As promised, this is the recipe and research for the picture above. This item was created for Pennsic 50 A&S Warpoint Team. I was chosen as an alternate, to step in if someone who was competing for points was unable to attend.
Original Recipe In Italian - Confetti de melle apio o de pome paradiso se le voy fare subito chomo è gratate le poy fare come ti pare.
Toy la mella e mondala, poy la grata; varda che non vada le granelle dentro la gratitura e lassala sugare per dui iorni. El sucho che fa la mella lassalo pur con la mella; passa le pome gratate e per ogni tri libre de pome meti libre tri de mele e lassale stare dui zorni le pome chomo el mele; poy fale bolire sempre menandole con speçie tanto che le mele sia cocte, abi a mente le spezie voleno essere messe quando l' è quasi cocto el confetto, cossí quelle de chodogni. Poy la distendi suso una tavola o suso una pietra bagnata e fay a modo di foio grosso men de mezzo dido; poy lassala refredare e fane a modo de schachieri in pezetti picholi e reponile in una schatolla con foie de laurano de sotto e poy de sopra dall' altra mano va metando foie de suolo in suolo; e se voi mettere spezie tra foio e foio serà molto bono. Agi a mente ch' el vol per lo men bolire una hora grossa e forsi dui sempre menandole bene e guardale dal fumo.
Original transcription from Libro di cucina/ libro per cuoco (Anonimo veneziano) — Institut für Germanistik (uni-giessen.de)
CXXXII Candied "apio" and paradise apples that are ready immediately, and grated they can be made as you like.
Take apples and peel them, then grate them, watch that there aren’t seeds inside the grated apples, and let them dry for two days. The juice that comes from the apples leave with them, and strain the grated apples, and for every three pounds of apples add three pounds of honey and let the apples sit in the honey for two days. Then put them to boil, always mixing carefully until the honey is cooked. Have in mind that the spices should be added when the candy is nearly cooked and candied, such as for quinces. Then spread the candy over a table or over a wet stone. Make them in the way of a large sheet, less than a half a finger high. Leave them to cool and make rolls of small pieces of the candy and put them to rest on a dish lined with bay leaves (Laurus nobilis L.) below and then above and build them up layer by layer. And if you want to add spices between each layer it will be very good. Bear in mind that it will need to boil for at least an hour and perhaps for two, always mixing well and protected from smoke.
Candied "Apio" and Paradise Apples
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds of apples (preferably Granny Smith), cleaned, peeled, and cored
2 ¼ cups of honey
1 tablespoon of fine spice mix
Fresh bay leaves (Laurus nobilis L.) (for serving)
Directions
1.
Grate the peeled apples using a box grater or mandolin. Place the grated
apples into a sieve suspended above a bowl to collect the juices.
2.
Cover the grated apples and allow them to sit for two days, stirring
occasionally to promote air drying.
3.
On the third day, weigh the strained apples and add 12 ounces
(approximately 1 cup) of honey for every pound of grated apple. Stir well and
let the mixture sit for two more days, stirring daily. (Note:
Modern appliances can blend the mixture into a smooth puree if desired,
otherwise the consistency of the finished product will appear “rough”.)
4.
Transfer the apple and honey mixture into a saucepan and heat it on low
until the honey warms. Then increase the heat and bring the mixture to a boil,
stirring constantly. (Note:
Alternatively, cook the mixture in a crockpot on low heat for at least ten
hours.)
5.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and continue stirring
constantly. The paste will gradually darken in color and start pulling away
from the pan's sides.
6.
Add the spice mix to the apple paste when it begins to pull away from
the sides of the pan. Cook until a spoon drawn through the paste leaves a
trough without disappearing. This process may take an hour or more.
7.
Transfer the fruit paste to the lined cookie sheet or baking dish and
allow it to cool.
8.
Once cooled, cut the paste into squares, and serve on fresh bay leaves (Laurus nobilis L.) (do not
consume the leaves). For added flavor, sprinkle the paste with
additional spices before serving.
The Il Libro per cuoco o Anonimo Veneziano,
also known as The cook's book or Anonymous Venetian, is valuable
fifteenth-century Italian manuscript housed in the Casanatense Library in Rome.
It contains 135 recipes that document the cooking methods, ingredients, and
preferences of early Italy. The manuscript includes a recipe called "CXXXII.
