MASSONIO, Salvatore. Archidipno, overo Dell'insalata, e dell'uso di essa, trattato nuouo, curioso.
Venezia, Marc'antonio Brogiollo, 1627
In 4to. 210x155 mm. Contemporary sewing binding, handwritten title on spine. Pp. [16], 425, i.e. 436, [2], 2 blank pages. The pp. 240-249 are repeated, last blank page. Engraved noble coat of arms on title-page, woodcut initials and ornaments. Slightly legible stamp on title page. A few leaves with slight losses on the lower margin. Slight waterstains at the end of the work. Otherwise good uncut and wide margins specimen.
Rare first edition. The first book entirely devoted to the preparation of salad.
In this curious treatise, the doctor, historian and man of letters from L'Aquila, 1559- 1629, deals with salad with a wealth of scientific and historical information, describing in great detail the various types of “salolacetaria herb”, proposing multiple dressings and even suggesting recipes of his own invention. The term Archidipno means primacy of the table, from archi and dipnon.
In 68 chapters, everything that can be enclosed under the word “salad” is described: truffles, asparagus, olives, fruit, basil, rosemary flowers, radishes, cabbage, beans, turnips, onions and more “conventional” salads with endive, green beans and other vegetables. Common features of these recipes are salt, pepper, vinegar and olive oil. This work only deals with vegetarian foods, with one notable exception: the garum of the ancients, a fermented fish sauce that humanists tried to recreate. The first 14 chapters deal extensively with the ingredients common to almost all salads, namely vinegar, olive oil (27 pages) and salt. Subsequent chapters describe the substitutions and optional additions to these condiments, such as fruit juice, garum, pepper, lemon, orange and garlic. The main part of the book lists about 50 vegetable foods and their preparation in salads. The concluding chapters discuss the place of salad in a meal, its culinary and medical relationship with other courses and with wine.
Henssler, p. 477; Vicaire, 577; Simon, Bibl. Gastronomica, 1023; Bitting, 315; Cagle, 1160; Notaker, 913; Krivatsy, 7547; Wellcome, 4118; B.I.N.G., 1266.