Part 11

========================================================================= 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.

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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 anticipating 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:

Prima tibi dabitur Ventri Lactuca movendo Utilis, & Poris fila refecta suis.

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

Gratáque nobilium 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.

----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,

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?

And now since we mention'd Fruit, there rises another Scruple: Whether Apples, Pears, Abricots, Cherries, Plums, and other Tree, and Ort-yard-Fruit, are to be reckon'd among Salleting; and when likewise most seasonably to be eaten? But as none of these do properly belong to our Catalogue of Herbs and Plants, to which this Discourse is confin'd (bessides what we may occasionally speak of hereafter) there is a very useful Treatise on that Subject already publish'd. We hasten then in the next place to the Dressing, and Composing of our Sallet: For by this time, our Scholar may long to see the Rules reduc'd to Practice, and Refresh himself with what he finds growing among his own Lactuceta and other Beds of the Kitchin-Garden.

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DRESSING

I am not ambitious of being thought an excellent Cook, or of those who set up, and value themselves, for their skill in Sauces; such as was Mithacus a Culinary Philosopher, and other Eruditæ Gulæ; who read Lectures of Hautgouts, like the Archestratus in Athenæus: Tho' after what we find the Heroes did of old, and see them chining out the slaughter'd Ox, dressing the Meat, and do the Offices of both Cook and Butcher, (for so Homer represents Achilles himself, and the rest of those Illustrious Greeks) I say, after this, let none reproach our Sallet-Dresser, or disdain so clean, innocent, sweet, and Natural a Quality; compar'd with the Shambles Filth and Nidor, Blood and Cruelty; whilst all the World were Eaters, and Composers of Sallets in its best and brightest Age.

The Ingredients therefore gather'd and proportion'd, as above; Let the Endive have all its out-side Leaves stripped off, slicing in the White: In like manner the Sellery is also to have the hollow green Stem or Stalk trimm'd and divided; slicing-in the blanched Part, and cutting the Root into four equal Parts.

Lettuce, Gresses, Radish, &c. (as was directed) must be exquisitely pick'd, cleans'd, wash'd, and put into the Strainer; swing'd, and shaken gently, and, if you please, separately, or all together; Because some like not so well the Blanch'd and Bitter Herbs, if eaten with the rest: Others mingle Endive, Succory, and Rampions, without distinction, and generally eat Sellery by it self, as also Sweet Fennel.

From April till September (and during all the Hot Months) may Guinny-Pepper, and Horse-Radish be left out; and therefore we only mention them in the Dressing, which should be in this manner.

Your Herbs being handsomely parcell'd, and spread on a clean Napkin before you, are to be mingl'd together in one of the Earthen glaz'd Dishes: Then, for the Oxoleon; Take of clear, and perfectly good Oyl-Olive, three Parts; of sharpest Vinegar (sweetest of all Condiments) Limon, or Juice of Orange, one Part; and therein let steep some Slices of Horse-Radish, with a little Salt; Some in a separate Vinegar, gently bruise a Pod of Guinny-Pepper, straining both the Vinegars apart, to make Use of Either, or One alone, or of both, as they best like; then add as much Tewkesbury, or other dry Mustard grated, as will lie upon an Half-Crown Piece: Beat, and mingle all these very well together; but pour not on the Oyl and Vinegar, 'till immediately before the Sallet is ready to be eaten: And then with the Yolk of two new-laid Eggs (boyl'd and prepar'd, as before is taught) squash, and bruise them all into mash with a Spoon; and lastly, pour it all upon the Herbs, stirring, and mingling them 'till they are well and throughly imbib'd; not forgetting the Sprinklings of Aromaticks, and such Flowers, as we have already mentioned, if you think fit, and garnishing the Dish with the thin Slices of Horse-Radish, Red Beet, Berberries, &c.

Note, That the Liquids may be made more, or less Acid, as is most agreeable to your Taste.