proper — cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, four-spices, ravendsara,
labiates, etc. ; the fourth consists of jyarts of crucifei'ous
plants — mustard, black radish, horseradish, etc. Here we
pass into the domain of green condiments, onions, garlic, etc.,
which are not included among the substances treated of in
this chapter, but are described in those referring to soups,
purees and entremets, and only recapitulated in an appendix
to the fifth group. The fifth group comprises aromatic herbs,
falsely called savoury herbs. In the sixth group we range
acid condiments, with vinegar as their type ; in the seventh
group odoriferous parts of plants, not being aromatic, and
scents extracted therefrom. The eighth group is made up
of culinary colouring matters. The ninth and concluding
group unites the varieties and preparations of sugar used in
culinary operations.
It follows from a further consideration of these data, that
a green condiment at its season may be a seasoning, but to
call salt a seasoning is absurd. It is equally absurd to call
spices seasonings, and signalize their use by the factitious
verb to season. With salt you do salt; with pepper,
cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., you sp>ice viands ; with green con-
diments, such as mint, shallots, chervil, parsley, horseradish,
you season viands. All condiments, no doubt, at the head
of them common salt, have a strongly preservative action,
as benumbing or killing putrefactive agents. It is by this
action also that they are so useful to the human economy
when introduced iuto the intestine in combination with
food.
In discussing the question of definition concerned in this
class of materials, we have to bear in mind that the word
herb, and its plural herbs, are used in a sense modified from
that which is their natural meaning. More particularly in
French culinary art the expression herbes has a restricted
significance ; it indicates the group of culinary herbs, com-
prising twenty-eight vegetables, which are all used as
90
THE SPIRIT OF COOKERY
probably in the hands of the Arabs. Amongst the booty
which Alaric took from Eome* were three thousand pounds
of pepper. After the conquest of the East by the Turks
spices became much more scarce in Europe. Thus, in 1263
Oriental spices were rare in France, for in that year the
Abbey of St. Gilles in Languedoc made a present of some
horns (cornets) of spice (cinnamon) to Louis le Jeune, of
whom they were about to ask a great favour. That spices
were highly valued as additions to food follows from the
practice which took ground at the same time of terming
presents made to judges, of course as bribes, spices.
Spices became more accessible and more widely dis-
tributed after the discovery of America by Columbus, and
the route to India by Vasco de Gama. This was particu-
larly the case with cinnamon, of which the Portuguese for a
long time held a monopoly, and Lisbon became the centre
of the trade in that bark. The Portuguese also first made
cloves common throughout Europe. These had been known
at Eome at the time of Pliny only as curiosities, and used
for perfumes, but not then as spices in combination with
food.
Page 68
Presented as published in 1895. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
proper — cinnamon, clove, nutmeg, four-spices, ravendsara, labiates, etc. ; the fourth consists of parts of cruciferous plants — mustard, black radish, horseradish, etc. Here we pass into the domain of green condiments, onions, garlic, etc., which are not included among the substances treated of in this chapter, but are described in those referring to soups, purees and entremets, and only recapitulated in an appendix to the fifth group. The fifth group comprises aromatic herbs, falsely called savoury herbs. In the sixth group we range acid condiments, with vinegar as their type ; in the seventh group odoriferous parts of plants, not being aromatic, and scents extracted therefrom. The eighth group is made up of culinary colouring matters. The ninth and concluding group unites the varieties and preparations of sugar used in culinary operations.
It follows from a further consideration of these data, that a green condiment at its season may be a seasoning, but to call salt a seasoning is absurd. It is equally absurd to call spices seasonings, and signalize their use by the factitious verb to season. With salt you do salt; with pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, etc., you spice viands ; with green condiments, such as mint, shallots, chervil, parsley, horseradish, you season viands. All condiments, no doubt, at the head of them common salt, have a strongly preservative action, as benumbing or killing putrefactive agents. It is by this action also that they are so useful to the human economy when introduced into the intestine in combination with food.
In discussing the question of definition concerned in this class of materials, we have to bear in mind that the word herb, and its plural herbs, are used in a sense modified from that which is their natural meaning. More particularly in French culinary art the expression herbes has a restricted significance ; it indicates the group of culinary herbs, comprising twenty-eight vegetables, which are all used as
probably in the hands of the Arabs. Amongst the booty which Alaric took from Rome were three thousand pounds of pepper. After the conquest of the East by the Turks spices became much more scarce in Europe. Thus, in 1263 Oriental spices were rare in France, for in that year the Abbey of St. Gilles in Languedoc made a present of some horns (cornets) of spice (cinnamon) to Louis le Jeune, of whom they were about to ask a great favour. That spices were highly valued as additions to food follows from the practice which took ground at the same time of terming presents made to judges, of course as bribes, spices.
Spices became more accessible and more widely distributed after the discovery of America by Columbus, and the route to India by Vasco de Gama. This was particularly the case with cinnamon, of which the Portuguese for a long time held a monopoly, and Lisbon became the centre of the trade in that bark. The Portuguese also first made cloves common throughout Europe. These had been known at Rome at the time of Pliny only as curiosities, and used for perfumes, but not then as spices in combination with food.