2020 Essays

Excellent Mustard

Mellon, Diana

The recipe for an “excellent mustard” on fol. 48r appears to produce a condiment destined directly for the table. By contrast, most other entries in the manuscript that concern foodstuffs—a relatively small group—give instructions for the cultivation and preservation of fruits and other perishables. Contemporary authors often stressed the hot and drying effects of mustards, and the particular additives used in the author-practitioner’s mustard recipe, namely cinnamon and cloves, were also understood to have such effects. This suggests that the recipe for an “excellent mustard” may relate to the various practical medical recipes peppered throughout the manuscript.