Acetaria: A Discourse of Sallets Part 3

7. Borrage, _Borrago_ (_Gaudia semper ago_) hot and kindly moist, purifying the Blood, is an exhilarating Cordial, of a pleasant Flavour: The tender Leaves, and Flowers especially, may be eaten in Composition; but above all, the Sprigs in _Wine_, like those of _Baum_, are of known Vertue to revive the _Hypochondriac_, and chear the hard Student. See _Bugloss_.

8. Brooklime, _Anagallis aquatica_; moderately hot and moist, prevalent in the _s...o...b..te_, and _Stone_.

9. Bugloss, _Buglossum_; in mature much like _Borrage_, yet something more astringent. The Flowers of both, with the intire Plant, greatly restorative, being Conserv'd: And for the rest, so much commended by _Averroes_; that for its effects, cheris.h.i.+ng the Spirits, justly call'd _Euphrosynum_; Nay, some will have it the _Nepenthes_ of _Homer_: But indeed, what we now call _Bugloss_, was not that of the Ancients, but rather _Borrage_, for the like Virtue named _Corrago_.

Burnet, See _Pimpinella_.

10. Buds, _Gemmae, Turiones_; the first Rudiments and Tops of most _Sallet_-Plants, preferrable to all other less tender Parts; such as _Ashen-Keys, Broom-buds_, hot and dry, retaining the vertue of _Capers_, esteem'd to be very opening, and prevalent against the _Spleen_ and _Scurvy_; and being _Pickl'd_, are sprinkl'd among the _Sallets_, or eaten by themselves.

11. Cabbage, _Bra.s.sica_ (and its several kinds) _Pompey's_ beloved Dish, so highly celebrated by old [15]_Cato_, _Pythagoras_, and _Chrysippus_ the Physician (as the only _Panacea_) is not so generally magnify'd by the rest of Doctors, as affording but a cra.s.s and melancholy Juice; yet _Loosening_ if but moderately boil'd, if over-much, _Astringent_, according to _C. Celsus_; and therefore seldom eaten raw, excepting by the _Dutch_. The _Cymae_, or Sprouts rather of the _Cole_ are very delicate, so boil'd as to retain their Verdure and green Colour. In raising this _Plant_ great care is to be had of the Seed. The best comes from _Denmark_ and _Russia_, especially the _Cauly-flower_, (anciently unknown) or from _Aleppo_. Of the _French_, the _Pancaliere a la large Coste_, the white, large and ponderous are to be chosen; and so the _Cauly-flower_: After boiling some steep them in Milk, and seethe them again in Beef-Broth: Of old they added a little _Nitre_. The _Broccoli_ from _Naples_, perhaps the _Halmyridia_ of _Pliny_ (or _Athenaeus_ rather) _Capiata marina_ & _florida_, our _Sea-keele_ (the ancient _Crambe_) and growing on our Coast, are very delicate, as are the _Savoys_, commended for being not so rank, but agreeable to most _Palates_, and of better Nourishment: In general, _Cabbages_ are thought to allay Fumes, and prevent Intoxication: But some will have them noxious to the Sight; others impute it to the _Cauly-flower_ rather: But whilst the Learned are not agreed about it, _Theophrastus_ affirms the contrary, and _Pliny_ commends the Juice raw, with a little _Honey_, for the moist and weeping Eye, not the dry or dull. But after all, _Cabbage_ ('tis confess'd) is greatly accus'd for lying undigested in the Stomach, and provoking Eructations; which makes me wonder at the Veneration we read the Ancients had for them, calling them _Divine_, and Swearing, _per Bra.s.sicam_. 'Tis scarce an hundred Years since we first had _Cabbages_ out of _Holland_. Sir _Anth. Ashley_ of _Wiburg St. Giles_ in _Dorsets.h.i.+re_, being (as I am told) the first who planted them in _England_.

12. Cardon, See _Artichaux_.

13. Carrots, _Dauci_, or _Pastinaca Sativa_; temperately warm and dry, Spicy; the best are yellow, very nouris.h.i.+ng; let them be rais'd in Ground naturally rich, but not too heavy.

14. Chervile, _Chaerophyllum, Myrrhis_; The sweet aromatick _Spanish Chervile_, moderately hot and dry: The tender _Cimae_, and Tops, with other Herbs, are never to be wanting in our _Sallets_, (as long as they may be had) being exceedingly wholsome and chearing the Spirits: The _Roots_ are also boil'd and eaten Cold; much commended for Aged Persons: This (as likewise _Spinach_) is us'd in _Tarts_, and serves alone for divers Sauces.

Cibbols. Cives. / Vide Onions, _Schoenopraesson_.

