their own
slaves to wait on them at their Host’s party. This custom and the individual
napkin habit have survived until after the French revolution. Grimod de la
Reynière, in his Almanach des Gourmands, Paris, 1803, seq., describes how
guests furnished their own napkins and servants for their own use at parties to
which they were invited
This rather sensible custom relieved the host of much responsibility and
greatly assisted him in defraying the expenses of the dinner. On the other hand it
reveals the restrictions placed upon any host by the general shortage of table
ware, table linen, laundering facilities in the days prior to the mechanical age
Marcellus, a Roman physician, ℞ 29
Marinade, pickle; a composition of spices, vegetables, herbs, and liquids, such as
vinegar, wine, to preserve meats for several days and to impart to it a special
flavor, ℞ 11, 236, 244, 394; cf. EMBAMMA
MARJORANA, marjoram
Marmites, illustrated, pp. 264, 284, 312, 342
MARRUBIUM, the plant horehound
Martial, writer, p. 10, ℞ 307, 461 (on bulbs)
Martino, Maestro, p. 3, cf. Vehling: Martino and Platina, Exponents of
Renaissance Cookery, Hotel Bulletin and The Nation’s Chefs, Chicago, October,
1932, and Platina, Maestro nell’arte culinaria Un’interessante studio di Joseph
D. Vehling, Cremona, 1935
Mason, Mrs., a writer, ℞ 126
MASTIX, MASTICE, MASTICHE, the sweet-scented gum of the mastiche-tree;
hence MASTICATUS, MASTICINUS for foods treated with M.
Matius, a writer, was a friend of Julius Caesar. His work is lost, ℞ 167; apples
named after him, ibid.
MAYONNAISE DE VOLAILLE EN ASPIC, ℞ 126, 480
Meal mush, Book V, ℞ 178
Measures, liquid. The following list is confined to terms used in Apicius
PARTES XV equal 1 CONGIUS
CONGIUS I equal 6 SEXTARII (1 S. equals about 1½ pt. English)
SEXTARII II equal 1 CHOENIX
SEXTARIUS I equal 2 HEMINAS
HEMINA I equal 4 ACETABULA
ACETABULUM I equal 12 CYATHI (15 Attic drachms)
CYATHUS I equal 1/12 SEXTARIUS (a cup)
COCHLEAR I equal ¼ CYATHUS (a spoonful)
COTULA, COTYLA, same as HEMINA, same as ½ SEXTARIUS
QUARTARIUS I equal ¼ pint
Meat ball, ℞ 261, seq. —— with laser, ℞ 472-3; meat, boiled, stewed, ℞ 271;
keeping of, ℞ 10, 13; how to make pickled meat sweet, ℞ 12; to decorate or
garnish, ℞ 394, (see marinade); meat pudding, ℞ 42; —— loaf, ℞ 384, 172
Meat displayed in windows, p. 73; ancient —— diet, p. 31; ancient ——
supply, p. 31
Meat diet, ancient, pp. 30, 31
Meat supply, ancient and modern, p. 31
Medicinal formulae in Apicius, ℞ 4, 5, 6, 29, 34, 67, 68, 68, 70, 71, 108, 111,
307
MEDIUM, an iris or lily root which was preserved (candied) with honey, same
as ginger, or fruit glacé
Medlar, ℞ 159; see MESPILA
Megalone, place where Torinus found the Apicius codex, p. 266
MEL, honey; MELLITUM, sweetened with honey
—— PRAVUM, ℞ 15; —— PROBANDUM, ℞ 16; —— ET CASEUM, ℞
303
MELCAE, ℞ 294, 303
MELEAGRIS, Turkey; cf. Vehling: “Turkey Origin,” Hotel Bulletin and The
Nation’s Chefs, Chicago, February-March, 1935
MELIRHOMUM, MELIZOMUM, ℞ 2
MELO, small melon, B. III, ℞ 85; MELOPEPO, muskmelon
Melon, ℞ 85
MENSA, repast, see CENA
MENTHA, MINTHA, mint; —— PIPERITA, peppermint
“Menu,” cf. Brevis Ciborum, Excerpts of Vinidarius, p. 235
Merling, see MERULA
MERULA, MERLUCIUS, cf. LUCIUS, a fish called merling, whiting, also
smelt; Fr. MERLAN; also blackbird. Platina discussed MERULA, the blackbird,
the eating of which he disapproves. “There is little food value in the meat of
blackbirds and it increases melancholia,” says he. Perhaps because the bird is
“black,” ℞ 419
MERUS, MERUM, pure, unmixed, “mere,” “merely”; hence MERUM VINUM,
—— OLEUM, pure wine, oil, etc.
MESPILA, medlar; Ger. MISPEL
Milan edition, Colophon, p. 260
Milk Toast, ℞ 171
Mill operated by slaves, illustration, p. 60
Minced dishes, Book II
Mineral salts in vegetables, ℞ 71, 96
MINUTAL, a “small” dish, a “minutely” cut mince; —— MARINUM, ℞ 164;
—— TARENTINUM, ℞ 165; —— APICIANUM, ℞ 166; —— MATIANUM,
℞ 167; —— DULCE, ℞ 168; —— EX PRAECOQUIS, ℞ 169; ——
LEPORINUM, ℞ 170; —— EX ROSIS, ℞ 171; —— of large fruits, ℞ 169
MITULIS, IN, ℞ 418
Mixing bowls, see Crater
Monk’s Rhubarb, ℞ 26
“Monkey,” ℞ 55
Moralists, ancient, see Review
MORETUM, salad, salad dressing of oil, vinegar, garlic, parsley, etc., cf. ℞ 38
Morsels, ℞ 261, seq., 309, seq.
MORTARIA, foods prepared in the mortar, MORTARIUM, ℞ 38, 221
MORUS, mulberry; —— ALBA, white m. —— NIGRA, black m. Platina, DE
MORIS, has a very pretty simile, comparing the various stages of ripening and
colors of the mulberry to the blushing of Thysbes, the Egyptian girl, ℞ 24
Moulds, ℞ 384, 126
MUGIL, sea-mullet, ℞ 159, 419, 424, 425
Mulberries, ℞ 24
Mullet, see MULLUS, ℞ 148, 428, 443-4
MULLUS, the fish mullet, ℞ 148, 427, 442, 443, 482-4
MULSUM, mead, honey-wine; —— ACETUM, honey-vinegar
Munich Ms. XVIII Apiciana
MURENA, MURAENA, the sea fish murena, p. 356, ℞ 448-53, 484
MUREX, shellfish, purple-fish
MURIA, brine, salt liquor, p. 22, ℞ 30; cf. ALEC
Mush, ℞ 178
Mushrooms, B. III, ℞ 121, 309-14; —— Omelette, ℞ 314
Muskrat, ℞ 396
Mussels, ℞ 418
MUSTEIS PETASONEM, ℞ 289
MUSTEOS AFROS, ℞ 295
MUSTUM, fresh, young, new; —— VINUM, must, new wine; —— OLEI, new
oil
MYRISTICA, nutmeg
MYRRHIS ODORATA, myrrh, used for flavoring wine
MYRTUS, myrtle berry, often called “pepper” and so used instead of pepper
MYRTUS PIMENTA, allspice
N
NAPKINS, individual, see MAPPA
NAPUS, p. 188, a turnip, navew, ℞ 100-1
NARDUS, nard, odoriferous plant; see FOLIUM
NASTURTIUM, the herb cress
NECHON, ℞ 16
Neck, roast, ℞ 270
NEPATA, cat-mint; —— MONTANA, mountain mint; see MENTHA
Nero, emperor, p. 11
Nettles, ℞ 108
New York codex, No. I, Apiciana
Newton, Sir Isaac, scientist, Apiciana No. 8, p. 268
NITRIUM, ℞ 66
Nonnus, writer, ℞ 307, 396
NOVENDIALES, see CENA
NUCEA LASERIS, ℞ 16; also see LASER
NUCLEUS, nut, kernel, ℞ 92
NUCULA, dim. of NUX, small nut; also a certain muscular piece of meat from
the hind leg of animals, Fr. NOIX DE VEAU, as of veal, Ger. KALBSNUSS,
and a certain small part of the loin of animals, Fr. NOISETTE
NUMIDICUS, PULLUS, guinea hen, which see
Nut custard, turn-over, ℞ 129, 143; —— porridge, ℞ 297-9; —— pudding, ℞
298, 299, 230; —— meal mush, ℞ 300
Nuts, Summary of, p. 236
NUX, p. 236, a nut, both hazel nut and walnut; —— JUGLANDIS, walnut; ——
PINEIS, —— PINEA, pine nuts, pignolia; —— MUSCATA, nutmeg
O
OBLIGABIS, ℞ 83; also see AMYLARE
OBSONARE, to provide, to buy for the table; to prepare or to give a dinner;
from the Greek, OPSON
OBSONATOR, steward
OBSONIUM, OP—, a dish, a meal, anything eaten with bread
OCIMUM, —YMUM, —UMUM, OCINUM, basil, basilica; also a sort of
clover
OENOGARUM, wine and GARUM (which see), a wine sauce, ℞ 33, 146, 465;
OENOGARATUM, a dish prepared with O.
