Part 10

A Verjuice not unfit for Sallet, is made by a Grape of that Name, or the green immature Clusters of most other Grapes, press'd and put into a small Vessel to ferment.

IV. Fourthly, That the Salt (aliorum Condimentorum Condimentum, as Plutarch calls it) detersive, penetrating, quickning (and so great a resister of Putrefaction, and universal use, as to have sometimes merited Divine Epithets) be of the brightest Bay grey-Salt; moderately dried, and contus'd, as being the least Corrosive: But of this, as of Sugar also, which some mingle with the Salt (as warming without heating) if perfectly refin'd, there would be no great difficulty; provided none, save Ladies, were of the Mess; whilst the perfection of Sallets, and that which gives them the name, consists in the grateful Saline Acid-point, temper'd as is directed, and which we find to be most esteem'd by judicious Palates: Some, in the mean time, have been so nice, and luxuriously curious as for the heightning, and (as they affect to speak) giving the utmost poinant and Relevèe in lieu of our vulgar Salt, to recommend and cry-up the Essential-Salts and Spirits of the most Sanative Vegetables; or such of the Alcalizate and Fixt; extracted from the Calcination of Baulm, Rosemary, Wormwood, Scurvy-grass, &c. Affirming that without the gross Plant, we might have healing, cooling, generous, and refreshing Cordials, and all the Materia Medica out of the Salt-Cellar only: But to say no more of this Impertinence, as to Salts of Vegetables; many indeed there be, who reckon them not much unlike in Operation, however different in Taste, Crystals, and Figure: It being a question, whether they at all retain the Vertues and Faculties of their Simples, unless they could be made without Colcination. Franciscus Redi, gives us his Opinion of this, in a Process how they are to be prepar'd; and so does our Learned Doctor (whom we lately nam'd) whether Lixivial, Essential, Marine, or other factitious Salts of Plants, with their Qualities, and how they differ: But since 'tis thought all Fixed Salts made the common way, are little better than our common Salt, let it suffice, that our Sallet-Salt be of the best ordinary Bay-Salt, clean, bright, dry, and without claminess.

Of Sugar (by some call'd Indian-Salt) as it is rarely us'd in Sallet, it should be of the best refined, white, hard, close, yet light and sweet as the Madera's: Nourishing, preserving, cleansing, delighting the Taste, and preferrable to Honey for most uses. Note, That both this, Salt, and Vinegar, are to be proportion'd to the Constitution, as well as what is said of the Plants themselves. The one for cold, the other for hot stomachs.

V. That the Mustard (another noble Ingredient) be of the best Tewksberry; or else compos'd of the soundest and weightiest Yorkshire Seed, exquisitely sifted, winnow'd, and freed from the Husks, a little (not over-much) dry'd by the Fire, temper'd to the consistence of a Pap with Vinegar, in which shavings of the Horse-Radish have been steep'd: Then cutting an Onion, and putting it into a small Earthen Gally-Pot, or some thick Glass of that shape; pour the Mustard over it, and close it very well with a Cork. There be, who preserve the Flower and Dust of the bruised Seed in a well-stopp'd Glass, to temper, and have it fresh when they please. But what is yet by some esteem'd beyond all these, is compos'd of the dried Seeds of the Indian Nasturtium, reduc'd to Powder, finely bolted, and mixt with a little Levain, and so from time to time made fresh, as indeed all other Mustard should be.

Note, That the Seeds are pounded in a Mortar; or bruis'd with a polish'd Cannon-Bullet, in a large wooden Bowl-Dish, or which is most preferr'd, ground in a Quern contriv'd for this purpose only.

VI. Sixthly, That the Pepper (white or black) be not bruis'd to too small a Dust; which, as we caution'd, is very prejudicial. And here let me mention the Root of the Minor Pimpinella, or small Burnet Saxifrage; which being dried, is by some extoll'd beyond all other Peppers, and more wholsom.

Of other Strewings and Aromatizers, which may likewise be admitted to inrich our Sallet, we have already spoken, where we mention Orange and Limon-peel; to which may also be added, Jamaica-Pepper, Juniper-berries, &c. as of singular Vertue.

Nor here should I omit (the mentioning at least of) Saffron, which the German Housewives have a way of forming into Balls, by mingling it with a little Honey; which throughly dried, they reduce to Powder, and sprinkle it over their Sallets for a noble Cordial. Those of Spain and Italy, we know, generally make use of this Flower, mingling its golden Tincture with almost every thing they eat; But its being so apt to prevail above every thing with which 'tis blended, we little incourage its admittance into our Sallet.

