Book of Days Tales

On this date in 1602 the Bodleian Library, Oxford University’s main library, opened for use.  It has been in continuous service ever since, growing considerably over the years (now holding an estimated 11 million books). The first purpose-built library known to have existed in Oxford was founded in the 14^th century by Thomas Cobham, bishop of Worcester. This small collection of chained books was situated on the north side of the university church of St Mary the Virgin on the High Street. The collection continued to grow steadily, but when, between 1435 and 1437 Humphrey, duke of Gloucester (brother of Henry V), donated a great collection of manuscripts, the space was deemed insufficient, and a larger building was required. A suitable room was finally built above the Divinity School, and completed in 1488. This room continues to be known as Duke Humphrey’s Library, and now serves as the Bodleian’s repository of rare books and manuscripts. It is a gorgeous space to work in and I have spent countless hours there. (Bits of Harry Potter movies have been filmed inside – to the great annoyance of patrons).

The late 16^th century saw the library go through a period of decline (to the extent that the library’s furniture was sold, and only three of the original books belonging to duke Humphrey remained in the collection). It was not until 1598 that the library began to thrive once more, when Thomas Bodley (a former fellow of Merton College) wrote to the Vice Chancellor of the University offering to support the development of the library: “where there hath bin hertofore a publike library in Oxford: which you know is apparent by the rome it self remayning, and by your statute records I will take the charge and cost upon me, to reduce it again to his former use.” Duke Humphrey’s Library was refitted, and Bodley donated a number of his own books to furnish it. The library was formally re-opened on this date in 1602 under the name “Bodleian Library” (officially Bodley’s Library).  Oxford students call it “The Bod.”

There are unique copies of three 17^th  century cookbooks in the Bodleian, but they are not republished, and, since I cannot pop around to see them, I am going to have to improvise and talk about a lesser known aspect of Tudor cuisine: salads. We tend to think of the Tudors as big meat eaters, and they were.  But Tudor cookbooks are also filled with dozens of salad recipes, and many are quite imaginative.  There were two basic kinds: raw and boiled.

Raw salads could be made from a huge variety of ingredients such as the ones we are familiar with – lettuce, roquette, and cucumber. But they also used rosebuds, candied orange peel, marigold leaves and a host of other items, as you shall see.  They also used a wide variety of herbs and spices directly in the salad which they dressed only with oil and vinegar (as we still do in Argentina). Flavored dressings were unknown. As in Tudor cooking in general, salads usually had a sweet component. Here’s a pretty wild salad from John Murrell’s Second Booke of Cookery and Carving (1638):

To Make a Grand Sallet

Take the buds of al kind of good Hearbes and a handfull of French Capers, seven or eight Dates cut in long slices, a handfull of Raisins of the Sun, the stones being pickt out, a handfull of Almonds blancht, a handfull of Curans, five or six Figs sliced, a preserued orenge cut in slices; mingle al these together with a handfull of Sugar, then take faire Dish fit for a shoulder of Mutton, set a standard of paste in the midst of it, put your aforesaid sallet about this standard, set upon your salett foure half Lemmons, with the flat ends downward, right over against one another half ways betwixt your standard and the dishes side, prick in every one of these Lemmons a branch of Rosemary and hang upon the Rosemary preserued cherries, or cherries fresh from the tree; set foure halfe Egges being roasted hart, between your Lemons, the flat end downward, prick upon your Egges sliced Dates and Almonds: then you may lay another garnish betweene the brim of the Dish and the Sallet of quarters of hard Egges and round slices of Lemmons:  then you may garnish up the brim of the Dish with a preserued Orenge in long slices and betwixt every slice of orange a little heap of French Capers.

Just a few notes are needed to catch the drift. First, the salad is meant to be hill shaped, so the “standard of paste” is the starter. It is a small hill of pastry dough to get the shape started. “Hearbes” means leafy greens in general and also green herbs as we know them. “Preserued orange” means candied orange peel. You can tell the whole affair is a work of art with rosemary sprigs sprouting out of lemons and eggs studded with dates and almonds. It would certainly not have been eaten by itself, but as a side dish for a roast of beef or the like. In any case, it was common practice to serve all the courses at once.