98 THE BOOK OF HERBS 



and cold, like asparagus." Elder Flowers, infused in 

 vinegar, are recommended, and " though the leaves are 

 somewhat rank of smell, and so not commendable in 

 sallet . . . they are of the most sovereign virtue, and 

 spring buds and tender leaves excellent and wholesome 

 in pottage at that season of the year." Evelyn experi- 

 mented with " the large Heliotrope or Sunflower (e'er it 

 comes to expand and show its golden face), which, being 

 dress'd as the artichoak, is eaten for a dainty. This I 

 add as a new discovery : I once made macaroons with 

 ripe blanch'd seed, but the Turpentine did so domineer 

 over all that it did not answer expectation." This must 

 have been a disappointment to his adventurous spirit ! 

 Broom buds appeared on three separate tables at King 

 James II. 's Coronation feast, and seem to have been 

 popular, when pickled. 



Violets were also used, and Miss Amherst quotes 

 from an old cookery book the recipe of a pudding 

 called " Mon amy," which directs the cook to " plant it 

 with flowers of violets and serve it forth." Another 

 recipe is for a dish called " Vyolette !" "Take flowrys 

 of vyolet, boyle hem, presse hem, bray (pound) hem 

 smal." After this they are to be mixed with milk, 

 ' floure of rys,' and sugar or honey, and finally to be 

 coloured with violets. Pine-kernels were sometimes 

 eaten. Shelley says of Marenghi : 



" His food was the wild fig or strawberry ; 

 The milky pine-nuts which the autumn blast 

 Shakes into the tall grass." 



And in England Parkinson writes, " The cones or 

 apples are used of divers Vintners in this city, being 

 painted to express a bunch of grapes, whereunto they 

 are very like and are hung up on their bushes, as also 

 to fasten keyes unto them, as is scene in man,y places. 

 The kernels with the hard shels, while they are fresh, 

 or newly taken out, are used by Apothecaries, Comfit- 



