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Carolina de la Fuente with the First Grapes of the Season Photo by: Lord-Williams |
orchard. Castro relates that fruit was so abundant in the province
of Murica that it has been known since
the late Middle Ages as “the orchard of Spain.” During this time the province
of Guipúzoa was producing walnuts, hazelnuts, bitter Seville orangs,
grapefruit, quinces, cherries, plums, acorns, figs, medlars, blackberries,
grapes, pears, peaches, limes and melons. Dried fruits included raisins, dried
figs and dates.
Guipuzoa produced and abundance of apples, which
were eaten raw, baked, stewed or they were made into cider. Chestnuts were so
abundant that they were considered the poor people’s dish. Enrique de Villena
in his work Arte Cisoria names fruits
above consumed during this period as well as citron, cucumbers, pomegranates,
grapes, lemons, quinces, acorns, pine kernels and pistachios.
Fruit
production was totally seasonal. In spring, therefore, preferable consumption included
figs, pears, apricots and cherries, among others. In summer, the most consumed
fruits were melon, peaches and apples. In winter oranges and nuts such as
hazelnuts, walnuts and acorns were eaten.
Fruits
and vegetables, nevertheless, were used to make electuaries and preserves,
which were consumed during all seasons of the year. Fruits and dried fruits
were generally preserved in honey. The Archpriest of Hita points out that these
were made with citrons, quinces, walnuts, carrots, cloves and sandal wood etc
in honey, rose honey and all types of sugar including powdered and violet.
Gázquez relates that a vast majority of fruits
and vegetables came from convents, urban areas around castles, landed
properties, monasteries and villages. Habitual landscapes contained orchards
with fenced in fruit trees.
The
production of fruit was normally self-consumed, although there were markets and
fairs. In the late Middle Ages, fruit stands expedited the production of fruit
growers, in which Jewish and Muslim techniques were learned during their
occupation of Iberian territories. In the same way specific regions boasted of
their fruit production.
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Citrus orchard Photo from: ladique_99 |
Many
of them were considered aphrodisiac. The Archpriest, thus talks about the diacitron,
what was a preserve of candied citron rind. This was not the only preserve for
citron but there were other electuaries like candied citron peel, candied
citron seed cake and sour citron jelly, which was used against the plague. Also
there were other preserves like quince jelly or sugar softened with almond oil.
Fruits
are considered by dietitians as healthy foods and could make the sick healthy;
Ibn al Jatib said, in his book of hygiene or book of caring for health, during
the seasons of the year said that fruits are:
first
grapes and figs which are the lords, the closest to equilibrium, are indicated
for the liver, at the same time increase the flesh and the semen; nevertheless,
and during digestion, gases are generated; for this it is recommended that the
be eaten on an empty stomach. Figs themselves give rise to large quantity of
lice. Grape juice can cause the liver illnesses. Dried figs cause humidity,
maturing, augmentation and enlargement of the flesh.
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Remnant Orchard Photo from: Joshua Mulligan |
Arnaldo
de Vilanova, the Catalan physician, who wrote Regimen santiatis in 1304, best understood the sanitary
function of fruits more than as foods. He makes a clear distinction between
therapeutic attributes and food:
medicine: it is known to preserve it from harmful accident that concurrent things should be feared. Thus it is necessary to use then with moderation and with odor: paying attention to not consuming them just because but for the benefit to be obtained by eating it. One should not eat for pleasure but for the benefit obtained for it is certain that using fruit alone as a game impedes healthy conservation.
Anyone who tries to conserve health
should keep these general rules; fruit should never be eaten raw but boiled
when the tree has brought it to perfect maturity (if the tree can do this),
blackberries should not be eaten when mature for the mature ones turn black for
they are spider food and dirty the flesh and putrefy it and generate bubo
(inflamtory swelling of a lymph gland). anthrax and landres. In hot and humid
regions, during years that there is a great abundance of blackberries, the
plague reigns, if it were not for land pockets it would disappear.
What
Vilanova published was a tendency of dietitians of his period, following
Hippocratic dictates, it is also certain that dietetic philosophy was only on
the courtesan level and upper classes as clerics, bourgeoisies or wealthy
courtesans. The rest of society had no idea about medical truths and was
limited to eating fruit when it was served, for the one and only reason to
satisfy hunger.
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Orange Almond Milk Sauce Uniquely Delicious with Chicken Photo by: Lord-Williams |
[Castro. Alimentación.1996:304-305;
Diez 2011:101-102; Gázquez. La Cocina.
2002:247-250; and Hita/Brey. 1965: 1295 1334-1337:201:208]
SAUCE FOR ROASTED HENS WITHOUT BOILING ADAPTED FROM SENT SOVÍ #LX QUE HABLA DE CÓMO SE HACE LA SALSA A GALLINAS EN EL ASADOR SIN HERVIR[1]
Ingredients
1 c almonds
½ c white sugar
1/2 c orange juice
1 hen
Peel and roast or fry almonds. Grind them
in a food processor. Add sugar and continue grinding. Add orange juice.
Authors note: If the almonds are fried, almond
butter will result when grinding. It is strong. This can be strong. One half
cup wine can be added to mellow the taste or juice from the chicken if desired.
It is a nice accompaniment to spit roasted
or baked chicken.
If a sauce for spit roasted chicken is
desired, make it as follows: Grind peeled and toasted almonds. Add white sugar
and grind together. Temper them with lemon or orange juice. If sugar is not
desired, use honey. This can be served also with boiled hens and hens to be
chopped. If sugar is not desired, use honey.
[1] Nola gives a recipe for a similar sauce: xxx-4 Salseron Para Volateria Asada (Sauce for Roasted Poultry).
RUDOLF GREWE’S 1979 TRANSLATION OF SENT
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SOVÍ FROM OLD CATALAN CAPÍTOL LX
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Si vols ffer salsa a gualines en ast
cens boiler, se ffa en aquesta manera: Ages amelles parades he pica-les bé; e
quant seran picadas, ages del sucre blanch, e pique’l encamps ab les dites
amelles, axí[2]
picadas altra volta. E puys destrempa-ho ab such de limons o de taronges. E
va salsa per gualines en grasals, e gualines per talladors. E si sucre [203
v.] no y vols mere, ages de bona mel.
________________________
[1] Veg
Nola f. 23 r. (“Salceró per a perdius o gallines d’ast” ).
[1] A´si;
B “axa” errada evident.
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