HISTORY AND COOKERY 77 



"Many English, that have learned it of the Dutch 

 people, do stew it in a pot or pipkin without any 

 moisture than its own. It is used likewise to be made 

 into tarts and many other varieties of dishes, as gentle- 

 women and their cooks can better tell than myself." 



In Turner's " Herbal," published in the sixteenth 

 century, spinach is referred to as "a herb lately found, 

 and not long in use," but it seems to have been known 

 if not grown in England as early as the fourteenth 

 century. 



Worlidge in his " Systema Agriculturae " makes no 

 mention of spinach, but Evelyn makes numerous refer- 

 ences to it; and Gerard said that "of all pot-herbs it 

 maketh the greatest diversities of meats and salads." 



In Miller's " Gardeners' Dictionary," it is said that 

 "perhaps the Spaniards had this plant from the Saracens; 

 but by some it is considered to be indigenous to Spain, 

 as many of the old botanists such, for example, as 

 Bock call it Olus Hispanicum. Ruellius and others 

 name it Atriplex Hispaniensis. It does not seem to have 

 been known to the Greeks or Romans, and was pro- 

 bably introduced into Europe from Asia, as its name 

 implies. 



Stewed Spinach 



Spinach having been washed in cold water and dried 

 by swinging the leaves round in the air, may be stewed 

 in the following way. 



Place it in a pan of boiling water, whence remove it 

 at the end of four minutes. Throw the spinach next 

 into cold water and well dry it in the colander. Chop it 

 up moderately finely, and place in a stewpan with salt, 

 pepper and butter (half an ounce to the pound). Place 

 over the fire and stir till the butter is melted. Add a 

 little stock (a teacupful to the pound), and allow to 

 simmer for ten minutes. Add a little lemon juice and 



