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.

[437] ALEXANDRINE [1] SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH _IUS ALEXANDRINUM IN PISCE ASSO_

PEPPER, DRY ONIONS [shallots] LOVAGE, CUMIN, ORIGANY, CELERY SEED, STONED DAMASCUS PRUNES [pounded in the mortar] FILLED UP [2] WITH VINEGAR, BROTH, REDUCED MUST, AND OIL, AND COOK IT.

[1] Alexandria, Egyptian city, at the mouth of the river Nile, third of the three great cities of antiquity excepting Carthage during Apicius' time a rival of Rome and Athens in splendor and commerce. Most important as a Mediterranean port, where fishing and fish eating was (and still is) good.

[2] G.-V. _mulsum_, mead.

[438] ANOTHER ALEXANDRINE SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH _ALITER IUS ALEXANDRINUM IN PISCE ASSO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, GREEN CORIANDER, SEEDLESS RAISINS, WINE, RAISIN WINE, BROTH, OIL, COOKED TOGETHER.

[439] ANOTHER ALEXANDRINE SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH _ALITER IUS ALEXANDRINUM IN PISCE ASSO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, GREEN CORIANDER, ONIONS, STONED DAMASCUS PRUNES, RAISIN WINE, BROTH, OIL AND VINEGAR, AND COOK.

[440] SAUCE FOR BROILED CONGER _IUS IN CONGRO ASSO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, CRUSHED CUMIN, ORIGANY, DRY ONIONS, HARD YOLKS, WINE, MEAD, VINEGAR, BROTH, REDUCED MUST, AND COOK.

G.-V. _Gongo_.

[441] SAUCE FOR HORNED FISH [1] _IUS IN CORNUTAM_ [1]

PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, ONIONS, SEEDLESS RAISINS, WINE, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL; AND COOK IT [2]

[1] _Cornuta_, _cornutus_--"horned," "having horns"--an unidentified sea fish.

[2] Goll. collects all succeeding formulæ for sauces into one.

[442] SAUCE FOR BROILED MULLET _IUS IN MULLOS ASSOS_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, RUE, HONEY, NUTS, VINEGAR, WINE, BROTH, A LITTLE OIL; HEAT AND POUR OVER [1].

[1] List. is of the opinion that this is fresh mullet, while salt mullet was treated in the preceding formulæ.

[443] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BROILED MULLET _ALITER IUS IN MULLOS ASSOS_

RUE, MINT, CORIANDER, FENNEL,--ALL OF THEM GREEN--PEPPER, LOVAGE, HONEY, BROTH, AND A LITTLE OIL.

[444] SEASONING FOR BABY TUNNY _IUS IN PELAMYDE ASSA_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, ORIGANY, GREEN CORIANDER, ONION, SEEDLESS RAISINS [1], RAISIN WINE, VINEGAR, BROTH, REDUCED MUST, OIL, AND COOK.

[1] Wanting in Tor.

[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.

[447] SEASONING FOR REDSNAPPER _CONDIMENTUM IN RUBELLIONEM_ [1]

PEPPER, LOVAGE, CARRAWAY, WILD THYME, CELERY SEED, DRY ONIONS, WINE, RAISIN WINE, VINEGAR, BROTH AND OIL; BIND WITH ROUX.

[1] _Rubellio_--a "reddish" fish; perhaps a species of the red-mullet or red-snapper. Hum. says the Latins called the fish _rubelliones_, _rubellos_ and _rubros_; the Greeks _erythrinos_ or _erythricos_, because of their reddish color. A fish, according to Athenæus similar to the _pager_ or _pagrus_, _phager_ or _phagrus_, also called _pagur_, which is not quite identified.

II

[448] SAUCE FOR [BROILED] MURENA _IUS IN MURENA [ASSA]_ [1]

PEPPER, LOVAGE, SATURY, SAFFRON [2], ONIONS, STONED DAMASCUS PRUNES, WINE, MEAD, VINEGAR, REDUCED MUST AND OIL; COOK IT [3].

[1] V. doubting that this is broiled.

[2] Tor. _Crocomagma_; List. _crocum magnum_, still used today in some fish preparations, particularly in the Bouillabaisse.

