Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome

VESSEL MUST BE PITCHED AND SEALED WITH PLASTER, AND MUST BE KEPT IN A COOL PLACE TO WHICH THE SUN HAS NO ACCESS. TREATED IN THIS MANNER, THE GRAPES WILL BE FRESH WHENEVER YOU NEED THEM. YOU CAN ALSO SERVE THIS WATER AS HONEY MEAD TO THE SICK. ALSO, IF YOU COVER THE GRAPES WITH BARLEY [bran] YOU WILL FIND THEM SOUND AND UNINJURED. V. We keep grapes in cork shavings, bran and saw dust. [20] TO KEEP POMEGRANATES _UT MALA GRANATA DIU DURENT_ [1] STEEP THEM INTO HOT [sea] WATER, TAKE THEM OUT IMMEDIATELY AND HANG THEM UP. [Tor.] THEY WILL KEEP. [1] Tor. _conditura malorum Punicorum_; Tac. _mala granata_; G.-V. _mala et mala granata_. [21] TO KEEP QUINCES _UT MALA CYDONIA DIU SERVENTUR_ PICK OUT PERFECT QUINCES WITH STEMS [1] AND LEAVES. PLACE THEM IN A VESSEL, POUR OVER HONEY AND DEFRUTUM [2] AND YOU'LL PRESERVE THEM FOR A LONG TIME [3]. [1] V. Excellent idea, for the stems, if removed, would leave a wound in the fruit for the air to penetrate and to start fermentation. Cf. also the next formula. [2] G.-V. _defritum_, from _defervitum_; _defrutum_ is new wine, spiced, boiled down to one half of its volume. [3] This precept would not keep the fruit very long unless protected by a closefitting cover and sterilization. Cf. No. 24. [22] TO PRESERVE FRESH FIGS, APPLES, PLUMS, PEARS AND CHERRIES _FICUM RECENTEM, MALA, PRUNA, PIRA, CERASIA UT DIU SERVES_ SELECT THEM ALL VERY CAREFULLY WITH THE STEMS ON [1] AND PLACE THEM IN HONEY SO THEY DO NOT TOUCH EACH OTHER. [1] See the preceding formula. [23] TO KEEP CITRON _CITRIA UT DIU DURENT_ [1] PLACE THEM IN A GLASS [2] VESSEL WHICH IS SEALED WITH PLASTER AND SUSPENDED. [1] Tor. _conditura malorum Medicorum quæ et citria dicuntur_. V. Not quite identified. Fruit coming from Asia Minor, Media or Persia, one of the many varieties of citrus fruit. Probably citron because of their size. Goll. Lemon-apples; Dann. lemons (oranges). List. _Scilicet mala, quæ Dioscorides Persica quoque & Medica, & citromala, Plinius item Assyria appellari dicit_. [2] G.-V.