The Hidden Recipes of Bartolomeo Sacchi
An exploration of the recipes in the first five books of De Honesta Voluptate et Valetudine
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/ppc.28640Keywords:
Bartolomeo Sacchi, De Honesta Voluptate et Valetudine, Platina, 15th century, Venice, historic recipes, culinary practices, preparations & techniques, recipe conventions, research methods, classification, catalogueAbstract
Written by Bartolomeo Sacchi, also known as Platina, De Voluptate et Valetudine was published in Venice in 1475. Divided into 10 chapters or books, the recipes appearing in the last five books have been extensively studied but the more than 160 that are spread among the the commentary on agriculture, medical and general food information in the first half of the work have received far less attention. This paper catalogues and describes these overlooked recipes and discusses some of the challenges to interpreting Renaissance recipe writing in general.
References
Arano, Luisa Cogliati, ed., The Medieval Health Handbook: Tacuinum Sanitatis, trans. O. Ratti and A. Westbrook, New York: George Braziller, Inc. 1976.
Ballerini, Luigi, ed. The Art of Cooking, trans. Jeremy Parzen, Berkeley: University of California Press, 2005.
Florio, John A World of Words, London, 1598; re-print, Hildesheim: Georg Olms Verlag, 1972.
Flower, Barbara and Elizabeth Rosenbaum, The Roman Cookery Book. London: George G. Harrap & Co. 1958.
Martino, MS, Libre de Arte Coquinaria. 1460(?) [Microfilm copy]. Special Collections: Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
Martino, MS, Libre de Arte Coquinaria. 1460(?), Urb. 1203, [Microfilm copy]. Biblioteca Apostolica Vaticana.
Milham, Mary Ella, Platina: On Right Pleasure and Good Health. Tempe, Arizona, Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies, 1998.
Riley, Gillian, ed. Maestro Martino Libre de Arte Coquinaria. Rome, CA. 1465 [CD Rom], Oakland: Octavo, 2005.
Rosselli, Giovanni de’, Opera Nova Chimata Epulario. Italy: 1518; reprint, Rome: Bimo, 1973.
Vehling, Joseph Dommers, Platina and the Rebirth of Man. Chicago: Walter M. Hill, 1941.
Vehling, Joseph Dommers, ed. and trans., Apicius. Cookery and Dining in Imperial Rome. New York: Dover Publications, 1977.
Whitman, Joan, Recipes into Type: A Handbook for Cookbook Writers and Editors. Harper Collins, 1993.
