Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome

Varianian variety; Bas. _Phariam_. V. inclined to agree with Sch. and Bas. [98] ANOTHER WAY _ALITER BETAS ELIXAS_ COOK THE BEETS WITH MUSTARD [seed] AND SERVE THEM WELL PICKLED IN A LITTLE OIL AND VINEGAR. V. Add bay leaves, cloves, pepper grains, sliced onion and a little sugar, and you have our modern pickled beets. XII [99] GREEN VEGETABLES, POT HERBS _OLISERA_ [1] [The greens] TIED IN HANDY BUNDLES, COOKED AND SERVED WITH PURE OIL; ALSO PROPER WITH FRIED FISH. [1] Tac. _Olisera_; Tor. _Olifera_ (_sev mauis olyra_) Tor. is mistaken. Hum., List. _Olisatra_; (old Ms. note in our Hum. copy: "_Alessandrina uulgò_") from _olusatrum_--_olus_--pot herbs, cabbage, turnips. G.-V. _Holisera_, from _holus_, i.e. _olus_ and from _olitor_ one who raises pot herbs. XIII [100] TURNIPS OR NAVEWS _RAPAS SIVE NAPOS_ [Turnips are] COOKED [soft, the water is] SQUEEZED [out; then] CRUSH A GOOD AMOUNT OF CUMIN AND A LITTLE RUE, ADD PARTHICAN [1] LASER OR [2] VINEGAR, STOCK, CONDENSED WINE AND OIL [3] HEAT MODERATELY AND SERVE. [1] i.e. Persian laser; List. _laser, Parthicum_; (the comma makes a difference!) Sch. _particum_--a part. [2] Tac., Tor. _vel acetum_; List. G.-V. _mel, acetum_. Another comma; and "honey" instead of "or." V. We doubt this: the vinegar is an alternative, for it takes the place of the more expensive Persian _laser_ (which was an essence of the _laser_ root, often diluted with vinegar). [3] List., G.-V. _oleum modice_: _fervere_; Tor. _& oleum, quæ modice fervere facias_. Again note Lister's punctuation here and in the foregoing notes. The misplaced commas and colons raise havoc with the formulæ everywhere. Torinus, who in his preface complains that his authority has no punctuation whatsoever and thereby indicates that it must have been a very ancient copy, (at least prior to the 1503 Tac. ed.) is generally not far from the mark. It is also doubtful that the variants are by him, as is claimed by List. In this instance, indeed, Tor. is again correct. [101] ANOTHER WAY [1] _ALITER RAPAS SIVE NAPOS_ [The turnips are] BOILED, SERVED DRESSED WITH OIL, TO WHICH, IF DESIRED, YOU MAY ADD