Confetti de melle apio o de pome paradiso se le voy fare subito chomo è gratate
le poy fare come ti pare," which translates to "132. Candied
'apio' and paradise apples that are ready immediately and grated can be made as
you like." This research aims to revive an ancient confectionery
method and shed light on the early history of candy making, focusing on fruit
pastes.
The historical background of confections
reveals their ancient origins and evolution. The ancient Egyptians preserved
nuts and fruits with honey, while physicians in the Middle Ages used sweet
confections to mask the taste of medicines. Sugar, introduced from India,
Persia, and the Middle East, gradually replaced honey as a sweetener. The
concept of sugar as medicine emerged from the Hippocratic theory of balancing
bodily humors. According to Greek dietetics, the stomach's heat and digestion
played a crucial role in maintaining health. Sugar and honey were believed to
warm the stomach and aid digestion, leading to their prominence in sweet dishes
served at the end of meals.
The recipe for "CXXXII. Confetti de
melle apio o de pome paradiso se le voy fare subito chomo è gratate le poy fare
come ti pare" holds several significant aspects. It documents the
creation of a fruit paste that is served immediately upon completion, rather
than drying it first. It also uses honey as the primary sweetener, reflecting
an earlier period when sugar was not as prevalent. Additionally, the recipe
showcases the richness of the ingredients, indicating the wealth of the person serving
it. The instructions even include directions on how to present the dessert. By
exploring this specific recipe, the project aims to revive a forgotten
confectionary technique and deepen our understanding of the early history of
candy making, particularly fruit pastes.
The
recipe for Apio features the
following ingredients: honey, apples, apple juice, and various spices. Honey is
the primary sweetener, adding a natural and rich sweetness. Apples,
specifically the "Paradise Apple," form the base of the fruit paste once
grated and mixed with honey. Spices enhance the flavor profile, providing depth
and complexity to the Apio. The
spices are not specified. They are added at the end of the cooking process,
however, to infuse their aromatic essence with the apples and honey. The Apio is presented on bay leaves (Laurus nobilis L.), adding a visual
touch of elegance, enhancing the overall aesthetic appeal of the dish.
What
kind of apples were available? Of the many varieties that were grown during
this time, two stand out. The pearmaine
and the paradise, which is mentioned in the recipe. The Pearmaine apple, dating
back to around 1200 in England, is described as small to medium-sized. It
exhibits yellowish-green skin with streaks of red. It possesses a conical shape
reminiscent of a pear, albeit wider at the stem and tapering towards the
bottom. A related variety is the Queening apple, also known as Winter
Pearmaine, is available today. These apples are known for their sweet, slightly
tart, and tangy flavor with subtle notes of pear. A paradise apple, also called
an "apium apple" or "apius apple," denotes the common
apple variety. According to the Minnesota Seasons website, these apples are
fleshy and exhibit a globe-shaped to somewhat egg-shaped pome, ranging from 2⅜″
to 4⅓″ in diameter. Initially green, they gradually turn yellow to red as they
ripen in the mid-to-late summer. Paradise apples are commonly used as rootstock
and possess an astringent or mildly acidic taste.
Considering
the known apple varieties, the most favorable options for recreating this
recipe are Pearmaine or Paradise apples. Obtaining these specific apples,
however, proves challenging in the everyday marketplace. Nevertheless, there
are modern apple varieties that can serve as substitutes. Apples such as
Suncrisp, Gala, Ambrosia, Jazz, Fuji, Envy, and Winesap, known for their
sweetness, slight tartness, and pear-like notes, can be suitable substitutes
for Pearmaine. Additionally, with their acidic and sharp taste, Granny Smith
apples can serve as a viable substitute for the Paradise apple.
In
addition to sweetness, honey serves several other purposes in preparing Apio. Firstly, honey acts as a natural
binder or thickener, melding the grated apples together and creating a cohesive
texture for the fruit paste. Secondly, honey acts as a preservative due to its
antimicrobial properties. It helps inhibit the growth of microorganisms,
extending the shelf life of the Apio
and enabling storage before consumption. Lastly, honey flavor directly
complements the apples' natural sweetness and enhances the spices used, helping
to create a balance of flavors.
