Part 6

Burnet, See Pimpinella.

10. Buds, Gemmæ, 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, Brassica (and its several kinds) Pompey's beloved Dish, so highly celebrated by old 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 crass 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 Cymæ, 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 Costé, 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 Athenæus 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 Brassicam. 'Tis scarce an hundred Years since we first had Cabbages out of Holland. Sir Anth. Ashley of Wiburg St. Giles in Dorsetshire, 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 nourishing; let them be rais'd in Ground naturally rich, but not too heavy.

14. Chervile, Chærophyllum, Myrrhis; The sweet aromatick Spanish Chervile, moderately hot and dry: The tender Cimæ, 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, Schoenopræsson.

15. Clary, Horminum, when tender not to be rejected, and in Omlets, made up with Cream, fried in sweet Butter, 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 refreshing: 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 Scorbute. 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. Hybernicum 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. Cucumber, Cucumis; tho' very cold and moist, the most approved Sallet alone, or in Composition, of all the Vinaigrets, to sharpen the Appetite, and cool the Liver, &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 boil'd the Cucumber, 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 refreshing, and may be mingl'd in most Sallets, without the least damage, contrary to the common Opinion; it not being long, since Cucumber, 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 Cucumber 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 Scorbute.

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 nourishing.

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, Intubum 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 Indicum, &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, Capsicum. 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.