Cameline

French Cinnamon Sauce

The inspiration for this recipe comes from Le Ménagier de Paris, a 14^th century French manuscript; and Le Viandier de Taillevent, a 14^th century collection of French recipes.

The Original Recipe from Le Menagier De Paris:

Cameline. Nota que à Tournay, pour faire cameline, l'en broye gingembre, canelle et saffren et demye noix muguette : destrempé de vin, puis osté du mortier; puis aiez mie de pain blanc , sans bruler, trempé en eaue froide et broyez au mortier, destrempez de vin et coulez , puis boulez tout , et mettez au derrain du succre roux : et ce est cameline d'yver. Et en esté la font autelle, mais elle n'est point boulie.

Et à vérité , à mon goust , celle d'iver est bonne , mais en est trop meilleure celle qui s'ensuit : broyez un pou de gingembre et foison canelle, puis ostez, et aiez pain hazé trempé ou chappeleures foison en vinaigre broyées et coulées.

An English Translation

Cameline. Note that in Tournai, to make cameline, grind ginger, cinnamon and saffron and half a nutmeg [in a mortar]: soaked with wine, then remove from mortar; then have white bread, without burning, soaked in cold water and crushed with the mortar, grind with wine and strain, then put everything to boil, and put in red sugar: and it is cameline of winter. And in spring, but it is not boiled.

And truly, to my taste, that of winter is good, but it is also good that which follows: grind a little ginger and cinnamon, then all, and have good roasted bread or an abundance of ground crumbs and cast in vinegar.

My Interpretation:

1 Tbs. fine bread crumbs, toasted

½ tsp. powdered ginger

½ tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. ground nutmeg

8 threads of saffron

¾ cup red wine

½ Tbs. red sugar

¼ cup vinegar

Combine bread crumbs with wine and vinegar and let stand for 5-10 minutes to soften the bread crumbs. Mix in remaining ingredients, blend until smooth.

Works Referenced:

The Medieval Kitchen: Recipes from France and Italy; Odile Redon, Françoise Sabban, & Silvano Serventi, translated to the English by Edward Schneider; The University of Chicago Press, 1998

Scully D. Eleanor and Scully Terence Early French Cookery [Book]. - Ann Arbor : The University of Michigan Press, 1995. - 1st Edition : p. 377. - Introduces the general features of the food prepared for wealthy French households at the end of the Middle Ages. - ISBN 0-472-10648-1.

"Le Menagier De Paris." David D. Friedman's Home Page. Trans. Janet Hinson. Ed. Jerome Pichon, David D. Friedman, and Elizabeth Cook. David D. Friedman. Web. 12 Sept. 2011. http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbooks/Menagier/Menagier.html. English translation of Le Menagier de Pris, a French household management manuscript dating from the late 14th century.

Albertano, Jean Bruyant, and Renault. Le Ménagier De Paris: Traité De Morale Et D'économie Domestique Composé Vers 1393. Vol. 2. Paris: Impr. De Crapelet, 1846. Le Ménagier De Paris: Traité De Morale Et D'économie Domestique Composé Vers 1393, Volume 2. Google Books, 15 Feb. 2007. Web. 22 Sept. 2017. <https://books.google.com/books?id=KY4GAAAAQAAJ>.

"Full Text of "Le Ménagier De Paris: Traité De Morale Et D'économie Domestique Composé Vers 1393"." Full Text of "Le Ménagier De Paris: Traité De Morale Et D'économie Domestique Composé Vers 1393". Ed. Albertano, Jean Bruyant, and Renault. Impr. De Crapelet, 15 Feb. 2007. Web. 23 Sept. 2017. <http://www.archive.org/stream/lemnagierdepari01renagoog/lemnagierdepari01renagoog_djvu.txt>.