OENOMELI, wine and honey
OENOPOLIUM, wine shop; a wine dealer’s place, who, however, did a retail
business. The TABERNA VINARIA seems to have been the regular wine
restaurant, while the THERMOPOLIUM specialized in hot spiced wines. Like
today in our complicated civilization, there were in antiquity a number of
different refreshment places, each with its specialties and an appropriate name
for the establishment
OENOTEGANON, ℞ 479, 81
OFFA, OFFELLA, OFELLA, a lump or ball of meat, a “Hamburger Steak,” a
meat dumpling, any bit of meat, a morsel, chop, small steak, collop, also various
other “dainty” dishes, consisting principally of meat
“INTER OS ET OFFAM MULTA INTERVENIUNT”—Cato; the ancient
equivalent for our “’twixt cup and lip there is many a slip”
℞ 261; —— APICIANA, ℞ 262; —— APRUGNEA MORE, ℞ 263; ——
ALIAE, ℞ 264-5; —— LASERATA, ℞ 271; —— GARATAS, ℞ 471-74; ——
ASSAS, ℞ 472, 473
Oil substitute, ℞ 9; —— oil, to clarify for frying ℞ 250
—— Liburnian, ℞ 7
OLEUM, oil, olive oil; —— LIBURNICUM, ℞ 7; HISPANUM, Spanish olive
oil
OLEATUS, moistened, mixed, dressed with oil, 103; —— MOLLE,
vegetables strained, a purée, ℞ 103-106; also HOLUS, etc.
OLIFERA, OLYRA, a kind of corn, spelt, ℞ 99; see OLUS
OLIVA, olive, ℞ 30, 91; to keep olives green, ℞ 30
OLLA, a cook pot, a terra-cotta bowl; see also CACCABUS. OLLULA, a small
O., a casserole, or cassolette. Sp. OLLA PODRIDA, “rotten pot”
OLUS, OLUSATRUM, OLUSTRUM, OLUSCULUM, OLERA, OLISERA,
OLIFERA, OLISATRA, any herb, kitchen greens, pot herbs, sometimes
cabbage, from OLITOR, the truck farmer, ℞ 25, 67, 99, 103
OLUS ET CAULUS, cabbage and cale, ℞
OLUSATRUM, see OLUS
Omelette with sardines, ℞ 146; —— with mushrooms, ℞ 314; —— Soufflée,
℞ 302
OMENTUM, caul, the abdominal membrane, used for sausage-making or to
wrap croquettes (kromeskis) which then were OMENTATA, ℞ 43, 47
Onions, ℞ 304-8
OPERCULUM, a cover, lid, or dish with a cover
Opossum, ℞ 396
ORIGANUM MARJORANA, marjoram; —— origany; —— VINUM, wine
flavored with O.
ORYZA, rice, rice flour; see RISUM
OSPREON, OSPREOS, OSPRION, legumes, Title of Book V
Ostia, town, harbor of Rome; the OFFELLAE OSTIENSIS, ℞ 261, are the
ancient “Hamburgers”; this seems to confirm the assumption that the population
of sea-port towns have a preference for meat balls
OSTREA, oyster, ℞ 15, 410; —RIUM, oyster bed or pit, or place for keeping
oysters
Ostrich, ℞ 210-11
Oval pan, illustration, p. 159
Oval service dish, p. 43
Oven, ancient bakery in Pompeii, illustration, p. 2
OVIS SYLVATICA, OVIFERO, wild sheep, ℞ 348-50
OVUM, egg; OVA SPHONGIA EX LACTE, ℞ 302
OXALIS, sorrel
OXALME, acid pickle, vinegar and brine
Oxford Mss., Apiciana X, XI
OXYCOMIUM, pickled olive
OXYGALA, curdled with curds
OXYGARUM, vinegar and GARUM, which see, ℞ 36, 37
OXYPORUS, easily digested, ℞ 34
OXYZOMUM, seasoned with acid, vinegar, lemon, etc.
Oyster sauce, CUMINATUM, ℞ 41
Oysters, how to keep, ℞ 14, 410, 411
—— shipped by Apicius, p. 10
P
PALLACANA CEPA, shallot, young onion; cf. CEPA
Pallas Athene Dish, The Great, illustration, p. 158
PALMA, PALMITA, palm shoots
PALUMBA, wood pigeon, ℞ 220
Pan with decorated handle, p. 73
Panada, ℞ 127
PANAX, PANACEA, the herb all-heal; it contains a savory juice like LASER
and FERULA
PANDECTES, —ER, a book on all sorts of subjects; Title of Book IV
PANIS, bread, PICENTINUS, ℞ 126
Pans, kitchen, see illustrations, pp. 155, 159
Pap, ℞ 172-3, 182
PAPAVER, poppy-seed; —— FICI, fig-seed
PARADOXON, CONDITUM, ℞ 1
Parboiling, ℞ 119
Paris Mss., Apiciana III, IV
Parrot, ℞ 231-2
Parsnips, ℞ 121-3
PARTHIA, ℞ 191, 237, 364; a country of Asia
Partridge, ℞ 218, seq., 499
Passenius, —anus, an unidentified Roman, ℞ 389
PASSER, a sea-fish, turbot; also a sparrow which Platina does not recommend
for the table
PASSUM, raisin wine
PASTINACA, —CEA, parsnip, carrot, ℞ 121-3; also a fish, the sting-ray
Pastry, absent, p. 43
PATELLA, a platter or dish on which food was cooked and served,
corresponding to our gratin dishes; a dish in general. In this sense it is often
confused with PATINA, which see, so that it has become difficult to distinguish
between the two terms
—— THIROTARICA, ℞ 144; —— ARIDA, ℞ 145; —— EX OLISATRO,
℞ 145a; —— SICCA, ℞ 145
PATELLARIUS, pertaining to a PATELLA; also one who makes or sells dishes,
and, in the kitchen, also a dishwasher; cf. PATINARIUS
PATINA, PATENA, a pot, pan, dish, plate; also food, eating, a dish, or cookery
in general in which sense it corresponds to our “cuisine”
PATINARIUS, a glutton, gormandizer, also a pile of dishes, also the
craftsman who makes and the merchant who sells dishes as well as the scullion
who washes them
PATINA APICIANA, ℞ 141; —— APUA, ℞ 138-9, 146; —— DE
ASPARAGIS, ℞ 132-33; —— DE CYDONIIS, ℞ 163; —— EX LACTE, ℞
140; —— EX LARIDIS ET CEREBELLIS, ℞ 147; —— FRISILIS, ℞ 131;
—— EX RUSTICIS, ℞ 134; —— DE ROSIS, ℞ 136; —— DE LACERTIS, ℞
152; —— DE LUPO, ℞ 158; —— DE PERSICIS, ℞ 160; —— EX URTICA,
℞ 162; —— EX SOLEIS, ℞ 154; —— EX PISCIBUS, ℞ 155-7, 486; ——
MULLIS, ℞ 148; —— QUIBUSLIBET, ℞ 149; —— ALIA PISCIUM, ℞ 150;
—— SOLEARUM EX OVIS, ℞ 487; —— QUOTIDIANA, ℞ 122, 142; ——
VERSATILIS, ℞ 129, 143; —— ZOMORE, ℞ 153; —— DE PIRIS, ℞ 161;
—— DE SORBIS, ℞ 159; —— DE SAMBUCO, ℞ 135; —— DE
CUCURBITIS, ℞ 137
PAVO, peacock, ℞ 54
Peaches, a dish of, ℞ 160
Peacock, Book VI, ℞ 54
Pears, ℞ 22, 161
Peas, p. 247, ℞ 185-6, 190-2; —— a tempting dish of, ℞ 192; —— Indian, ℞
187; —— purée of peas, cold, ℞ 188; —— or beans à la Vitellius, ℞ 189, 193;
—— in the pod, Apician style, ℞ 194-6; —— in the pod à la Commodus, ℞
197; purée of peas with brains and chicken, ℞ 198
PECTINE, scallop, ℞ 52
Peeling young vegetables, ℞ 69
PELAMIS, young tunny, ℞ 426, 444
Pennell, Elizabeth R., writer, pp. 17, 18, 257-58
PEPON, a kind of gourd, melon or pumpkin, ℞ 85
Pepper, ℞ 1; —— for other spices, ℞ 143, 177, 295, seq.
