FOODSTUFFS
Fennel
Like anise a member of the parsley family, fennel was cultivated in
Europe throughout antiquity and the Middle Ages. The fennel whose
stalk and seed were eaten by the Greeks and Romans was the original
wild form indigenous to southern Europe, and is known as “bitter
fennel.” Its seeds were used in spice mixtures and its stalks in stews
and pickles. As early as the ninth century A.D. a distinction was made
between bitter and sweet fennel, with the latter being the one espe-
cially favored in medieval cookery. The stalk was frequently added to
vegetable and meat dishes, and the seed dried, sugar-coated, and eaten
as a breath-freshener or comfit at the end of a meal. Physicians classi-
fied fennel as dry and warm, and described it as good for the eyes, for
the movement of the bladder and bowels, and for the flow of milk. It
was recommended for cold complexions and climates.
Mint
Mint was known to the Greeks and Romans, and played an impor-
tant role in classical mythology. In the Middle Ages the plant that was
native to the Mediterranean and introduced to England by the Ro-
mans was grown across Europe. It was used as a seasoning in dishes
ranging from boiled beef to mint sauce, and it was rubbed on teeth to
fight bad breath. In medieval medicine mint, classified as extremely
warm and dry in nature, was thought to warm the stomach and aid di-
gestion.
Caraway
Native to western Asia and the Mediterranean, caraway is among
the oldest plants cultivated in Europe. In the Middle Ages caraway
was grown for the seed, which was added to meat and fish dishes. In
Germany, where it was especially popular, it was put in stuffings and
cheese as well. It was eaten candied at the end of a feast, along with
anise, coriander, and fennel seed. Physicians considered its supposed
heat and dryness as an aid to digestion.
Mustard
Both the white or yellow and the black mustard belong to the cab-
bage family native to Europe. It is said that the Teutonic tribes, who
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