coriander-msg - 2/29/12 Coriander use in period. NOTE: See also the files: spices-msg, cinnamon-msg, capers-msg, galangale-msg, garlic-msg, ginger-msg, herbs-msg, horseradish-msg, nutmeg-mace-msg, saffron-msg. ************************************************************************ NOTICE - This file is a collection of various messages having a common theme that I have collected from my reading of the various computer networks. Some messages date back to 1989, some may be as recent as yesterday. This file is part of a collection of files called Stefan's Florilegium. These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org I have done a limited amount of editing. Messages having to do with separate topics were sometimes split into different files and sometimes extraneous information was removed. For instance, the message IDs were removed to save space and remove clutter. The comments made in these messages are not necessarily my viewpoints. I make no claims as to the accuracy of the information given by the individual authors. Please respect the time and efforts of those who have written these messages. The copyright status of these messages is unclear at this time. If information is published from these messages, please give credit to the originator(s). Thank you, Mark S. Harris AKA: THLord Stefan li Rous Stefan at florilegium.org ************************************************************************ Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 11:56:46 -0500 From: Sharon Palmer To: Cooks within the SCA Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Digby and coriander <<< I have a question.  I see that Digby (Closet Opened) uses coriander seed in a few places, but does not appear to use coriander leaf (aka cilantro). Was coriander leaf not used at the time in England?  If not, does anyone have a theory as to why? >>> Rumpolt also appears to use coriander seed occasionally but not the leaves. I've grown coriander in my garden, and there are two kinds.  The kind bred for seed has much finer leaves and goes to seed faster than the kind bred for leaves.  So my theory would be that they didn't grow the kind that makes nice bushy leaves.  Or that coriander seed was imported and not grown locally. Ranvaig Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 12:29:42 -0500 From: Sharon Palmer To: Cooks within the SCA Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Digby and coriander <<< Well, could it have been a problem in getting it to grow in England? >>> I could grow it in Wisconsin, so I think it is able to grow in England.  It's an annual and dies back each year, but self sows and keeps coming up once it's established.  But that doesn't mean they *did* grow it, or that if they did, that it was common. <<< seeds could be transported without too much loss of quality, but I'm thinking old, dried cilantro would be kinda pointless... just guessing though. >>> IMO, dried cilantro is more worthless than dried chives.  People use it, but I wonder why. Ranvaig Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 13:41:57 -0400 From: Johnna Holloway To: Cooks within the SCA Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Digby and coriander http://www.uni-graz.at/~katzer/engl/Cori_sat.html indicates that a   number of people dislike the taste of the leaves but the seeds are   found to be pleasant. I looked in EEBO-TCP and found coriander seed mentioned for comfits   and ipocras, esp. in the latter 17th century. John Gerarde in his Herball has a chapter devoted to the Coriander,   mentioning: "THe first or common kinde of Coriander is a very stinking herbe,   smelling like the stinking worme called in Latine Cimex: it hath a   round stalke full of branches, two foot long. The leaues are of a   faint greene colour, very much cut or iagged: the leaues that grow   lowest, and spring first, are almost like the leaues of Cheruill or   Parsley, but those which come forth af?terward, and grow vpon the   stalks, are more iagged, almost like the leaues of Fumitorie, though a   great deale smaller, tenderer, and more iagged. The floures are white,   and do grow in round tassels like vnto Dill. The seed is round, hollow   within, and of a pleasant sent and sauour when it is drie. The root is   hard, and of a wooddie substance, which dieth when the fruit is ripe,   and soweth it selfe yeare to yeare, whereby it mightily increaseth. 2 There is a second kinde of Coriander very like vnto the former,   sauing that the bottome leaues and stalks are smaller: the fruit   thereof is greater, and growing together by couples, it is not so   pleasant of sauour nor taste, being a wilde kinde thereof, vnfit   either, for meat or medicine. The Temperature. The greene and stinking leaues of Corianders are of complexion cold   and dry, and very naught, vnwholesome and hurtfull to the body. The drie and pleasant well sauouring seede is warme, and very   conuenient to sundrie purposes." I suspect they didn't like the leaves. Johnnae Date: Sun, 13 Mar 2011 21:22:11 -0700 (PDT) From: Euriol of Lothian To: Cooks within the SCA Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Digby and coriander It does seem that coriander was not well known in England at the middle of the 16th century. There is an entry in William Turner's herbal "The Name of Herbs" that says the following: "Coriandrum or Corianun is called in Greek Corion & corianon in English Colander or coriander, in German koriander, & in French coriandre. It is hot in the first degree after Auerrhois, I think that he means of the seed." Auerrhois, I believe refers to a 12th century Muslim polymath aka Averroes or Averrhois. William Turner had a considerable knowledge of Herbs & Spices known in England and Western Europe during the mid 16th century, and this sparse entry seems (compared to others in the same text) to indicate less familiarity. Euriol Edited by Mark S. Harris coriander-msg 3 of 3