PERCA, perch, ℞ 446
Perch, ℞ 446
PERDICE, IN, ℞ 218
PERDRIX, partridge, ℞ 218, seq., 499
PERNA, ham; pork forequarter or hindquarter, ℞ 287, 288
—— APRUGNA, ℞ 338
PERSICUM, peach, ℞ 29, 160; —US, peach-tree
Persons named in recipes, pp. 11, 21
PETASO, fresh ham, hind leg of pork, ℞ 289
Petits pois à la française, ℞ 185
Petits salés, ℞ 41, 147, 149, 150, 151
Petronius Arbiter, writer, pp. 3, 7, 11, 15
PETROSELINUM, parsley
PHARIAM, UVAM PASSAM, ℞ 197
PHASEOLUS, FASEOLUS, green string beans, kidney bean, young bean and
pod, both green and wax bean varieties. Ger. FISOLE and FASOLE, ℞ 207
PHASIANUS, pheasant; —ARIUS, one who has care of or who raises
pheasants, game-keeper, ℞ 49, p. 265
Pheasant, dumplings of, ℞ 48; — plumage as decoration, ℞ 213
Phillipps, bibl. Apiciana I
PHOENICOPTERUS, Flamingo, ℞ 220, 231-2
Picentinian bread, ℞ 126
Pichon, Baron J., collector, pp. 257-8, Apiciana, Nos. 21-22, p. 272
Picking birds, ℞ 233
Pie chimneys, ℞ 141
Pig, see PORCELLUM
PIPER, pepper; —— NIGRUM, black p.; —— VIRIDUM, green p., ℞ 134;
“pepper” for other spices, ℞ 143, 177, 295, seq. —ATUS, prepared with p.
PIPERITIS, pepperwort, Indian pepper, capsicum
PIPIO, a young bird, a squab; from the chirping or “peeping” sounds made by
them; —— EXOSSATUS, boned squab
PIRUM, pear, ℞ 160-1
PISA, —UM, peas, pea, ℞ 185, seq., 190-2, 195-8; —— FARSILIS, ℞ 186;
—— INDICAM, ℞ 187; —— FRIGIDA, ℞ 188; —M VITELLIANAM, ℞
189, 193; —— ADULTERAM, ℞ 192
PISCINA, fish pond, fish tank, which was found in every large Roman
household to keep a supply of fresh fish on hand
PISCIS, fish; PISCES FRIXOS, ℞ 476-7; —— SCORPIONES RAPULATOS,
℞ 475; —— ASSOS, ℞ 478; —— OENOTEGANON, ℞ 479, 81; —— IN
PISCIBUS ELIXIS, ℞ 486; —— IN PISCE ELIXO, ℞ 433, 434, 435, 436, 454;
—— AURATA, ℞ 461; —— ASSA, ℞ 462; —— OENOGARUM, ℞ 464-5
PISTACIUM, —EUM, pistache
PISTOR, baker, pastry cook, confectioner, see COQUUS
Pitch, for sealing of vessels, ℞ 25
PLACENTA, a certain cake, a cheese cake
Plaster in bread, p. 39
—— for sealing of pots, ℞ 23
Platina, Bartolomeo, humanist, writer, pp. 8, 9, 19, Apiciana No. 6, and often
quoted in this index. Author of first printed Cookery book. Cf. Martino and
Platina Exponents of Renaissance Cookery, by J. D. Vehling. Cf. Cibarium,
Cornum, Corvus, Frictella, Merula, Morus, Passer, Ranae, Risum, Sturnus,
Styrio, Thinca, Thymus, Zanzerella
Plato, writer, p. 12
Platters, Roast, p. 219; Athene, p. 158
Plautus, writer, p. 147; —— naming cooks, ℞ 484; Plautian Latinity, ℞ 153
Pliny, writer, p. 31, ℞ 307, 396, 410
Plumage of birds as a decoration, ℞ 213
Plums, ℞ 22
Plutarch, writer, pp. 3, 66, 128
Poggio, medieval scholar, at Fulda, p. 20
POLEI, POLEGIUM, PULEIUM, penny-royal, flea-bane, flea-wort
POLENTA, peeled or pearled barley, ℞ 178
Pollio, Roman, feeding human flesh to fish, ℞ 484
POLYPODIUM, the herb fern or polypody
POLYPUS, the fish polypus, ℞ 410
POLYTELES, POLI—, fine dishes, trimmed, set off; “Recherché” food; Title of
Book VII
Pomegranates, to keep, ℞ 20
Pompeii: Casa di Forno. See p. 2
—— destroyed, p. 3, seq.
—— Wine Room, illustration, p. 124
Pompeii, city, description of, see Review. Innkeeper at —— advertising ham, ℞
287; objects, table ware, etc., found at P., see list of illustrations
POMUM, fruit of any tree, as apples, pears, peaches, cherries, figs, dates, nuts,
also mulberries and truffles. Cf. MALUM, p. 370
PONTUS, Black Sea Region
PORCA, PORCUS, female and male swine; PORCELLUS, PORCELLINUS,
young s., pig, ℞ 336-81, 488-94; —— PORCELLUM FARSILEM, ℞ 366, 367;
—— ASSUM, ℞ 369; —— ELIXUM, ℞ 368; —— APICIANUM, ℞ 370;
—— VITELLIANUM, ℞ 371; —— LAUREATUM, ℞ 373; ——
FRONTINIANUM, ℞ 374; —— CELSINIANUM, ℞ 376, 377; ——
HORTULANUM, ℞ 378; —— ELIXUM IUS FRIGIDUM, ℞ 379; ——
TRAIANUM, ℞ 380; —— CORIANDRATUM, ℞ 488; —— FLACCIANUM,
℞ 372; —— OENOCOCTUM, ℞ 489; —— EO IURE, ℞ 490; —— THYMO
SPARSUM, ℞ 491; OXYZOMUM, ℞ 492; —— LASARATUM, ℞ 493; ——
IUSCELLATUM, ℞ 494; —— ASSUM TRACTOMELINUM, ℞ 369; ——
LACTE PASTUM, ℞ 370; —— IN PORCELLO LACTANTE, ℞ 381
Pork, p. 285; —— and onions à la Lucretius, ℞ 151; —— skin, cracklings, ℞
251-55; —— udder, ℞ 251; —— tenderloin, ℞ 251-255; —— tails and feet, ℞
251; —— fig-fed, ℞ 259; —— cutlets, Hunter Style, ℞ 263; —— paunch, ℞
285; —— loin and kidneys, ℞ 286; —— shoulder, ℞ 287-88; —— fresh ham,
℞ 289; —— bacon, ℞ 290; —— Salt —— ℞ 290; —— forcemeat, ℞ 366
Porker, The ——’s Last Will and Testament, ℞ 376
Porridge, Books IV, V, ℞ 172, 178; —— and wine sauce, ℞ 179; —— another,
℞ 180
PORRUM, —US, leek, ℞ 93, 96; “SECTILE ——”—Martial
PORTULACA, PORCILACA, purslane
POSCA, originally water and vinegar or lemon juice. It became an acid drink of
several variations, made with wine, fruit juice, eggs and water
Pot Roast, ℞ 270
Potherbs, to keep, ℞ 25, 188, see OLUS
Potted Entrées, ℞ 54
POTUS, drink
PRAECOQUO, —OCTUS, —OCIA, “cooked beforehand,” also ripened too
early, but the present kitchen term is “blanching,” or “parboiling.” Cf.
PRAEDURO
PRAEDURO, to harden by boiling, to blanch, ℞ 119
Preserves, several in Book I
Preserving (keeping of) meats, ℞ 10-12; —— fried fish, ℞ 13; —— fruit, figs,
prunes, pears, etc., ℞ 19-24, 28, 29, 30; —— grapes, ℞ 19; —— honey cakes,
℞ 16; —— mulberries, ℞ 24; —— oysters, ℞ 14; —— pomegranates, ℞ 20;
—— pot herbs, ℞ 25; —— quinces, ℞ 21; —— sorrel, sour dock, ℞ 26; ——
citron, ℞ 23; —— truffles, ℞ 27; —— vegetable purée, ℞ 106
Press, wine illustration, p. 92
Processing, ℞ 19-24
PRUNA, live, burning coal
PRUNUM, plum; —— DAMASCENUM, p. from Damascus, ℞ 22; this variety
came dried, resembling our large prunes. —— SILVESTRIS, sloe berry, which
by culture and pruning has become the ancestor of plums, etc.