15. Clary, _Horminum_, when tender not to be rejected, and in _Omlets_, made up with _Cream_, fried in sweet _b.u.t.ter_, are eaten with _Sugar_, Juice of _Orange_, or _Limon_.

16. Clavers, _Aparine_; the tender Winders, with young _Nettle-Tops_, are us'd in _Lenten_ Pottages.

17. Corn-sallet, _Valerianella_; loos'ning and refres.h.i.+ng: The Tops and Leaves are a _Sallet_ of themselves, seasonably eaten with other Salleting, the whole Winter long, and early Spring: The _French_ call them _Salad de Preter_, for their being generally eaten in _Lent_.

18. Cowslips, _Paralysis_: See _Flowers_.

19. Cresses, _Nasturtium_, Garden _Cresses_; to be monthly sown: But above all the _Indian_, moderately hot, and aromatick, quicken the torpent Spirits, and purge the Brain, and are of singular effect against the _s...o...b..te_. Both the tender Leaves, _Calices, Cappuchin Capers_, and _Flowers_, are laudably mixed with the colder Plants. The _Buds_ being Candy'd, are likewise us'd in Strewings all Winter. There is the _Nastur. Hybernic.u.m_ commended also, and the vulgar _Water-Cress_, proper in the Spring, all of the same Nature, tho' of different Degrees, and best for raw and cold Stomachs, but nourish little.

20. Cuc.u.mber, _Cuc.u.mis_; tho' very cold and moist, the most approved _Sallet_ alone, or in Composition, of all the _Vinaigrets_, to sharpen the Appet.i.te, and cool the Liver, [16]_&c._ if rightly prepar'd; that is, by rectifying the vulgar Mistake of altogether extracting the Juice, in which it should rather be soak'd: Nor ought it to be over _Oyl'd_, too much abating of its grateful _Acidity_, and _palling_ the Taste from a contrariety of Particles: Let them therefore be pared, and cut in thin Slices, with a _Clove_ or two of _Onion_ to correct the Crudity, macerated in the Juice, often turn'd and moderately drain'd. Others prepare them, by shaking the Slices between two Dishes, and dress them with very little _Oyl_, well beaten, and mingled with the Juice of _Limon, Orange_, or _Vinegar, Salt_ and _Pepper_. Some again, (and indeed the most approv'd) eat them as soon as they are cut, retaining their Liquor, which being exhausted (by the former Method) have nothing remaining in them to help the Concoction. Of old they [17]boil'd the _Cuc.u.mber_, and paring off the Rind, eat them with _Oyl, Vinegar_, and _Honey_; _Sugar_ not being so well known. Lastly, the _Pulp_ in Broth is greatly refres.h.i.+ng, and may be mingl'd in most _Sallets_, without the least damage, contrary to the common Opinion; it not being long, since _Cuc.u.mber_, however dress'd, was thought fit to be thrown away, being accounted little better than Poyson. _Tavernier_ tells us, that in the _Levant_, if a Child cry for something to Eat, they give it a raw _Cuc.u.mber_ instead of _Bread_. The young ones may be boil'd in White-Wine. The smaller sort (known by the name of _Gerckems_) muriated with the Seeds of _Dill_, and the _Mango_ Pickle are for the Winter.

21. Daisy, _Buphthalmum_, Ox-Eye, or _Bellis-major_: The young _Roots_ are frequently eaten by the _Spaniards_ and _Italians_ all the Spring till _June_.

22. Dandelion, _Dens Leonis, Condrilla_: Macerated in several Waters, to extract the bitterness; tho' somewhat opening, is very wholsome, and little inferior to _Succory, Endive_, &c. The _French_ Country-People eat the Roots; and 'twas with this homely _Sallet_, the Good-Wife _Hecate_ entertain'd _Theseus_. See _Sowthistle_.

23. Dock, _Oxylapathum_, or sharp-pointed Dock: Emollient, and tho'

otherwise not for our _Sallet_, the _Roots_ brewed in _Ale_ or _Beer_, are excellent for the _s...o...b..te_.

Earth-Nuts, _Bulbo-Castanum_; (found in divers places of _Surry_, near _Kingston_, and other parts) the Rind par'd off, are eaten crude by Rustics, with a little _Pepper_; but are best boil'd like other Roots, or in Pottage rather, and are sweet and nouris.h.i.+ng.

24. Elder, _Sambucus_; The Flowers infus'd in _Vinegar_, grateful both to the Stomach and Taste; attenuate thick and viscid Humours; and tho'

the Leaves are somewhat rank of Smell, and so not commendable in _Sallet_; they are otherwise (as indeed is the intire Shrub) of the most sovereign Vertue; and the spring Buds and tender Leaves, excellently wholsome in Pottage at that Season of the Year. See _Flowers_.