[3] The laconic style in which all these fish preparations are given, is very confusing to the uninitiated. We assume that most of these ingredients were used to season the water in which to boil fish; or, to make a _court-bouillon_, a fish-essence of the bones and the trimmings of the fish, in which to poach the sliced fish. The liquor thus gained was reduced and in the moment of serving was bound with roux or with yolks, and the fish was masked with this sauce. The exceptions from this rule are, of course, in cases where the fish was broiled or fried.

[449] SAUCE FOR BROILED MURENA _IUS IN MURENA ASSA_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, [stoned] DAMASCUS PRUNES, WINE, MEAD, VINEGAR, BROTH, REDUCED MUST, OIL; COOK IT.

[450] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BROILED MURENA _ALITER IUS IN MURENA ASSA_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, CATMINT [1] CORIANDER SEED, ONIONS, PINE NUTS, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL; COOK IT.

[1] _Nepeta montana_--nep.

[451] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED MURENA [1] _ALITER IUS IN MURENA ELIXA_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, DILL, CELERY SEED, CORIANDER, DRY MINT, PINE NUTS, RUE, HONEY, VINEGAR, WINE [2] BROTH, A LITTLE OIL, HEAT AND BIND WITH ROUX.

[1] Ex Tac. and Tor.; wanting in List. and G.-V.

[2] Tac.; wanting in Tor.

[452] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED MURENA _ALITER IUS IN MURENA ELIXA_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, CARRAWAY, CELERY SEED [1] CORIANDER, FIGDATES, MUSTARD, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL, REDUCED WINE.

[1] List., Sch., Dann. add here which is wanting in Tor. _rhus Syriacum_--Syrian Sumach.

The originals are considerably confused on the above and the following formulæ.

[453] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR BOILED MURENA _ALITER IUS IN MURENA ELIXA_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, VINEGAR, CELERY SEED, SYRIAN SUMACH [1] FIGDATE WINE, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL, MUSTARD, AND REDUCED MUST. SERVE [2].

[1] See note to {Rx} No. 452.

[2] Ex Tor. It appears that this formula is a correction of {Rx} No. 452, as this is wanting in the other editions. Tor. also lacks the following formula.

In Tac. the above formula follows the next.

[454] SAUCE FOR BOILED FISH _IUS IN PISCE ELIXO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, PARSLEY, ORIGANY, DRY ONIONS, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, WINE, A LITTLE OIL, WHEN BOILING, TIE WITH ROUX AND SERVE IN A SMALL SAUCE BOAT [1].

[1] _in lance_; _lanx_ may also mean a large oblong platter on which fish would be served. Cf. illustration Oval Dish with Handles.

Horace II Sat. 8--_in patina porrecta_--a special dish to hold the cooked _murena_ and to display it to advantage.

Such special dishes are found in any good table service, to serve special purposes. Not so long ago special forks and knives were used for fish service which have been gradually discarded.

[455] SAUCE FOR BOILED LACERTUS FISH _IUS IN LACERTOS ELIXOS_ [1]

PEPPER, LOVAGE, CUMIN, GREEN RUE, ONIONS, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, A LITTLE OIL; WHEN BOILING TIE WITH ROUX [2].

[1] _Lacertus_, an unidentified sea fish.

[2] Cf. note 3 to {Rx} No. 448.

In G.-V. this formula precedes the above.

[456] SAUCE FOR BROILED FISH _IUS IN PISCE ASSO_

A SAUCE FOR [this] BROILED FISH MAKE THUS [1] PEPPER, LOVAGE, THYME, GREEN CORIANDER, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, WINE, OIL, REDUCED MUST; HEAT AND STIR WELL WITH A WHIP OF RUE BRANCHES, AND TIE WITH ROUX.

[1] Tor. wanting in others.

[457] SAUCE FOR TUNNY _IUS IN THYNNO_

TUNNY, BY MEANS OF THIS SAUCE WILL BE MORE PALATABLE: [1] PEPPER, CUMIN, THYME, CORIANDER, ONIONS, RAISINS, VINEGAR, HONEY, WINE, AND OIL; HEAT, TIE WITH ROUX, AND SERVE FOR DINNER [2].

[1] and [2] first and last sentences from Tor., wanting in others.