PTISANA, (better) TISANA, barley broth, rice broth, a gruel, ℞ 173-3, 200-1;
—— TARICHA, ℞ 173
Pudding, ℞ 60
PULLUS, PULLULUS, young animal of any kind but principally a pullet,
chicken, ℞ 51, 2-7, 213, 235-6, seq.; —— RAPTUS, note 1, ℞ 140
PULLUM PARTHICUM, ℞ 237; OXYZOMUM, ℞ 238; ——
NUMIDICUM, ℞ 239; —— LASERATUM, ℞ 240; —— ELIXUM, ℞ 242;
—— CUM CUCURBITIS, ℞ 243; —— CUM COLOCASIIS, ℞ 244; ——
VARDANUM, ℞ 245; —— FRONTONIANUM, ℞ 246; ——
TRACTOGALATUM, ℞ 247; —— FARSILIS, ℞ 248; LEUCOZOMUM, ℞
250
PULMENTARIUM, any food eaten with vegetables, pulse or bread, or a dish
composed of these ingredients, ℞ 67-71
PULMO, lung, ℞ 29
PULPA, —MENTUM, ℞ 42, 134; also PULMENTUM
PULS, —E, PULTICULUM, Books IV, V, a porridge, polenta, ℞ 178, seq.;
PULTES JULIANAE, ℞ 178; —— OENOCOCTI, ℞ 179; ——
TRACTOGALATAE, ℞ 181
PULTARIUS, a bowl, a “cereal” dish, ℞ 104
Pumpkin, B. III, ℞ 73-80; —— pie, ℞ 137; —— fritters, ℞ 176; —— like
dasheens, ℞ 74; —— Alexandrine Style, ℞ 75; —— boiled, ℞ 76; —— fried,
℞ 77; —— 78; —— mashed, ℞ 79; —— and chicken, ℞ 80
Purée of lettuce, ℞ 130
PYRETHRUM, —ON, Spanish camomile, pellitory
Q
QUARTARIUS, a measure (which see), ¼ pint
Quenelles, ℞ 131
Quinces, ℞ 21, 162
R
Rabbit, ℞ 54
Radishes, ℞ 102
Ragoût of brains and bacon, ℞ 147; —— financière, ℞ 166
RAIA, the sea-fish ray, or skate; also whip-ray; p. 343, ℞ 403-4; Raie au beurre
noir, ℞ 404
Raisins, ℞ 30
RANAE, frogs, have been an article of diet for ages. Platina gives fine directions
for their preparation. He recommends only frogs living in the water. RUBETAS
ET SUB TERRA VIVENTES, UT NOXIAS REJICIO! AQUATILAS HAE
SUNT DE QUIBUS LOQUOR
Platina skins the frogs, turns them in flour and fries them in oil; he adds
fennel flower garnish and SALSA VIRIDA (green sauce, our ravigote or
remoulade) on the side. No modern chef could do different or improve upon it.
The fennel blossom garnish is a startling stroke of genius
Rankin, E. M., writer, see COQUUS
RAPA, RAPUM, rape, turnip, navew, ℞ 26, 100-1
RAPHANUS SATIVUS, Horseradish, ℞ 102
Ray, fish, ℞ 403-4
RECOQUO, RECOCTUM, re-heated, warmed-up
Redsnapper, ℞ 448
Réduction, ℞ 145, 168
Reference to other parts of the book by Apicius, ℞ 170, 166
Relishes, ℞ 174-5
RENES, ℞ 286
Reynière, Grimod de la —— writer, p. 3, see MAPPA
RHOMBUS, fish, turbot
RHUS, a shrub called SUMACH, seed of which is used instead of salt
RISUM, rice, also ORYZA. The word RISUM is used by Platina who says:
“RISUM, QUOD EGO ANTIQUO VOCABULO ORIZAM APPELLATUM
PUTO.” This is one of the many philologically interesting instances found in
Platina and Aegineta of the evolution of a term from the antique to the medieval
Latin and finally emerging into modern Italian. What better proof, if necessary,
could be desired than this etymology for the authenticity of the Apicius book? Its
age could be proven by a philologist if no other proof were at hand
Roasts, Roasting, p. 285, ℞ 266-70
Roman Beauty Apple, ℞ 136
—— excesses, p. 15
Roman Cook Stove, illustration, p. 182
—— economic conditions, p. 15
Roman Vermouth, ℞ 3
ROSATUM, ROSATIUM, flavored with roses; —— VINUM, rose wine, ℞ 4-6;
—— without roses, ℞ 6
Rose pie, see MALUM ROSEUM, also ℞ 136, 171
—— custard, ℞ 136; —— pudding, ℞ 136; —— apple, ℞ 136
Rose wine, ℞ 4-6
ROSMARINUS, rosemary
Round sausage, ℞ 65
Roux, ℞ 172, see AMYLARE
RUBELLIO, fish, ℞ 447
RUBRA TESTA, red earthen pot
RUMEX, sorrel, sour dock, monk’s rhubarb, ℞ 24
Rumohr, B., writer, pp. 3, 18
Rumpolt, Marx, cook, cf. Styrio
RUTA, rue; —— HORTENSIS, garden r.; —— SYLVESTRIS, wild r.; ——
RUTATUS, prepared with r. Rue was very much esteemed because of its
stimulating properties
Rye, ℞ 99
S
SABUCO, see SAMBUCO
SACCARUM, SACCHARUM, sugar; distillate from the joints of the bamboo or
sugar cane, coming from India, hence called “Indian Salt.” It was very scarce in
ancient cookery. Honey was generally used in place of sugar. Only occasionally
a shipment of sugar would arrive in Rome from India, supposed to have been
cane sugar; otherwise cane and beet sugar was unknown in ancient times. Any
kind of sweets, therefore, was considered a luxury
SAL, salt. Laxative salt, ℞ 29; “For many ills,” ibid.
Sala, George Augustus, writer, p. 38
SALACACCABIA, SALACATTABIA, “salt” food boiled in the “caccabus,” ℞
125-7, 468-70
Salad, ℞ 109-11; —— dressing, ℞ 112-3; Italian —— ℞ 122
Salcisse, ℞ 41
SALINUM, salt cellar
Salmasius, Codex of ——, see Apiciana, III
SALPA, a sea-fish like stock-fish
SALSAMENTUM IN PORCELLO, ℞ 381
Salsicium, ℞ 41
SALSUM, pickled or salt meat, especially bacon; ℞ 10, 41, 147, 149, 150, 428,
seq.; —— CRUDUM, ℞ 151, cf. petits salés
Salt, laxative, ℞ 29; “for many ills,” ibid.; —— meat, to make sweet, ℞ 12;
—— fish, ℞ 144, seq., 427, seq.; —— balls, ℞ 145
SALVIA, SALVUS, sage
SAMBUCUS, elder-tree, or e.-berry; ℞ 135
Sanitary measures, see MAPPA
SAPA, new wine boiled down
SAPOR, taste, savor, relish; —— ROSELLINUS, rose extract, prepared rose
flavor
SARCOPTES, title of Book II
SARDA, SARDELLA, small fish, sardine, anchovy, ℞ 146, 419, 420, 480; ——
CONDITAE, ℞ 480; SARDAM FARSILEM, ℞ 419; —— Sardine omelette, ℞
146
Sarinus, Pompeiian innkeeper, p. 7
SARTAGO, frying pan, flat and round or oblong, of bronze or of iron; some
were equipped with hinged handles, to facilitate packing or storing away in
small places, in soldiers’ knapsack, or to save space in the pantry. This, as well
as the extension handle of some ancient dippers are ingenious features of ancient
kitchen utensils. See also FRICTORIUM, and the illustrations of pans, pp. 155,
159
SATUREIA, savory, satury
Sauce pans, illustrations, pp. 155, 159, 73, 231
Sauces, ancient compared with modern, pp. 22, 24, 26, 27; —— for roasts, ℞
267-70; —— for partridge, ℞ 499; —— crane and duck, ℞ 215; —— for fowl,
℞ 218-28
Sauces. Bread Sauce, ℞ 274; Brine, ℞ 284; —— for broiled fish, Alexandrine
style, ℞ 437-39; —— for boiled fish, ℞ 433-6, 454; —— for broiled mullet, ℞
442-3; —— boiled meats, ℞ 271-3; —— for roasts, ℞ 267, seq.; English ——,
℞ 267; —— for broiled murenas, ℞ 448-51; Dill ——, ℞ 283; Herb —— for
fried fish, ℞ 432; —— for Horned fish, ℞ 441; —— for lacertus, ℞ 455-7;
—— perch, ℞ 446; —— redsnapper, ℞ 447; —— dory, ℞ 461-2; —— for
suckling pig, ℞ 379; —— young tunny, ℞ 444-5, 459; —— for tooth-fish, ℞
460-1, 486; —— shellfish, ℞ 397; —— for venison, ℞ 339, 349; —— for wild
sheep or lamb, ℞ 350; White ——, ℞ 276, 277; Wine —— for fish, ℞ 464;
Tasty —— for conger, ℞ 441; —— for tidbits, ℞ 276-82; —— for sea-
scorpion, ℞ 463; —— for eel, ℞ 440, 466-7
Saucisse, ℞ 41
Sauerbraten-Einlage, ℞ 11
Sausage, p. 172, ℞ 41, 45, 60-65, 139, 165
Savonarola, Michaele, p. 273
Scalding poultry, ℞ 233
Scallops, ℞ 46
SCANDIUS, chervil
SCARUS, a certain sea-fish esteemed as a delicacy, a parrot-fish
SCHOLA APITIANA, Apiciana, Nos. 21, 22, 23, facsimile, p. 206
Schuch, C. Th. editor, Apiciana, Nos. 16-17, p. 34, 25, 270 seq.
