"Verzuso" Soup

A 16th century Italian Recipe, translated into English by Shannon Wanty

From Rosselli, Giovanne: Epulario: qual tratta del modo di cucinare ogni carne, vccelli, pesci, & ultra qualita di viuande (Altobello Salicato, Vinegia, 1596)

p16v Per fare dodeci menestre di verzuso. (To make 12 servings of "verzuso".)

Take two pounds of whole almonds, and grind them well as is said above, sprinkle them with cold water so that they do not make oil, and take a morsel of white bread, and put it to moisten in good verjuice, and then take the above said almonds, and the morsel of bread, and orange¹ juice, and rose water and pour them all together with an ounce of cinnamon, and a pound of fine sugar, and put all these things together through the strainer to make this mixture, making it yellow with saffron, then put it to boil by the fire over the brazier, and make sure that it doesn't burn, stirring it often with a spoon, and it will boil in an eighth of an hour.

1 The word is "melataze" which I cannot find; however, based on Rosselli's other recipe for "vergiuse", I am guessing that this is most likely orange juice as well.