The
Apio recipe uses the term
"spices" generically as one of its ingredients. I sourced the spices
for this recreation from another fourteenth-fifteenth century Italian
manuscript called Liber de Coquina or
Libro di cucina. Like the Anonimo Veneziano, this manuscript sheds
light on medieval Italian cuisine and culinary practices. The Liber de Coquina includes recipes for
various dishes, from soups and sauces to meat, fish, and desserts. It guides
cooking techniques, ingredient combinations, and the utilization of spices and
herbs. The specific recipe chosen belongs to the category known as LXXIII. Specie fine a tute cosse or
"Fine spices for all dishes (things)."
Original Recipe Specie fine a tute cosse in Italian
LXXIII. Specie fine a tute cosse.
Toi una
onza de pevere e una de cinamo e una de zenzevro e mezo quarto de garofali e
uno quarto de zaferanno.
Translation
LXXIII Fine spices for all dishes (things)
Take one ounce of pepper, one ounce
of cinnamon, one ounce of ginger, half a quarter ounce of cloves, and one
quarter ounce of saffron.
Pepper
found its way into Italy during the first century BC. The Romans, renowned for
their expansive trade networks, established connections with various regions,
including India and other parts of Asia, where pepper thrived. Pliny the Elder
describes black, long, and white pepper in his Natural History. He emphasizes the significance of these spices,
stating, "Both pepper and ginger grow wild in their respective countries,
and yet here we buy them by weight—just as if they were so much gold or
silver." Pepper quickly became a vital ingredient in Roman cuisine and
remained widely utilized throughout the empire.
Saffron
also entered Italy early, thanks to the ancient Greeks. They actively
cultivated and traded this valuable spice, sourcing it from regions such as
Persia (modern-day Iran) and Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey). The remaining
spices mentioned in the recipe, however—cinnamon, clove, and ginger—arrived in
Italy later. By the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries, Italy had grown into
the Mediterranean world’s key center of trade and commerce. Venice became a
crucial bridge connecting Northern and Western Europe with the Middle East and
the Far East, granting access to diverse spices originating from these distant
lands.
The Apio recipe involves the use of several
essential pieces of equipment familiar to the modern cook: grater, colander,
pot or saucepan, table.
The original invention of the grater is a subject
of debate. However, historians credit Isaac Hunt or François Boullier with
inventing it around 1540. Bartolomeo Scappi's cookbook, Opera dell'arte del cucinare, published in 1570, illustrates a
grater resembling its modern-day counterpart. In Apio, apples are grated and
allowed to air dry for two days before cooking. Grating the apples breaks them
into smaller pieces and helps release the juices.
After being air dried
for two days, the grated apples are passed through a sieve or strainer,
separating the excess liquid from the fruit. This step, passa le pome gratate (sieve the grated apples), allows for
accurate measurement of the weight of the apples. The cook adds an equal weight
of honey and lets the apples soak for two more days before proceeding to the
next step. Scappi's Opera also
features an illustration of a sieve, providing insight into its potential
appearance during the time.
The recipe instructs
the cook to take the next step of "poy
fale bolire" or allowing it to boil. To accomplish this, the cook
should use an appropriate cooking vessel, such as a pot or saucepan. Although
the recipe does not specify the type of vessel, Scappi includes numerous
illustrations depicting the saucepans and pots commonly used during this period.
The equipment has remained unchanged in design with the exception of variations
in the materials from which it is crafted.
The final sentence of
the recipe, "Agi a mente ch' el vol
per lo men bolire una hora grossa e forsi dui sempre menandole bene e guardale
dal fumo." (Keep in mind that it should boil for at least an hour,
constantly stirring well and protecting it from smoke.), suggests the need for
slow boiling of the fruit. Slow boiling is a cooking technique that removes
excess moisture and achieves a gel-like consistency. It also serves to preserve
the food by eliminating organic impurities.
After cooking, the
recipe instructs to pour the fruit paste onto the tavolo o superficie di lavoro (table or work surface) or pietra bagnata (wet stone). When the
recipe instructs to "distendi suso
una tavola" (spread it on a table), it suggests using a flat surface,
such as a tabletop, or a wet stone to hold and shape the fruit paste. Placing
the mixture on a flat surface allows for gradual heat release and even cooling,
facilitating easier handling and cutting once the apio has solidified.
The Apio recipe employs a variety of cooking
techniques to achieve its outcome. When grating the apples, finely shredding
them ensures easier cooking and infusion of flavors. The air-drying step removes
excess moisture from the fruit, concentrating the flavor. Soaking the grated
apples in honey for two days before cooking actively enhances the flavor,
texture, and preservation of the apples while allowing them to absorb the honey’s
sweetness and flavor. Regular stirring during cooking is crucial to ensure heat
is evenly distributed and prevent the mixture from sticking to the pot.