Science confirming ancient methods, p. 32
SCILLA, SCYLLA, SQUILLA, a shell-fish, a sea-onion, ℞ 43, 485
SCORPIO, a sea-scorpion, ℞ 463, 475
SCRIBLITA, SCRIBILITA, pastry, some kind of pancake, extra hot. Plautus and
Martial, hence Scriblitarius, cake baker, cf. Coquus
SCRUPULUM, SCRI—, a weight, which see
Sealing vessels to prevent air from entering, ℞ 23, 25
Sea Barb, ℞ 482-3; —— Bass, ℞ 158, 447; —— Eel, ℞ 484; —— food, p.
343; —— stew, Baian style, ℞ 432; —— mullet, ℞ 157; —— nettles, ℞ 162;
—— perch, ℞ 447; —— pike, ℞ 158; —— urchin, ℞ 413-4; —— scorpion, ℞
475
Sea-scorpion with turnips, ℞ 475
Sea water, ℞ 8
Seasoning, see flavoring
Secrecy in recipes, pp. 29, 30
Seeds, Summary of, p. 236
SEL, see SIL
SEMINIBUS, DE, p. 236
Seneca, Roman philosopher, pp. 3, 11, 15
SEPIA, cuttle-fish, ℞ 406-9
SERPYLLUM, wild thyme
Service berry, ℞ 159
—— pan with decorated handle, illustration, p. 73
—— dish for eggs, p. 93
SESAMUM, sesame herb or corn
SESELIS, SEL, SIL, hartwort, kind of cumin
SETANIA, a kind of medlar, also a certain onion or bulb
SEXTARIUS, a measure, which see, ℞ 1
Sforza Ms. Apiciana XIII
Shellfish, ℞ 397, 412
Shell-shaped Dessert Dish, p. 125
Shircliffe, Arnold, Dedication, p. 273
Shore Dinner, ℞ 46
Sicardus Ms. Apiciana XIV
Signerre Rothomag., editor, pp. 258, seq., also see Tacuinus
Signerre, Colophon, p. 260
SIL, see SESELIS
SILIGO, winter wheat, very hard wheat
SILIQUA, shell, pod, husk
SILPHIUM, SYLPHIUM, same as LASERPITIUM, which see, ℞ 32
SILURUS, supposed to be the river fish sly silurus, or sheat-fish, also called the
horn-pout, or catfish, ℞ 426
SIMILA, —AGO, fine wheat flour
SINAPIS, mustard
“Singe,” ℞ 55
SION, —UM, plant growing in the marshes or on meadows, water-parsnip
SISYMBRIUM, water cress
SITULA, hot water kettle
Skate, ℞ 403-4
Slang in ancient text, p. 19
Slaughter, cruel methods of, ℞ 259, 260
Slaves grinding flour, illustration, p. 60
Sloe, see PRUNUM
Smelts, ℞ 138-39
SMYRNION, —UM, a kind of herb, common Alexander
Snails, ℞ 323-5
Soda, use of —— to keep vegetables green, ℞ 66
Soft cabbage, ℞ 103-6
SOLEA, flat fish, the sole, ℞ 154, 487; SOLEARUM PATINA, ibid.
SORBITIO, from SORBEO, supping up, sipping, drinking, drought; any liquid
food that may be sipped, a drink, a potion, a broth, a sherbet, Fr. SORBET
Sorrel, ℞ 26
Sour Dock, ℞ 26
Soups, ℞ 178, seq.
Sow’s womb, matrix, udder, belly, ℞ 59, 172, 251-8
Soyer, Alexis, chef, 35
Sparrow, see PASSER
Spätzli, ℞ 247
Spelt, ℞ 58-9
Spengler, O., writer, p. 17
SPICA, a “spike,” ear of corn, top of plants, the plant spikenard, SPICA NARDI
Spiced Fruit, ℞ 177
Spices, Summary of, pp. 234-5; spicing, ancient and modern, ℞ 15, 276-77, 385,
seq.
Spiny lobster, ℞ 54, 485
Spoiling, to prevent food from—see Book I, and Preserving, to prevent birds
from spoiling, ℞ 229-30, 233
SPONDYLIUM, —ION, a kind of plant, cow-parsnip, or all-heal. Also called
SPHONDYLIUM and FONDULUM. It is quite evident that this term is very
easily confused with the foregoing, a mistake, which was made by Humelbergius
and upheld by Lister and others. For comparison see ℞ 46, 115-21, 183, 309,
431
SPONDYLUS, the muscular part of an oyster or other shellfish, scallop, for
instance; also a species of bivalves, perhaps the scallop, ℞ 46
SPONGIOLA, rose gall, also the roots of asparagus, clottered and grown close
together
SPONGIOLUS, fungus growing in the meadows, a mushroom, cf.
SPONDYLIUM and notes pertaining thereto
Sprats, ℞ 138-9
Sprouts, cabbage ——, ℞ 89-92
Squab, ℞ 218-27, cf. Pipio
Squash, ℞ 73-80
Squill, ℞ 485
Squirrel, ℞ 396
Stag, ℞ 339-45
Starch, in forcemeats, sausage, etc., ℞ 50
Starr, Frederick, see introduction
STATERAE, steelyards for measuring
Sternajolo, writer, Apiciana, No. 28, p. 273
Stewed Lacertus, ℞ 152; —— meats, p. 285, ℞ 356, seq.
Stewpots, illustrated, pp. 183, 209, 223, 235
String beans and chick-peas, ℞ 209
STRUTHIO, ostrich, ℞ 210-11
Studemund, W., writer, p. 19
Stuffed pumpkin fritters, ℞ 176; —— chicken or pig, ℞ 199; —— boned kid or
lamb, ℞ 360
STURNUS, a starling, stare; Platina condemns its meat as unfit, likewise that of
the blackbird (cf. MERULA); he pronounces their flesh to be “devilish.”
“STURNI, QUOS VULGO DIABOLICAM CARNEM HABERE DICIMUS.”
Yet three-hundred years later, French authorities recommend this sort of food.
Viger, La Nouvelle Maison Rustique, Paris, 1798, Vol. iii, p. 613, tells how to
catch and fatten STURNI. “After a month [of forced feeding] they will be nice
and fat and good to eat and to sell; there are persons who live of this trade.” He
praises the crow similarly
These instances are cited not only as a commentary upon the taste of the
Southern people and their habits which have endured to this day but also to
illustrate the singular genius of Platina. Also the following notes to STYRIO
tend to show how far advanced was Platina in the matter of food as compared
with the masters of the 18th century in France
STYRIO, STIRIO, STURIO, ℞ 145, sturgeon; probably the same fish as known
to the ancients as ACIPENSER or STURIO. (A. SIVE S. OBLONGO
TEREDEQUE—Stephanus à Schonevelde, in Ichthyologia, Hamburg, 1624).
