Subject: Find at Barnes and Nobles

From: Gretchen Miller <[email-masked]>
Date: Wed, 5 Apr 1995 11:08:31 -0400

I found a wonderful book at Barnes and Nobles bookstore last night:

The Fruit, Herbs and Vegetables of Italy
A translation by Gillian Riley of the Brieve Racconto di Tutte le
radici, de tutte l'herbe et di tutti i frutti, che crudi o cotti in
Italia si mangiano by Giacomo Castelvetro -- written in 1614.

It was on their bargain book stand, and cost $13.  

Just to reopen the great Crudite debate, here's what Giacomo says about Celery:

"To eat celery, dig up the required amount and wash it well, and serve
it raw with salt and pepper after meals.  It is warm, and has great
digestive and generative powers, and for this reason young wives often
serve celery to their elderly or impotent husbands."

toodles, gretchen

---

From: Alan Deacon <[email-masked]>
Date: Thu, 6 Apr 1995 12:51:03 GMT

[email-masked] (Henry Troup) writes:

>In article <[email-masked]>, Gretchen Miller
><[email-masked]> wrote:

>> it raw with salt and pepper after meals. 

>Might this be celery root (celeriac?)  I don't think of digging up
>stalk celery, but cutting it.

>-- 
>Henry Troup - [email-masked]      disclaimer - as usual
>                  Guilty of thoughtcrime      

I'm on shaky ground here but it is usual to cover the growing plant
in order to blanch it. I know that the modern practise is to put
a cover over the plant, but might an earlier practise be to just
mound earth around the stem as it grows. If the latter was the
case the instructions would then fit very well.

I do not think celeriac is meant, for although it has to be dug up
the instruction to wash it well is meaningless. With celariac the
rough skin is removed and the bulbous root sliced or chipped.

IMHO
--
	Alan Deacon (User Services)
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