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Venetian Spice

Translation of a 16th century Italian Recipe.

Fiorauanti Bolognese, Leornardo: Del Compendio de i Secreti dell'Eccell. Medico, & Cirugico M. Leonardo Fiorauanti Bolognese, Libri Cinque. (Vincenzo Valgrisi, Venice, 1554)

V.38 p161v Del modo di far le specie sorti che si fanno in Venetia. (The way to make the sort of spice which is made in Venice.)

In Venice is made a great quantity of spices, which are take to many parts of Europe, because of their excellence; and the said spice is made in this fashion, that is. Take four pounds of ginger, three pounds of pepper, four ounces of saffron, one ounce of nutmeg, and all of the above said things are ground together extremely finely, and are passed through silk: and this is the spice which is made in Venice, which is claimed to be a strong spice, and it is much in use moreover with the Venetian people; because the use it to put in many foods.