There can be no doubt that the sturgeon or sterlet is meant by this term, for
Platina calls the eggs of the fish “caviare.” “OVA STIRIONIS CONDITUM
QUOD CAUARE UOCANT.” Eloquently he describes his struggle with the
changing language. The efforts of this conscientious man, Platina, to get at the
bottom of things no matter how trivial they may appear, are highly praiseworthy
He writes “DE STIRIONE. TRAHI PER TENEBRAS NŪC MIHI VIDEOR,
QUANDO HORŪ, DE QUIBUS, DEINCEPS DICTURUS SUM, PISCIŪ,
NULLUS CERTUS UEL NOMINIS, UEL NATURAE EXISTAT AUTOR.
NEGLIGENTIAE MAIORUM & INSCITIAE ID MAGIS, QUÀM MIHI
ASCRIBENDUM EST. VTAR EGO NOUIS NOMINIBUS NE
DELICATORUM GULAE PER ME DICANT STETISSE, QUO MINUS
INTEGRA UTERENTUR UOLUPTATE.”
As for the rest, Platina cooks the sturgeon precisely in our own modern way:
namely in water, white wine and vinegar. And: “SALEM INDERE MEMENTO!
—don’t forget the salt!”
Compare him with France 350 years later. As for caviare, A. Beauvilliers, in
his L’Art du cuisinier, Paris, 1814, treats this “ragoût” as something entirely
new; yet Beauvilliers was the leading restaurateur of his time and a very capable
cook, save Carême, the best. Beauvilliers has no use for caviare which he calls
“Kavia.” Says he: “LES RUSSES EN FONT UN GRAND CAS ET
L’ACHETENT FORT CHER [The Russians make a big thing of this and buy it
very dearly] CE RAGOUT, SELON MOI, NE CONVIENT QU’ AUX RUSSES
—this stew, according to my notion, suits only the Russians or those who have
traveled thereabouts.”
Shakespeare, in speaking about “Caviare to the General” apparently was
more up-to-date in culinary matters than this Parisian authority. A search of the
eight volumes (Vol. I, 1803) of the famous Almanach des Gourmands by Grimod
de la Reynière, Paris, 1803, seq., fails to reveal a trace of caviare
A German cook, a hundred years after Platina, Marx Rumpolt in “Ein new
Kochbuch, Franckfort am Mayn, bey Johan Feyrabendt, 1587” on verso of folio
XCVII, No. 9, gives an exact description of caviare and its mode of preparation.
He calls it ROGEN VOM HAUSEN. The HAUSEN is the real large sturgeon,
the Russian Beluga from which the best caviare is obtained. Rumpolt, whose
book is the finest and most thorough of its kind in the middle ages, and a great
work in every respect, remarks that caviare is good eating, especially for
Hungarian gentlemen
“... SO ISSET MAN JN ROH / IST EIN GUT ESSEN / SONDERLICH FÜR
EINEN VNGERISCHEN HERRN.”
SUCCIDIA a side of bacon or salt pork
SUCCUM, SUCUM, ℞ 172, 200
Suckling Pig, see PORCELLUS
Sugar and pork, ℞ 151; use of —— in ancient Rome, see SACCARUM
Suidas, writer, p. 11
SUMEN, ℞ 257; —— PLENUM, ℞ 258
Sumptuary laws, p. 25, ℞ 166
Sumptuous dishes, ℞ 285
Sweet dishes, home-made, ℞ 294-6
Sweet MINUTAL, ℞ 168
SYRINGIATUS, ℞ 360
T
TABLE, adjustable, illustration, p. 138; —— round, id., p. 122
Tacuinus, editor-printer, p. 258; quoted in recipes 8 seq.; Facs. of Title Page,
1503, p. 262; Facs. of opening chapter, p. 232
TAMNIS, —US, TAMINIUS, wild grape
TANACETUM, tansy
Taranto, Tarentum, city, ℞ 165; —ian sausage, ℞ 140; —— Minutal, ℞ 165;
see also LONGANO
Taricho, Tarichea, town, ℞ 427, seq.
Taro, dasheen, ℞ 74, 154, 172, 200, 244, 322; see COLOCASIA
Tarpeius, a Roman, ℞ 363
TEGULA, tile for a roof, also a pan, a plate of marble or of copper; Ger.
TIEGEL
Tempting Dish of Peas, A ——, ℞ 192
TERENTINA, ℞ 338
Tertullian, writer, p. 3
TESTA, —U, —UM, an earthen pot with a lid, a casserole
TESTICULA CAPONUM, ℞ 166
TESTUDO, TESTA, turtle, tortoise. Platina praises the sea-turtle as good eating
TETRAPES, —US, four-footed animals; title of Book VIII
TETRAPHARMACUM, a course of four dishes, or a dish consisting of four
meats. In modern language, a “Mixed Grill,” a “Fritto Misto,” a “Shore-Dinner”
THALASSA, the sea; title of Book IX, treating of fish
Theban ounce, ℞ 3
THERMOPOLIUM, a tavern, specializing in hot drinks
THERMOSPODIUM, a hot-plate, a hot dish carrier, a BAIN-MARIS,
illustrations, pp. 72, 90
THINCA, a fish, moonfish (?) “OLIM MENAM APPELLATAM
CREDIDERIM”—Platina
Thudichum, Dr., writer, p. 18
THUS, TUS, frankincense, or the juice producing incense, Rosemary (?); also
the herb ground-pine, CHAMAEPITYS, ℞ 60
Thrush, p. 265, ℞ 497
THYMBRIA, savory; see SISYMBRIUM, SATUREIA and CUNILA; also see
THYMUS
THYMUS, thyme. Platina describes THYMUS and THYMBRIA with such a
love and beauty that we cannot help but bestow upon him the laurels worn by the
more well-known poets who became justly famous for extolling the fragrance of
less useful plants such as roses and violets
THYNNUS, tunny-fish, ℞ 426, 457-8
Tidbits, p. 285, ℞ 261, seq.; —— of lamb or kid, ℞ 355
TISANA, see PTISANA, ℞ 172-3, 200-1
Title pages, Venice, 1503, p. 262; Lyons, p. 263; Zürich, p. 265; London, p. 267
Toasting, ℞ 129
Tooth-fish, ℞ 157
Torinus, Albanus, editor of the Apicius and Platina editions of 1541, text, p. 14
—— quoted, ℞ 1, 2, 8, seq., assailed by Lister, see L.
—— facsimile of Title page 1541, p. 220
TORPEDO, —IN, —INE, ℞ 403-4
TORTA, cake, tart; —— ALBA, cheese cake
Toulouse garnish, compared, ℞ 378
TRACTOGALATUS, a dish prepared with milk and paste (noodles, spätzli,
etc.); —— PULLUS, a young chicken pie
TRACTOMELITUS, a dish prepared with honey paste; a gingerbread or
honeybread composition
TRACTUM, ℞ 181
Traianus, a Roman, ℞ 380; also Traganus, Trajanus
Traube, writer, p. 19
Trimalchio, fictitious character by Petronius, whose “Banquet” is the only
surviving description of a Roman dinner, unfortunately exaggerated because it
was a satire on Nero, pp. 8, 11
Tripod, illustration, p. 40
TRITICUM, —EUS, —INUS, wheat, of wheat
TROPHETES, erroneously for AËROPTES, Gr. for fowl, title of Book VI
Truffles, ℞ 27, 33, 315-321, 333; cf. TUBERA
TRULLA, any small deep vessel, also a dipper, ladle
TUBERA, “tubers”; TUBER CIBARIUM, —— TERRAE, truffle, a fungus,
mushroom growing underground, ℞ 27, 35, 315, seq., 321; T. CYCLAMINOS,
“sow-bread,” because swine, being very fond of T. dig them up. The truffle
defies cultivation, grows wild and today is still being “hunted” by the aid of
swine and dogs that are guided by its matchless aroma
TUCETUM, a delicate dish; particularly a dessert made of prunes
Tunny, fish, ℞ 427, 458, 459; Baby, ℞ 420, 424, 425, 426; Salt, ℞ 427
TURDUS, thrush, ℞ 497
Turkey, probably known to the ancients. See Guinea Hen and Meleagris
Turnips, ℞ 100, 101
Turnover dish, ℞ 129
TURTUR, “turtle” dove, ℞ 218, seq., 498; —— ILLA, young t., an endearing
term
TURSIO, TH—, ℞ 145
TYROPATINA, ℞ 301
TYROTARICUS, a dish made of cheese, salt fish, eggs, spices—ingredients
resembling our “Long Island Rabbit,” ℞ 137, 143, 180, 439; see TARICA, ℞
144, 428
U
UDDER, ℞ 251
UNCIA, ounce, equals 1/12 lb.; also inch, -/12
UNGELLAE, ℞ 251-5 foot
Urbino, Duke of, p. 269
URNA, urn, pitcher, water bucket; —ULA, small vessel; also a liquid measure,
containing half of an AMPHORA, of four CONGII, or twelve SEXTARII; see
measures
URTICA, nettle; also sea-nettle, ℞ 108, 162
U. S. Dept. of Agr. on Dasheens, ℞ 322
UVA, grape, ℞ 19; Uvam passam Phariam, ℞ 97
V
Vaerst, Baron von, a writer, pp. 3, 8
Vanilla, ℞ 15
VARIANTES LECTIONES, Apiciana No. 12
Varianus, Varius, Varus, Vardanus, Roman family name, ℞ 245
Varro, a writer, ℞ 70, 307, 396, p. 21
VAS, a vase, vat, vessel, dish, plate; —CULUM, a small v.; —— VITREUM,
glass v., ℞ 23
Vasavarayeyam, ancient Sanscrit book, p. 13
Vatican Mss. Apiciana, p. 254, seq., Incipit facsimile, p. 253
Veal Steak, p. 314, ℞ 351, 2; —— Fricassée, ℞ 353, 4
Vegetable Dinner, ℞ 67-9, 71, 145, 188; —— purée, ℞ 103-6; —— peeling of
young v., ℞ 66; to keep v. green, ℞ 67, 188; —— and brain pudding, ℞ 131
Vehling, J. D., see Introduction; V. collection, p. 257
VENERIS OSTIUM, ℞ 307
Venison, ℞ 339-45
VENTREM, AD ——, ℞ 68, 69, 70, 71; —ICULUM, ℞ 285
VERMICULI, “little worms,” noodles, vermicelli
Vermouth, Roman, French, and Black Sea, different kinds of, ℞ 3, seq.
