Subject: early chocolate references

From: [email-masked] (Elise A. Fleming)
Date: 26 Nov 1994 13:38:12 GMT

Jane Beckman, posting to Welsh and Scot Renaissance, mentioned 
that the earliest chocolate reference "seemed to be in Carter in
the 1720's".  (Query:  Carter is a reference I don't seem to know.
What book is it?)  I have a copy of Clotilde Vesco's _Cucina
fiorentina fra Medioevo e Rinascimento_, 1984, where there are
about three different references to "cioccolata".  One is for
"Biscottini reali" and a second is for "Biscottini alla romana di
marzapane".  (I have made the latter with excellent results.)

A month or so ago the search for this book was on the Rialto with
questions raised about the purported dates of the manuscripts.
I am asking for help from anyone here since as Jane (and David
Friedman) pointed out, English reference to chocolate are much
later.  The bibliography lists that the Archivio di Stato di
Firenze has the Carte Bardi II - A. 116 and Carte Bardi !! - A.
31.  The dates of the manuscripts prior to listing these are 
up 10 1526.  Following the listing for the Carte Bardi II manu-
scripts (from which the "cioccolata" recipes come) is "Possessio-
ni: Contratti numerati n. 1-15: 1476-1662."

My Italian comes from knowing Spanish so there are definite gaps
in reading.  Vesco's "Avvertenza" concludes: "Il Ricettario trova-
to tra le Carte Bardi nell'Archivio di Stato di Firence contiene
ricette prive di numero progressivo e non rubricate, per cui 
ritengo sia del secolo XV.  Le ricette sono scritte in una corsiva
rotonda ed il mio intervento e` stato simile al precendente."

"Le ricette sono raccolte in pagine ripiegate a libro prive di
cucitura e di copertina e raccolte tra due spaghi incrociate.
I Bardi entrarono in Firenze, dal contado, nel secolo XIII e si
affermarono quasi subito in citta` come banchieri."

As mentioned, the recipes are from Carte Bardi II, not Carte
Bardi I, but the reference to the latter might be helpful.

I am only a beginner with Italian confections, knowing the 
medieval and Elizabethan English confections better.  I am aware
that the Italians began some of the confections sooner than the
English and in some cases did fancier work with the confections.
Can anyone help with dating the Carte Bardi manuscripts?  I will
be glad to post the Italian recipes, plus English translation,
if you want.  Thanks, thanks, and thanks for any help!

Elise/Alys