VII. Seventhly, That there be the Yolks of fresh and new-laid Eggs, boil'd moderately hard, to be mingl'd and mash'd with the Mustard, Oyl, and Vinegar; and part to cut into quarters, and eat with the Herbs.

VIII. Eighthly, (according to the super-curious) that the Knife, with which the Sallet Herbs are cut (especially Oranges, Limons, &c.) be of Silver, and by no means of Steel, which all Acids are apt to corrode, and retain a Metalic relish of.

IX. Ninthly and Lastly, That the Saladiere, (Sallet-Dishes) be of Porcelane, or of the Holland-Delft-Ware; neither too deep nor shallow, according to the quantity of the Sallet Ingredients; Pewter, or even Silver, not at all so well agreeing with Oyl and Vinegar, which leave their several Tinctures. And note, That there ought to be one of the Dishes, in which to beat and mingle the Liquid Vehicles; and a second to receive the crude Herbs in, upon which they are to be pour'd; and then with a Fork and a Spoon kept continually stirr'd, 'till all the Furniture be equally moisten'd: Some, who are husbands of their Oyl, pour at first the Oyl alone, as more apt to communicate and diffuse its Slipperiness, than when it is mingled and beaten with the Acids; which they pour on last of all; and 'tis incredible how small a quantity of Oyl (in this quality, like the gilding of Wyer) is sufficient, to imbue a very plentiful assembly of Sallet-Herbs.

The Sallet-Gatherer likewise should be provided with a light, and neatly made Withy-Dutch-Basket, divided into several Partitions.

Thus instructed and knowing in the Apparatus; the Species, Proportions, and manner of Dressing, according to the several Seasons you have in the following Table.

It being one of the Inquiries of the Noble Mr. Boyle, what Herbs were proper and fit to make Sallets with, and how best to order them? we have here (by the Assistance of Mr. London, His Majesty's Principal Gard'ner) reduc'd them to a competent Number, not exceeding Thirty Five; but which may be vary'd and inlarg'd, by taking in, or leaving out, any other Sallet-Plant, mention'd in the foregoing List, under these three or four Heads.

But all these sorts are not to be had at the very same time, and therefore we have divided them into the Quarterly Seasons, each containing and lasting Three Months.

Note, That by Parts is to be understood a Pugil; which is no more than one does usually take up between the Thumb and the two next Fingers. By Fascicule a reasonable full Grip, or Handful.

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========================================================================= Species. Ordering and Culture. ========================================================================= / 1. Endive, Tied-up to Blanch. | 2. Cichory, \ | 3. Sellery, | Earth'd-up IX. | 4. Sweet-Fennel, | Blanch'd | 5. Rampions, / | | 6. Roman \ \ Tied-up to Blanch. | 7. Cosse | Lettuce, | | 8. Silesian | | Tied close up. \ 9. Cabbage / / Pome and Blanch of themselves.

/ 10. Lob-Lettuce, \ | 11. Corn-Sallet, | Leaves, all of a midling size. | 12. Purslane, / | XXVI. | 13. Cresses broad, \ Seed-Leaves, | 14. Spinach, curled, / and the next to them. | Green | 15. Sorrel, French, \ The fine young Leaves only, Unblanch'd | 16. Sorrel, Greenland, / with the first Shoots. | | 17. Radish, Only the tender young Leaves. | 18. Cresses, The Seed-Leaves, and those | only next them. | 19. Turnip, \ | 20. Mustard, | The Seed-Leaves only. | 21. Scurvy-grass, / | | 22. Chervil, \ The young Leaves | 23. Burnet, | immediately after | 24. Rocket, Spanish, | the Seedlings. | 25. Persly, / | | 26. Tarragon, \ The tender Shoots | 27. Mints, / and Tops. | | 28. Sampier, \ | 29. Balm, | The young tender | 30. Sage, Red, / Leaves and Shoots. | | 31. Shalots, \ | 32. Cives and Onion, / The tender young leaves. | | 33. Nasturtium, Indian The Flowers and Bud-Flowers. | | 34. Rampion, Belgrade \ The Seed-Leaves \ 35. Trip-Madame, / and young Tops. =========================================================================

========================================================================= 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-grass, | 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.