VERVEX, a wether-sheep, mutton
VESTINUS, see Caseus, ℞ 126
Vicaire, Georges, bibliographer, p. 18
VICIA, a kind of pulse, vetch
VICTUS, way of life, diet; —— TENUIS, reduced diet
Vinaigrette, ℞ 113, 336, 341
Vinidarius, Excerpts of, pp. 12, 21, 234
VINUM, wine; —— CANDIDUM FACIES, ℞ 8; many technical terms are
given to wines, according to their qualities, such as ALBUM, CONDITUM,
FUSCUM, NIGRUM, LIMPIDUM, ATRUM, DURUM, FULVUM,
SANGUINEM, RUBENS, FIERI, BONUM, DULCE SUAVUM, FIRMUM,
SALUBRE, DILUTUM, VAPIDUM, etc. These, as our modern terms, are
employed to designate the “bouquet,” color and other characteristics of wine.
Then there are the names of the different brands coming from different parts, too
numerous to mention. Furthermore there are wines of grapes, old and new, plain
or distilled, raw or cooked, pure and diluted, natural or flavored, and the many
different drinks made of grape wine with herbs and spices
V. NIGRUM, “black wine,” may be muddy wine in need of clarification;
there is some slight doubt about this point. It appears that the vintner of old was
much more tempted to foist unworthy stuff upon his customers than his
colleague of today who is very much restricted by law and guided by his
reputation
VINUM also is any drink or liquor resembling grape wine, any home-made
wine fermented or fresh. There is a V. EX NAPIS, —— PALMEUM, —— EX
CAROTIS, —— EX MILII SEMINE, —— EX LOTO, —— EX FICO, ——
EX PUNCICIS, —— EX CORNIS, —— EX MESPILIS, —— EX SORBIS,
—— EX MORIS, —— EX NUCLEIS PINEIS, —— EX PIRIS, —— EX
MALIS, (cf. Pliny), resembling our cider, perry, berry wines and other drink or
liquor made of fruit, berries, vegetables or seeds
VIOLATIUM and ROSATIUM, ℞ 5, are laxatives; —— ORIGANUM is
wine flavored with origany; etc., etc.
It is doubtful, however, that the Romans knew the art of distillation to the
extent as perfected by the Arabs centuries later and brought to higher perfection
by the medical men and alchymists of the middle ages
Violet Wine, ℞ 5
Virility, supposed stimulants for, ℞ 307, 410
VITELLINA, VITULINA, calf, veal, ℞ 351-4
Vitellius, emperor, p. 11, ℞ 189, 193, 317
VITELLUS OVI, yolk of egg; also very young calf. “Calf’s sweetbreads”—
Danneil
Vollmer, F., editor, commentator, Apiciana No. 21, 23, 27, pp. 13, 18, 19, 273
Vossius, G. J., philologist, on Coelius, p. 266
VULVA, sow’s matrix, womb; —ULA, small v., ℞ 59, 251-54, 256. Was
considered a delicacy. Pliny, Martial and Plutarch wrote at length on the subject.
The humane Plutarch tells of revolting detail in connection with the slaughter of
swine in order to obtain just the kind of V. that was considered the best
Cf. Pliny, Hist. Nat., VIII, 51; XI, 37, 84, 54; Plutarch’s essay on flesh eating,
Martial, Ep. XII, 56 and VII, 19
W
WEIGHTS. LIBRAE, scale, balance. LIBRA—pound—lb—12 ounces,
equivalent to one AS
UNCIA, an ounce, properly the twelfth part of any unit, also any small bit
SCRIPULUM, or SCRU—, 1 scruple, 288 to 1 lb.
SELIBRA for SEMILIBRA, half a pound
Theban ounce, cf. ℞ 3
Weighing fluids, ℞ 471
Welsh rabbit, see ZANZERELLA
Whiting, ℞ 419
Wild Boar, ℞ 329, seq., 338; —— sheep, ℞ 348; —— goat, ℞ 346, seq.
Wilson, Dr. Margaret B., collector, cf. Preface, p. 37; cf. Apiciana I, pp. 254,
257; cf. Garum
Wine, fine spiced, ℞ 1; Rose, ℞ 4; —— without roses, ℞ 6; —— Violet, ℞ 5;
—— To clarify muddy, ℞ 8; —— New—boiled down, DEFRITUM, ℞ 21;
—— sauce for truffles, ℞ 33; —— Palm, ℞ 35; —— of Carica figs, ℞ 55;
—— sauce for fig-fed pork, ℞ 259, 260; —— fish, ℞ 479; cf. VINUM
Wine pitcher, illustration, p. 208; —— press, illustration, p. 92; —— storage
room in Pompeii, illustration, p. 124; —— Dipper, p. 3; —— Crater, p. 140
Wolf, Rebekka, writer, ℞ 205, seq.
Wolley, Mrs. Hannah, writer, ℞ 52
Woodcock, ℞ 218, seq.
Wood-pigeon, ℞ 218, seq.
Writers, ancient, on food, pp. 3, 4
Y
YEAST, ℞ 16
Young cabbage, p. 188, ℞ 87
Z
ZAMPINO, ℞ 338
ZANZERELLA, a “Welsh rabbit.” “CIBARIUM QUOD VULGO
ZANZERELLAS UOCANT”—Platina
ZEMA, ZU—, ZY—, a cook pot for general use
ZINZIGER, GINGIBER, ginger; the latter is the better spelling
ZOMORE, ZOMOTEGANON, ZOMORE GANONA, ZOMOTEGANITE—a
dish of fish boiled in their own liquor, resembling the modern bouillabaisse, ℞
153. The GANON, —A, —ITE, is the name of an unidentified fish, the
supposed principal ingredient of this fish stew. Cf. Oenoteganon
Go to transcription of text
(Squib on the margin of an ancient manuscript in the Monastery
of St. Gallen, Switzerland)
Transcriptions
APICII LIBRI X
QVI DICVNTVR DE OBSONIIS
ET CONDIMENTIS SIUE ARTE
COQVINARIA QVÆ EXTANT
NVNC PRIMVM ANGLICE REDDIVIT PROŒMIO
BIBLIOGRAPHICO ATQVE INTERPRETATIONE
DEFENSIT UARIISQVE ANNOTATIONIBVS
INSTRVXIT ITA ET ANTIQVÆ CVLINÆ
VTENSILIARVM EFFIGIIS EXORNAUIT
INDICEM DENIQVE ETYMOLOGICVM ET
TECHNICVM ARTIS MAGIRICÆ ADIECIT
IOSEPHVS DOMMERS UEHLING
INTRODVCIT FRIDERICVS STARR
{Illustration}
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CAELII APITII
SVMMI ADVLATRICIS MEDICINÆ
artificis DE RE CVLINARIA Libri x. recens
è tenebris eruti, & à mendis uindicati,
typisque summa diligentia
excusi.
