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hrj(For previous posts in this series, see items tagged with 'messisbugo'.)
The boundaries between the 3rd through 5th courses are necessarily somewhat fuzzier, given that 3 of the menus only have 3 courses and only one has the full 5 numbered courses. But if we take the contents of the menus with more numbered courses as defining the cut-offs, then the template for the Third Course is what remains.
But even this approach leaves some very sloppy edges. The 1548 menu (as mentioned previously) includes in the Second Course two oyster dishes that the majority rule would properly place in the Third and Fifth Courses. And then the 1524 and 1540 menus seem to have a reprise of the non-fowl parts of the Second Course as part of the Third Course. (The 1524 menu, which had the extra fish dishes in the Second Course also reprises these in the Third Course.) The 1524 menu also has placed several fruit dishes in the Fourth Course that the other menus all place in the Third. So this chapter will analyze what appears to be the common template for the Third Course even when specific dishes in specific menus are listed elsewhere. The “reprise of the Second Course” dishes are going to be treated separately as a sort of “Course 2b” as the majority rule identifies them as excluded from the standard Third Course template.
The 1548 menu gives us a clue to the basic theme of the Third Course when it explicitly labels it “Fruits and Others”. Overall, the dishes here are somewhat lighter and have almost no focus on meat (with the sole exception of the oyster dishes). In contrast to the Second Course, we again see a clear set of common dishes across all or most of the menus.
Second Course Reprise
Roast Suckling Quadruped (2 menus)
The 1524 menu, which had stuffed lamb and kid breast in the Second Course, reprises it with whole stuffed roast kid. The 1540 menu, which had whole stuffed roast kid in the Second Course, reprises it with roast suckling pig.
Roast (Veal) Loin (2 menus)
These might better be considered “displaced” dishes, as the 1524 and 1540 menus were the only two that had no roast loin dish in the Second Course.
Sauce (2 menus)
Mustard is listed separately in the 1540 menu while Peacock Sauce has its own line item in the 1524 menu but follows the listing for roast peacock (see below).
Other Dishes (1 menu)
The 1524 menu, which has been noted previously as the most extensive and elaborate, also includes roast peacock (with the aforementioned peacock sauce), hare in black broth, and three fish dishes: small fishes, stuffed lobsters, and fish gelatin. These “reprise” dishes constitute all but one of the items listed for the Third Course in the 1524 menu, so in terms of conceptual structure it really is more of a duplicate Second Course. That is, this menu has five numbered courses, not because it adds an extra at the end, but because it duplicates one in the middle.
The True Third Course
Fruits
Olives (6 of 6 menus)
Fresh grapes (5 of 6 menus)
Note that the 6th menu is the one where grapes were put on the table in the First Course and explicitly noted to be left on the table for the rest of the meal. So we can count grapes as being present for this course in 6 of 6 menus.
Guaste pears (5 of 6 menus)
Two types of pears are listed: Guaste and Caroele. I don’t know the difference. In 3 menus, these are cooked into pies or pastries.
Caroelle pears (2 of 6 menus)
These are listed simply, in one case accompanied by “paradise apples”. All of the menus have at least one pear dish.
Apples (1 of 6 menus)
Little apple tarts
Oyster Dishes
5 of 6 menus have some sort of oyster dish. Interestingly, the exception is the 1524 menu which is the only one with non-oyster seafood dishes. I’m sure there’s some sort of story behind this.
Oyster Pies/Pastries (4 of 6 menus)
Fried Oysters (2 of 6 menus)
In both cases, a sauces is also mentioned.
Other
A Decorative Dish (3 of 6 menus)
These are grouped, not by material, but because the dish is clearly intended as a visual decoration. One is custard-filled pastry in the shape of a fleur-de-lys. One is described as “various arms, German-style, fried with sugar”. And one is an Italian jelly with a mantle and laurel leaves.
Jellies (1 of 6 menus)
In addition to the above decorative jelly, there is a “French jelly”.
Pastry (2 of 6 menus)
Pastries of wafer dough and “guanti” which are hand-shaped fried pastries.
Marzipan (2 of 6 menus)
In one case listed only as “marzipan pastries”, in the other a detailed description “tegole of beans of faux royal pastry, fried, filled with marzipan” which would be baffling except that it is included in the detailed recipes and is apparently little marzipan “beans” enclosed in a fried pastry “pod”.