Finally, pouring the mixture onto a flat shallow surface after cooking to cool
allows it to thicken and stiffen into a flexible, gel-like consistency.
The
recipe instructs the cook to place the prepared apio on a dish along with laurel leaves, both underneath and on
top, as indicated by the phrase "picholi
e reponile in una schatolla con foie de laurano de sotto e poy de sopra." Serving the apio on fresh bay leaves (Laurus
nobilis L.) adds an elegant touch to the presentation, a visually pleasing
contrast between the vibrant color of the candy and the vivid green of the
leaves.
It
is important to note that the bay leaves are not intended for consumption but
serve as an ornamental element. Despite being commonly utilized in culinary
preparations, bay leaves are generally not ingested in their raw or whole form
due to their leathery texture, which can be unpalatable. To extract their
desired flavor and aroma fully, bay leaves are best utilized by simmering,
boiling, or infusing them in liquids during cooking. Their presence in this
recipe is solely decorative.
It
is worth mentioning, however, that even in their raw state, bay leaves make
contributions beyond the ornamental. Bay leaves – like honey -- possess
significant preservative and microbial properties that contribute to their
value in the culinary world. The leaves contain essential oils, such as cineol,
eugenol, and linalool, which exhibit antimicrobial effects against various
bacteria and fungi. Their ability to inhibit pathogens like Escherichia coli
(E. coli), Salmonella, and Listeria monocytogenes makes them a natural food
preservative. Additionally, the antioxidants found in bay leaves, including
caffeic acid and rutin, aid in preventing oxidative damage and spoilage. Thus, bay
leaves serve as a natural food preservative due to their ability to hinder the
growth of microorganisms and extend the shelf life of various food
preparations. In addition to their preservative properties, bay leaves are an
effective insect repellent. The pungent aroma of these leaves, primarily due to
essential oils, deters pests like ants, cockroaches, and weevils. This natural
quality makes bay leaves valuable to food storage areas or dried goods,
safeguarding them from infestations. Historically, bay leaves have been
utilized in traditional medicine for their antimicrobial attributes, aiding
digestion, respiratory ailments, and wound healing. These multifaceted
properties of bay leaves contribute to their extensive use in culinary
practices and various therapeutic applications (Sirikin, 2018).
In conclusion, the exploration of the manuscript "Il
libro per cuoco o Anonimo Veneziano o Anonimo Veneto" offers valuable
insights into the early history of candy making and the culinary traditions of
early Italy by providing a glimpse into the cooking methods, ingredients, and
preferences of that era. Of the many recipes found within the document, one
recipe, "CXXXII. Confetti de melle apio o de pome paradiso se le voy
fare subito chomo è gratate le poy fare come ti pare," stands out. It
showcases the creation of Apio, an apple-based
fruit paste using honey as the primary sweetener, reflecting the prevalence
of honey as a sweetener during that time. This rediscovered recipe not only
offers a delicious treat but also highlights the interplay of humoral qualities
in ancient Greek dietetics and how it continued to impact diet in the fifteenth
century, emphasizing the balance of bodily humors through carefully selected
ingredients.
Researchers who may be interested in further exploration
into medieval culinary practices in the fourteenth and fifteenth century,
should consider the following books. "Liber de Coquina," a
14th-century Neapolitan cookbook. "Le Viandier," authored by
Guillaume Tirel (Taillevent) in the 14th century, is a French cookbook. For a
glimpse into the culinary practices of medieval England, "Forme of Cury"
is an essential resource. Compiled by King Richard II's chefs in the late 14th
century, this cookbook contains a diverse range of recipes. To explore the
gastronomy of medieval Catalonia, "Libre del Coch" by Ruperto
de Nola is recommended.
The recipe for Apio proved to be a time-consuming but
straightforward process, taking five days to complete. The resulting product
had a deep red color and a delightful blend of spices, with a concentrated
apple flavor that was not overly sweet despite the generous use of honey. The
presentation of the fruit paste was visually stunning, resembling jewels on a
vibrant green backdrop.
Surprisingly modern in taste, this recipe could easily find a place
on a cheese board or even as a unique addition to a sandwich. It would serve as
an excellent dessert course alongside other candies such as manus christi,
sugar plate, comfits, marzipan, marchpane, or gingerbread.
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