PRÆTEREA,
P. PLATINÆ CREMONENSIS
VIRI VNDECVNQVE DOCTISSIMI,
De tuenda ualetudine, Natura rerum, & Popinæ
scientia Libri x. ad imitationem C. APITII
ad unguem facti.
AD HÆC,
PAVLI ÆGINETÆ DE
FACVLTATIBVS ALIMENTORVM TRACTATVS,
ALBANO TORINO
INTERPRETE.
Cum INDICE copiosissimo.
BASILEÆ.
M. D. XLI.
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APICII CŒLII
DE
OPSONIIS
ET
CONDIMENTIS,
Sive
ARTE COQUINARIA,
LIBRI DECEM.
Cum Annotationibus
MARTINI LISTER,
è Medicis domesticis Serenissimæ Majestatis
Reginæ Annæ,
ET
Notis selectioribus, variisque lectionibus integris,
HUMELBERGII, BARTHII, REINESII,
A. VAN DER LINDEN, & ALIORUM ,
ut & Variarum Lectionum Libello.
EDITIO SECUNDA.
Longe auctior atque emendatior.
{Decoration}
AMSTELODAMI,
Apud JANSSONIO-WÆSBERGIOS
MDCCIX.
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Transcription of title page, Venice Edition, 1503
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CÆLII
APITII, SVMMI
ADVLATRICUS
MEDICINÆ ARTIFICIS,
De re Culinaria libri
Decem.
{Handwriting}
B. PLATINÆ CREMONENSIS
De Tuenda ualetudine, Natura rerum, & Popinæ
scientia Libri x.
PAVLI ÆGINETÆ DE FACULTATIBUS
alimentorum Tractatus,
Albano Torino Interprete.
{Handwriting}
{Decoration}
APVD SEB. GRYPHIVM
LVGVDVNI,
1541.
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Transcription of title page, Lister Edition, London, 1705
APICIANA
APICII CŒLII
DE
OPSONIIS
ET
CONDIMENTIS,
Sive
Arte Coquinaria,
LIBRI DECEM.
Cum Annotationibus MARTINI LISTER,
è Medicis domesticis serenissimæ Majestatis
Reginæ Annæ.
ET
Notis selectioribus, variisque lectionibus integris,
HUMELBERGII, CASPARI BARTHII,
& VARIORUM.
LONDINI:
Typis Gulielmi Bowyer. MDCCV.
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Transcription of squib
LIBRO COMPLETO···
SALTAT SCRIPTOR
PEDE LAETO······}
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Transcriber's Note
Minor punctuation errors have been repaired. Amendments have been
made only where there was a clear error, where there was a definite
inconsistency within the text, or where it was impossible to find a reliable
source of the original spelling, as follows:
Page vii—FRONTISPIECE amended to FRONTISPICE—"13
FRONTISPICE, Lister Edition ..."
Page 5—predeliction amended to predilection—"... nor did he indulge in
that predilection for ugly detail ..."
Page 9—Minturæ amended to Minturnæ—"... living chiefly at Minturnæ, a
city of Campania, ..."
Page 11—departmentized amended to departmentalized—"... were
departmentalized to an astonishing degree ..."
Page 11—indispensible amended to indispensable—"These indispensable
books are simply wanting in our book ..."
Page 15—Pommerania amended to Pomerania—"... Sweden, Holstein,
Denmark, Friesland, Pomerania still observes Apicius rules ..."
Page 20—fallability amended to fallibility—"... how each new copy by
virtue of human fallibility or self-sufficiency ..."
Page 22—salt amended to salted—"The fish, intestines and all, was spiced,
pounded, fermented, salted, strained and bottled ..."
Page 23—an amended to a—"May it be a sturdy one, and let its owner
beware."
Page 24—prodiguous amended to prodigious—"His culinary procedures
required a prodigious amount of labor ..."
Page 26—insiduousness amended to insidiousness—"Even the most
ascetic of men cannot resist the insidiousness of spicy delights ..."
Page 27—appeite amended to appetite—"... having our appetite aroused at
the very perusal ..."
Page 28—devine amended to divine—"... the experienced practitioner will
be able to divine correct proportions, ..."
Page 32—compote amended to compôte—"... oyster cocktail, poultry and
compôte, goose with apple ..."
Page 36—mummyfied amended to mummified—"... that Apicius is not a
mummified, bone-dry classic ..."
Page 58—EPIMLES amended to EPIMELES—"EXPLICIT APICII
EPIMELES LIBER PRIMUS"
Page 64—feasable amended to feasible—"... such as we here suggest
would be entirely feasible ..."
Page 70—CIRELLOS amended to CIRCELLOS—"[65] ROUND
SAUSAGE CIRCELLOS ISICIATOS"
Page 77—popularily amended to popularly—"... chestnuts and potatoes,
popularly known as “Chinese potatoes” ..."
Page 89—acccordance amended to accordance—"... Procedure quite in
accordance with modern practice."
Page 89—omitted [1] added to beginning of note in recipe 121.
Page 89—114 amended to 115 (twice)—"... (Cf. ℞ No. 115) ..." and "...
Spondyli uel fonduli (℞ Nos. 115-121) does belong to Book II ..."
Page 96—Carthusians amended to Carthusian—"... those delightful
creations by the Carthusian monks ..."
Page 102—act amended to fact—"... a fashion which, as a matter of fact
still survives in the Orient, ..."
Page 110—glace amended to glacé—"... the œnogarum taking the place of
our meat glacé."
Page 110—vexacious amended to vexatious—"Another interpretation of
this vexatious formula ..."
Page 116—indispensible amended to indispensable—"... both of which are
indispensable to modern cookery."
Page 117—166 amended to 165—"* Cf. ℞ No. 165."
Page 122—illustrations amended to illustration—"This is a good
illustration of and speaks well for ..."
Page 129—forcements amended to forcemeats—"... any fine forcemeats,
cut into or cooked in tiny dumplings."
Page 150—Dan. amended to Dann.—"Dann. takes this literally, but navo
(navus) here ..."
Page 151—omitted [1] added to beginning of note in recipe 243.
Page 154—APERATURE amended to APERTURE—"... EMPTY IT
THROUGH THE APERTURE OF THE NECK ..."
Page 162—TID BITS amended to TID-BITS—"TID-BITS, CHOPS,
CUTLETS"
Page 164—Worchestershire amended to Worcestershire—"... some of the
commercial sauces made principally in England (Worcestershire, etc.), ..."
Page 166—Gell. amended to Goll.—"... Cupedia (Plaut. and Goll.), nice
dainty dishes, ..."
Page 172—cates amended to cakes—"Dulcia, sweetmeats, cakes; ..."
Page 173—128 amended to 129 and 142 amended to 143—"... or else it is
a nut custard, practically a repetition of ℞ Nos. 129 and 143."
Page 180—SNAIL amended to SNAILS—"THE SNAILS ARE FRIED
WITH PURE SALT AND OIL ..."
Page 191—galatine amended to galantine—"We would call this a galantine
of lamb if such a dish ..."
Page 193—Dan. amended to Dann.—"Dann. thinks laureatus stands for
the best, ..."
Page 193—it's amended to its—"... it is possible that the kid was cooked
with its mother’s own milk."
Page 198—councellor amended to counsellor—"Celsinus was counsellor
for Aurelianus, the emperor."
Page 204—EXLIXUM amended to ELIXUM—"ALITER LEPOREM
ELIXUM"
Page 213—15 amended to 14—"[3] Cf. No. 14 for the keeping of oysters."
Page 228—2 amended to 3—"[2] Cf. note 3 to ℞ No. 448."
Page 228—preceeds amended to precedes—"... this formula precedes the
above."
Page 231—act amended to fact—"... as a matter of fact, stands for pepper,
..."
Page 236—CARDAMON amended to CARDAMOM—"... INDIAN
SPIKENARD, ADDENA [3], CARDAMOM, SPIKENARD."
Page 236—FENNELL amended to FENNEL—"... CELERY SEED,
FENNEL SEED, LOVAGE SEED, ..."
Page 253—XVII amended to XVIII—"Munich, XVIII"
Page 255—Cesna amended to Cesena—"Cesena, bibl. municip., 14th
century."
Page 255—phases amended to phrases—"... and failed to understand some
phrases of it."
Page 258—Pennel amended to Pennell—"The Pennell collection was
destroyed by a flood in London ..."
Page 258—Epimelels amended to Epimeles—"... GRÆCA AB APITIO POSITA
HÆC SUNT || EPIMELES, ..."
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