Acetaria: A Discourse of Sallets Part 7

========================================================================= Month. _January_, _February_, and _March_.

========================================================================= Ordering and Species. Proportion.

Culture.

/ _Rampions_, / 10 Blanch'd | _Endive_, | 2 | as before | _Succory_, | 5 | Roots in Number.

| _Fennel_, Sweet. | 10 | _Sellery_, 4 /

/ _Lamb-Lettuce_, | _Lob-Lettuce_, / A pugil of each.

| | _Radish_, | _Cresses_, / Three parts each.

| | _Turneps_, | _Mustard_, Seedlings, / Of each One part.

| _Scurvy-gra.s.s_, | _Spinach_, Two parts.

| _Sorrel_, Greenland, Green and | _Sorrel_, French | Unblanch'd | _Chervil_, sweet, | One part of each.

| _Burnet_, | | _Rocket_, / | Twenty large Leaves.

| _Tarragon_, | _Balm_, | _Mint_, / One small part of each.

| _Sampier_, | _Shalots_, | _Cives_, / Very few | | _Cabbage_, Winter. Two pugils or small handfuls.

========================================================================= Month. _April_, _May_, and _June_.

========================================================================= Ordering and Species. Proportion.

Culture.

/ _Lop_, Blanch'd | _Silesan_, Winter, | Lettuce. | Of each a pugil.

_Roman_, Winter, / /

/ _Radishes_, Three parts.

Green Herbs | _Cresses_, Two parts.

Unblanch'd. | _Purselan_, 1 Fasciat, | or pretty full gripe | _Sorrel_, French, Two parts.

Note, _That | _Sampier_, One part.

the young | _Onions_, young. Six parts.

Seedling | _Sage_-tops,_ the Red, Two parts.

Leaves of | Orange and | _Persley_, Lemon may | _Cresses_, the Indian, | all these | _Lettuce_, Belgrade, | Of each One part.

months be | _Trip-Madame_, | mingled with | _Chervil_, sweet / the Sallet._ | _Burnet_, Two parts.

========================================================================= Month. _July_, _August_, and _September_.

========================================================================= Ordering and Species. Proportion.

Culture.

Blanch'd, / Silesian _Lettuce_, One whole _Lettuce_.

_and may be | eaten by | Roman _Lettuce_, Two parts.

themselves | _Cress_, / with some_ | Nasturtium- _Cabbage_, Four parts.

_flowers_.

/ _Cresses_, | _Nasturtium_, / Two parts.

| | _Purslane_, | _Lop-Lettuce_, / One part.

| Green Herbs | Belgrade, _or_ _by | Crumpen-_Lettuce_. / Two parts.

themselves | or mingl'd | _Tarragon_, One part.

with the_ | Blanch'd. | _Sorrel_, French | _Burnet_, / Two parts of each.

| _Trip-Madame_, One part.

========================================================================= Month. _October_, _November_, and _December_.

========================================================================= Ordering and Species. Proportion.

Culture.

/ _Endive. Two if large, four | _Sellery_, | if small, Stalk and | | part of the Root and | / tenderest Leaves.

| Blanch'd | _Lop-Lettuce_, | _Lambs-Lettuce_, / An handful of each.

| | _Radish_, Three parts.

_Cresses_, Two parts.

/ _Turneps_, | _Mustard_ Seedlings, / One part of each.

Green | | _Cresses_, broad, _Spinach_, / Two parts of each.

_Farther Directions concerning the proper_ Seasons _for the_ Gathering, Composing, _and_ Dressing _of a_ Sallet.

And _First_, as to the _Season_ both _Plants_ and _Roots_ are then properly to be _Gather'd_, and in prime, when most they abound with Juice and in Vigour: Some in the _Spring_, or a little antic.i.p.ating it before they Blossom, or are in full Flower: Some in the _Autumnal_ Months; which later Season many prefer, the Sap of the Herb, tho' not in such exuberance, yet as being then better concocted, and so render'd fit for _Salleting_, 'till the Spring begins a fresh to put forth new, and tender Shoots and Leaves.

This, indeed, as to the _Root_, newly taken out of the Ground is true; and therefore should such have their _Germination_ stopt the sooner: The approaching and prevailing Cold, both Maturing and Impregnating them; as does Heat the contrary, which now would but exhaust them: But for those other _Esculents_ and Herbs imploy'd in our _Composition_ of _Sallets_, the early _Spring_, and ensuing Months (till they begin to mount, and prepare to _Seed_) is certainly the most natural, and kindly Season to collect and accommodate them for the Table. Let none then consult _Culpeper_, or the _Figure-flingers_, to inform them when the governing _Planet_ is in its _Exaltation_; but look upon the _Plants_ themselves, and judge of their Vertues by their own Complexions.