Misc. (1 of 6 menus)
Three of the remaining dishes occur in the same menu: pistachios and pine nuts, butter pats stamped with armorial designs, and “tall farate(?) without skin on them” whatever that might be. Another menu has "Fennel and other fruits in vinegar"
Summary
So if I were going to design a basic Third Course template, it would be something like this:
The full listings are complicated here by my attempt to show not only the dishes listed in the Third Course, but also to indicate dishes listed elsewhere that fall under this template, and to indicate which items listed as Third Course seem to belong under other templates. Because of this, there are a couple places where I’ve moved one of the dishes from the original order given, in order indicate these groupings.
15?0 (order altered slightly for thematic groupings)
1524
Course 2b
1536
1537
1540 (order altered slightly for thematic groupings)
Course 2b
1548
Listed in the Second Course, but belonging thematically here
The boundaries between the 3rd through 5th courses are necessarily somewhat fuzzier, given that 3 of the menus only have 3 courses and only one has the full 5 numbered courses. But if we take the contents of the menus with more numbered courses as defining the cut-offs, then the template for the Third Course is what remains.
But even this approach leaves some very sloppy edges. The 1548 menu (as mentioned previously) includes in the Second Course two oyster dishes that the majority rule would properly place in the Third and Fifth Courses. And then the 1524 and 1540 menus seem to have a reprise of the non-fowl parts of the Second Course as part of the Third Course. (The 1524 menu, which had the extra fish dishes in the Second Course also reprises these in the Third Course.) The 1524 menu also has placed several fruit dishes in the Fourth Course that the other menus all place in the Third. So this chapter will analyze what appears to be the common template for the Third Course even when specific dishes in specific menus are listed elsewhere. The “reprise of the Second Course” dishes are going to be treated separately as a sort of “Course 2b” as the majority rule identifies them as excluded from the standard Third Course template.
The 1548 menu gives us a clue to the basic theme of the Third Course when it explicitly labels it “Fruits and Others”. Overall, the dishes here are somewhat lighter and have almost no focus on meat (with the sole exception of the oyster dishes). In contrast to the Second Course, we again see a clear set of common dishes across all or most of the menus.
Second Course Reprise
Roast Suckling Quadruped (2 menus)
The 1524 menu, which had stuffed lamb and kid breast in the Second Course, reprises it with whole stuffed roast kid. The 1540 menu, which had whole stuffed roast kid in the Second Course, reprises it with roast suckling pig.
Roast (Veal) Loin (2 menus)
These might better be considered “displaced” dishes, as the 1524 and 1540 menus were the only two that had no roast loin dish in the Second Course.
Sauce (2 menus)
Mustard is listed separately in the 1540 menu while Peacock Sauce has its own line item in the 1524 menu but follows the listing for roast peacock (see below).
Other Dishes (1 menu)
The 1524 menu, which has been noted previously as the most extensive and elaborate, also includes roast peacock (with the aforementioned peacock sauce), hare in black broth, and three fish dishes: small fishes, stuffed lobsters, and fish gelatin. These “reprise” dishes constitute all but one of the items listed for the Third Course in the 1524 menu, so in terms of conceptual structure it really is more of a duplicate Second Course. That is, this menu has five numbered courses, not because it adds an extra at the end, but because it duplicates one in the middle.
The True Third Course
Fruits
Olives (6 of 6 menus)
Fresh grapes (5 of 6 menus)
Note that the 6th menu is the one where grapes were put on the table in the First Course and explicitly noted to be left on the table for the rest of the meal. So we can count grapes as being present for this course in 6 of 6 menus.
Guaste pears (5 of 6 menus)
Two types of pears are listed: Guaste and Caroele. I don’t know the difference. In 3 menus, these are cooked into pies or pastries.
Caroelle pears (2 of 6 menus)
These are listed simply, in one case accompanied by “paradise apples”. All of the menus have at least one pear dish.
Apples (1 of 6 menus)
Little apple tarts
Oyster Dishes
5 of 6 menus have some sort of oyster dish. Interestingly, the exception is the 1524 menu which is the only one with non-oyster seafood dishes. I’m sure there’s some sort of story behind this.
Oyster Pies/Pastries (4 of 6 menus)
Fried Oysters (2 of 6 menus)
In both cases, a sauces is also mentioned.
Other
A Decorative Dish (3 of 6 menus)
These are grouped, not by material, but because the dish is clearly intended as a visual decoration. One is custard-filled pastry in the shape of a fleur-de-lys. One is described as “various arms, German-style, fried with sugar”. And one is an Italian jelly with a mantle and laurel leaves.