25. Endive, _Endivium, Intub.u.m Sativum_; the largest, whitest, and tenderest Leaves best boil'd, and less crude. It is naturally Cold, profitable for hot Stomachs; _Incisive_ and opening Obstructions of the Liver: The curled is more delicate, being eaten alone, or in Composition, with the usual _Intinctus_: It is also excellent being boil'd; the middle part of the Blanch'd-Stalk separated, eats firm, and the ampler Leaves by many perferr'd before _Lettuce_. See _Succory_.

Eschalot. See _Onions_.

26. Fennel, _Foeniculum_: The sweetest of _Bolognia_: Aromatick, hot, and dry; expels Wind, sharpens the Sight, and recreates the Brain; especially the tender _Umbella_ and Seed-Pods. The Stalks are to be peel'd when young, and then dress'd like _Sellery_. The tender Tufts and Leaves emerging, being minc'd, are eaten alone with _Vinegar_, or _Oyl_, and _Pepper_, and to correct the colder Materials, enter properly into Composition. The _Italians_ eat the blanch'd Stalk (which they call _Cartucci_) all Winter long. There is a very small _Green-Worm_, which sometimes lodges in the Stemm of this Plant, which is to be taken out, as the _Red_ one in that of _Sellery_.

27. Flowers, _Flores_; chiefly of the _Aromatick Esculents_ and Plants are preferrable, as generally endow'd with the Vertues of their _Simples_, in a more intense degree; and may therefore be eaten alone in their proper _Vehicles_, or Composition with other _Salleting_, sprinkl'd among them; But give a more palatable Relish, being Infus'd in _Vinegar_; Especially those of the _Clove-Gillyflower, Elder, Orange, Cowslip, Rosemary, Arch-Angel, Sage, Nasturtium Indic.u.m_, &c. Some of them are Pickl'd, and divers of them make also very pleasant and wholsome _Theas_, as do likewise the Wild _Time, Bugloss, Mint_, &c.

28. Garlick, _Allium_; dry towards Excess; and tho' both by _Spaniards_ and _Italians_, and the more Southern People, familiarly eaten, with almost every thing, and esteem'd of such sigular Vertue to help Conception, and thought a Charm against all Infection and Poyson (by which it has obtain'd the Name of the _Country-man's Theriacle_) we yet think it more proper for our Northern Rustics, especially living in _Uliginous_ and moist places, or such as use the _Sea_: Whilst we absolutely forbid it entrance into our _Salleting_, by reason of its intolerable Rankness, and which made it so detested of old; that the eating of it was (as we read) part of the Punishment for such as had committed the horrid'st Crimes. To be sure, 'tis not for Ladies Palats, nor those who court them, farther than to permit a light touch on the Dish, with a _Clove_ thereof, much better supply'd by the gentler _Roccombo_.

_Note_, That in _Spain_ they sometimes eat it boil'd, which taming its fierceness, turns it into Nourishment, or rather _Medicine_.

Ginny-Pepper, _Capsic.u.m_. See _Pepper_.

29. Goats-beard, _Trago-pogon:_ The _Root_ is excellent even in _Sallet_, and very Nutritive, exceeding profitable for the Breast, and may be stew'd and dress'd as _Scorzonera_.

30. Hops, _Lupulus_: Hot and moist, rather _Medicinal_, than fit for _Sallet_; the _Buds_ and young _Tendrels_ excepted, which may be eaten raw; but more conveniently being boil'd, and cold like _Asparagus_: They are _Diuretic_; depurate the Blood, and open Obstructions.

31. Hyssop, _Hyssopus; Thymus Capitatus Creticus; Majoran, Mary-gold_, &c. as all hot, spicy _Aromatics_, (commonly growing in _Kitchin-Gardens_) are of Faculty to Comfort, and strengthen; prevalent against Melancoly and Phlegm; Plants, like these, going under the Names of _Pot Herbs_, are much more proper for _Broths_ and _Decoctions_, than the tender _Sallet_: Yet the _Tops_ and _Flowers_ reduc'd to Powder, are by some reserv'd for Strewings, upon the colder Ingredients; communicating no ungrateful Fragrancy.

32. Jack-by-the-Hedge, _Alliaria_, or _Sauce-alone_; has many Medicinal Properties, and is eaten as other _Sallets_, especially by Country People, growing wild under their Banks and Hedges.

33. Leeks, and _Cibbols, Porrum_; hot, and of Vertue Prolifick, since _Latona_, the Mother of _Appolo_ long'd after them: The _Welch_, who eat them much, are observ'd to be very fruitful: They are also friendly to the Lungs and Stomach, being sod in Milk; a few therefore of the slender and green Summities, a little shred, do not amiss in Composition. See _Onion_.