Moreover, in _Gathering_, Respect is to be had to their Proportions, as provided for in the _Table_ under that Head, be the Quality whatsoever: For tho' there is indeed nothing more wholsome than _Lettuce_ and _Mustard_ for the _Head_ and _Eyes_; yet either of them eaten in excess, were highly prejudicial to them both: Too much of the _first_ extreamly debilitating and weakning the _Ventricle_, and hastning the further decay of sickly _Teeth_; and of the _second_ the _Optic Nerves_, and _Sight_ it self; the like may be said of all the rest. I conceive therefore, a Prudent Person, well acquainted with the Nature and Properties of _Sallet-Herbs_, &c. to be both the fittest _Gatherer_ and _Composer_ too; which yet will require no great Cunning, after once he is acquainted with our _Table_ and _Catalogue_.

We purposely, and _in transitu_ only, take notice here of the Pickl'd, _Muriated_, or otherwise prepared Herbs; excepting some such Plants, and Proportions of them, as are of hard digestion, and not fit to be eaten altogether _Crude_, (of which in the _Appendix_) and among which I reckon _Ash-keys_, _Broom-buds_ and _Pods_, _Haricos_, _Gurkems_, _Olives_, _Capers_, the Buds and Seeds of _Nasturtia_, _Young Wall-nuts_, _Pine-apples_, _Eringo_, _Cherries_, _Cornelians_, _Berberries_, _&c._ together with several Stalks, Roots, and Fruits; Ordinary Pot-herbs, _Anis_, _Cistus Hortorum_, _Horminum_, _Pulegium_, _Satureia_, _Thyme_; the intire Family of Pulse and _Legumena_; or other _Sauces_, _Pies_, _Tarts_, _Omlets_, _Tansie_, _Farces_, &c. _Condites_ and Preserves with _Sugar_ by the Hand of Ladies; tho' they are all of them the genuine Production of the _Garden_, and mention'd in our _Kalendar_, together with their Culture; whilst we confine our selves to such Plants and _Esculenta_ as we find at hand; delight our selves to gather, and are easily prepar'd for an _Extemporary Collation_, or to Usher in, and Accompany other (more Solid, tho' haply not more Agreeable) Dishes, as the Custom is.

But there now starts up a Question, Whether it were better, or more proper, to _Begin_ with _Sallets_, or End and Conclude with them? Some think the harder Meats should first be eaten for better Concoction; others, those of easiest Digestion, to make way, and prevent Obstruction; and this makes for our _Sallets_, _Horarii_, and _Fugaces Fructus_ (as they call 'em) to be eaten first of all, as agreeable to the general Opinion of the great _Hippocrates_, and _Galen_, and of _Celsus_ before him. And therefore the _French_ do well, to begin with their _Herbaceous Pottage_, and for the _Cruder_, a Reason is given:

[60]_Prima tibi dabitur Ventri_ Lactuca _movendo_ _Utilis, & Poris fila refecta suis_.

And tho' this Custom came in about Domitian's time[61], [Greek: ho m arkaioi], they anciently did quite the contrary,

[62]_Grataque n.o.bilium Lactuca ciborum_.

But of later Times, they were constant at the _Ante-coenia_, eating plentifully of _Sallet_, especially of _Lettuce_, and more refrigerating Herbs. Nor without Cause: For drinking liberally they were found to expell, and allay the Fumes and Vapors of the _genial Compotation_, the spirituous Liquor gently conciliating Sleep: Besides, that being of a crude nature, more dispos'd, and apt to fluctuate, corrupt, and disturb a surcharg'd Stomach; they thought convenient to begin with _Sallets_, and innovate the ancient Usage.

[63]----_Nam Lactuca innatat acri_ _Post Vinum Stomacho_----

For if on drinking Wine you Lettuce eat, It floats upon the Stomach----

The _Spaniards_, notwithstanding, eat but sparingly of Herbs at Dinner, especially _Lettuce_, beginning with _Fruit_, even before the _Olio_ and Hot-Meats come to the Table; drinking their Wine pure, and eating the best Bread in the World; so as it seems the Question still remains undecided with them,

[64]_Claudere quae coenas_ Lactuca _solebat avorum_ _Dic mihi cur nostras inchoat illa dapes?_

The _Sallet_, which of old came in at last, Why now with it begin we our Repast?