[458] SAUCE FOR BOILED TUNNY _IUS IN THYNNO ELIXO_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, THYME, CRUSHED HERBS [1], ONIONS, FIG DATES [or fig wine] HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL, MUSTARD AND TIE [2].

[1] _Condimenta mortaria_--herbs crushed in the "mortar"; also pulverized spices.

[2] "and tie" wanting in List. Leave it out, and you have an acceptable _vinaigrette_--a cold sauce for cold fish.

[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._

[460] BOILED TOOTHFISH _IN DENTICE ELIXO_ [1]

PEPPER, DILL, CUMIN, THYME, MINT, GREEN RUE, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, WINE, A LITTLE OIL, HEAT AND TIE WITH ROUX.

[1] Ex List.; wanting in Tor.

[461] SAUCE FOR DORY _IUS IN PISCE AURATA_ [1]

A SEASONING FOR DORY IS MADE THUS [2] PEPPER, LOVAGE, CARRAWAY, ORIGANY, RUE BERRIES, MINT, MYRTLE BERRIES, YOLKS OF EGG, HONEY, VINEGAR, OIL, WINE, BROTH; HEAT AND USE IT SO.

[1] _Aurata_--the "golden" dory. Very esteemed fish. Martial, III, Ep. 90:

_Non omnis laudem preliúmque aurate meretur: Sed cui solus erit concha Lucrina cibus_

[2] Tor. wanting in other texts.

[462] SAUCE FOR BROILED DORY. _IUS IN PISCE AURATA ASSA_

A SAUCE WHICH WILL MAKE BROILED DORY MORE TASTY CONSISTS OF [1] PEPPER, CORIANDER, DRY MINT, CELERY SEED, ONIONS, RAISINS, HONEY, VINEGAR, WINE, BROTH AND OIL.

[463] SAUCE FOR SEA SCORPION [1] _IUS IN SCORPIONE ELIXO_

PEPPER, CARRAWAY, PARSLEY, FIGDATE WINE, HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, MUSTARD, OIL AND REDUCED WINE.

[1] Sea scorpion, boiled like shellfish, with the above ingredients; the cold meat is separated from the shell and is eaten with _vinaigrette_ sauce.

[464] WINE SAUCE FOR FISH _IN PISCE {OE}NOGARUM_

CRUSH PEPPER, RUE, AND HONEY; MIX IN RAISIN WINE, BROTH, REDUCED WINE; HEAT ON A VERY SLOW FIRE.

[465] ANOTHER WAY _ALITER_

THE ABOVE, WHEN BOILING, MAY BE TIED WITH ROUX.

III

EEL

[466] SAUCE FOR EEL _IUS IN ANGUILLAM_

EEL WILL BE MADE MORE PALATABLE BY A SAUCE WHICH HAS [1] PEPPER, CELERY SEED, LOVAGE [2], ANISE, SYRIAN SUMACH [3], FIGDATE WINE [4], HONEY, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL, MUSTARD, REDUCED MUST.

[1] Tor. sentence wanting in other texts.

[2] Note the position of lovage in this formula. Usually it follows pepper. We have finally accounted for this peculiarity. Torinus, throughout the original, treats "pepper" and "lovage" as one spice, whereas we have kept the two separate. He believed it to be a certain kind of pepper--_piper Ligusticum_. _Piper_, as a matter of fact, stands for pepper, and _Ligusticum_ is the herb, Lovage, an umbelliferous plant, also called _Levisticum_. The fact that the two words are here separated plainly shows that Torinus has been in the dark about this matter almost to the end.

One wonders why he did not change or correct this error in the preceding books. His marginal errata prove that his work was being printed as he wrote it, or furnished copy therefor--namely in installments. Since the printer's type was limited, each sheet was printed in the complete edition, and the type was then used over again for the next sheet.

[3] Tor. _thun_.

[4] Wanting in Tor.

[467] ANOTHER SAUCE FOR EEL _ALITER IUS IN ANGUILLAM_

PEPPER, LOVAGE, SYRIAN SUMACH, DRY MINT, RUE BERRIES, HARD YOLKS, MEAD, VINEGAR, BROTH, OIL; COOK IT.

END OF