Jellies (1 of 6 menus)
In addition to the above decorative jelly, there is a “French jelly”.
Pastry (2 of 6 menus)
Pastries of wafer dough and “guanti” which are hand-shaped fried pastries.
Marzipan (2 of 6 menus)
In one case listed only as “marzipan pastries”, in the other a detailed description “tegole of beans of faux royal pastry, fried, filled with marzipan” which would be baffling except that it is included in the detailed recipes and is apparently little marzipan “beans” enclosed in a fried pastry “pod”.
Misc. (1 of 6 menus)
Three of the remaining dishes occur in the same menu: pistachios and pine nuts, butter pats stamped with armorial designs, and “tall farate(?) without skin on them” whatever that might be. Another menu has "Fennel and other fruits in vinegar"
Summary
So if I were going to design a basic Third Course template, it would be something like this:
- Olives
- Grapes
- Pears in pastry
- An oyster pastry or fried oysters
- A visually decorative dish, either of pastry or jelly
The full listings are complicated here by my attempt to show not only the dishes listed in the Third Course, but also to indicate dishes listed elsewhere that fall under this template, and to indicate which items listed as Third Course seem to belong under other templates. Because of this, there are a couple places where I’ve moved one of the dishes from the original order given, in order indicate these groupings.
15?0 (order altered slightly for thematic groupings)
- Olives, 10 plates.
- Fresh grapes, 10 plates.
- Caroele pears and paradise apples, 10 plates.
- 10 large oyster pies in 10 plates.
- 200 fried oysters, covered in cameline sauce, in 10 plates.
- Cheese, 10 plates.
- Butter vermicelli with rose water and sugar, with fine sugar on top in 10 plates.
- Clotted cream [lattemele], 20 plates.
- Clouds and wafers, 20 plates.
1524
Course 2b
- 20 suckling kids stuffed and roasted, in 20 little plates.
- 20 loins in cavezzi in 20 little plates.
- 20 spit-roasted peacocks in 20 little plates.
- Hare in black broth in 20 little plates.
- Small fishes, 20 little plates.
- Stuffed lobsters, 20 little plates.
- Fish gelatin, 20 little plates.
- Peacock sauce, 20 little plates.
- Olives, 20 little plates.
- 20 little apple tarts in 20 little plates.
- Marzipan pastries, 20 little plates.
- Guaste pears and apples in large pies, 20 little plates.
- 100 caroelle pears in 20 little plates.
1536
- 10 tall farate [?] without skin on them, with fine sugar, in 10 plates.
- 40 oyster pasties in 10 plates.
- 90 pasties of wafer dough in 10 plates.
- Fresh grapes, 10 plates.
- Olives, 10 plates.
- Peeled pistachios and pine nuts, 10 plates.
- Guaste pears in 10 plates.
- Washed butter stamped with various arms, with candied cinnamon on top, 10 plates.
1537
- 350 fried oysters, covered in strong sauce on 14 plates.
- French jelly in 14 plates.
- 14 large fleur-de-lys in 14 plates. (That is, a fleur-de-lys shaped pastry filled with custard)
- 14 large pastries filled with guaste pears in 14 plates.
- 140 tegole [lit. “tiles”] of beans of faux royal pastry, fried, filled with marzipan in 14 plates.
- Guanti in 14 plates. (a fried pastry shaped like a hand or glove)
- Fresh grapes, 14 plates.
- Olives, 14 plates.
1540 (order altered slightly for thematic groupings)
Course 2b
- 12 suckling pigs, roasted, in 12 little plates.
- 12 veal loins cavezzi in 12 little plates.
- Mustard in 12 little plates.
- Large pies of currants and guaste pears in 12 little plates.
- Various arms, German-style, fried with sugar, in 12 little plates.
- 12 large oyster pastries in 12 little plates.
- Olives in 12 little plates.
- Fresh grapes in little plates.
1548
Listed in the Second Course, but belonging thematically here
- 7 large oyster pies in 7 plates.
- Italian jelly with a mantle and laurel leaves, 7 plates.
- Olives, 7 plates.
- Fresh grapes, 7 plates.
- Guaste pears with candied aniseseed on 7 plates.
- Fennel and other fruits in vinegar, 7 plates.
- Faux junket with sugar, almonds, and rosewater in place of clotted cream, 7 plates.
- Small and large wafers, 140 in 7 plates.
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