Medieval Recipe Translation

How to Do Your Own Translation Notes
Baroness Juliana von Altenfeld (OL,OP)
This class is about how to translate a recipe from its original language to modern English.
Why do your own translations?
They can help you understand the recipe and the cuisine, and it’s a way to check the author’s
translation. Sometimes you might not agree with their translation.
Many recipes were copied over and over again. Das Buoch von Guter Speise, a 1350 cookbook
was copied at least 5 times, over the following 100 or so years. The Mondseer Manuscript has
80 or so GS recipes, plus another 80 or so. De Libellus, “An Early Northern Cookery Book” is a
book comparing several Northern European versions of the same manuscript. Some of the
copied recipes are slightly different than the original. A foreign version of the recipe might be
more to your taste, but unavailable if you can’t translate it yourself.
As a quick mention, there are a couple of books and authors who can give you the big picture
about medieval cooking, versus the little picture we’re looking at today. Scully and Hieatt are
two very reputable authors in the field. Some books to look for are “Art of Cookery”, “Early
French Cookery” for overviews, as well as “An Ordnance of Pottage” and the de Libellus,
subtitled: “An Early Northern Cookery Book” for in depth looks at particular manuscripts with
notes by a professional researcher.
French, English, and German shared many words in the middle ages, or variations of words.
Example: douce, blancmange, aigre, pfann/pann, apfel/apple, worts/wurtz, and so on.
Recipes did travel across regions, so another resource can be an English language cookbook,
such as “Curye on Inglysch”, if it contains a similar recipe to the one you are translating.
Often the recipe titles are the same (not translated) across languages. We’re translating a
German Blamensir, which is a blancmange. We can find several variations in “Curye on
Inglysch”, which we can use for comparison if we get stumped.
Some books have medieval to modern glossaries (Aus Kochbuchen des 14 Jahrhundert bis 19
Jahrhundert). But just in the foreign language, not into English, although “Curye on Inglysch”
does have old English to modern English. De Libellus, “An Early Northern Cookery Book” has
a nice glossary of all the languages it uses in the back too, and in English. If you decide you
really like doing this, then books like that would be a useful item. If you have or can borrow
“Curye”, start reading the glossary in the back and add those words to your own glossaryespecially if you want to translate French to English.
First, to translate your own recipes, you’ll need to make a glossary, from the original language
to English. The good news is, you don’t need a large vocabulary.
You’ll need names of things, which are nouns and don’t change so much. You’ll also need
cooking terms or actions, which will be verbs, but they’re usually in the same form over and
over. Just keep a list as you go, and add to it when you translate new recipes. I’d suggest
leaving space for not just the English and the language you are working in now, but also for
several other languages. It’ll save time if you decide to try a different language, and since many
words were similar across languages, you may be able to cross reference. You should be able
to do most of your work with about 50-100 words, as the vocabulary needed for recipes is fairly
small because the same actions and foods are repeated over and over.
Since spelling wasn’t standardized, try reading the words out loud to see how they’re
pronounced and see if they match glossary words you already have listed. Usually the words
are pronounced as spelled, since the writers didn’t use standard spellings. However, if you
have a friend who knows the language, or you can go online, check to see if there are any
pronunciation rules that will help you pronounce the words correctly. As an FYI, if you are
using a transcription, some words may have been retyped using modern letters to replace
archaic letters that are no longer used. If you don’t know anyone or have no internet access, a
basic travel guide that has a small common phrases section should also have that information.
When you are getting started, a good collegiate dictionary in the language you are using is very
useful. A paperback collegiate dictionary is usually cheap or available from the library, but
still includes some detail and derivatives as well as archaic forms of its entries. There are good
websites as well- the best will include alternate spellings, or forms of the words, and even
phrases using the words in question.
As an fyi, facsimile versions are exact copies, often a photocopy of the original
document. In the German calligraphy styles, these can be hard to read. Some
examples are “Kuchenmeysterey” (1486), and “Ein Kunstlichs und Nuzlichs
Kochbuch” (16th century). Both of these are in facsimile form online, through
Cariadoc’s website. Many cookbooks retype the words using a larger or clearer font,
but keep the original spelling and may or may not keep the original letter forms.
There are letters, such as the double S (esset) that aren’t used anymore. These are
called transcriptions and are what you’ll find most often, including on the internet.
Online you can find Marx Rumpolt, Das Buoch von Guter Speise and many others.
An example in book form is Cindy Renfrow’s “Take a Thousand Eggs or More”, which
also contains redactions, and an explanation of how to redact, in addition to the
transcriptions.
Getting started
After you’ve created a starting glossary, the first thing to do is to go through the recipe,
word by word- best is reading out loud, and translate each word into English. If you
can’t find a word, leave a blank space in your translation and keep going until you
finish. As you find words in the dictionary, etc, or maybe figure them out in context,
add them to your glossary. If you have more than one possibility, write it down too.
Sometimes the words have more than one modern meaning.
After you have gone through the recipe word by word, go back to the beginning of your
translation and read it for content. Does it make sense? Do the words “go together”?
This is particularly important with names of foods and implements. If they don’t,
check for alternate meanings of the word/s that don’t seem to follow together. Words
not quite “going together” is sometimes fairly common with verbs, and a nouns that
can have more than one meaning. For example, does your recipe suddenly seem to
call for an ingredient not previously mentioned or that doesn’t go with the title? For
example, I have a mead recipe that calls for pomace, a word that usually refers to
crushed apples in modern times, but in medieval times referred to any crushed item
that had liquid squeezed out of it (grapes, apples, pears, and honey comb). The
correct meaning was the honey comb according to the context of the recipe, not apples
(there were no skipped lines etc). Be aware of that kind of shift, or possibly even a
kind of poetic license. There have been times that a copier or the author skipped an
ingredient or a line in the recipe, but in general if the item seems out of place go back
over and check for alternate meanings. Also keep in mind that in some languages, a
word can have several meanings and may not be as precisely defined as now. For
example, the word “bake” in German can refer to in the oven baking, covered dish
baking (such as a Dutch oven), deep fat frying, or sautéing. In some cases, the exact
meaning you pick can be arbitrary, or you can write the several meanings and later
when you redact, try each version to find out which works best.
It’s fine if you have several alternate words in your recipe. In period some words for
actions (like the German “bake”) weren’t clearly distinguished. And some chefs were
vague about textures, or thicknesses, so you might have a recipe for a dough or a stew
but aren’t sure of the final density . Sometimes you’ll have to guess at a word based
on the context of the other words, or on a different version of the recipe. The redaction
is when you get to pick and choose which of the meanings/guesses is more correct
than the others. After awhile, you’ll also be more sure of the nuances of the words
which will help you choose the more likely meanings as well, and make your
redactions closer to the originals (if your early versions aren’t so close), but that will
come with experience. Good luck!!
Bibliography and Useful Links
Recipes used for translating were:
Blamensir, recipe #3, came from “Das Buch von Guter Speise”, circa 1350, which I copied from
Dr. Gloning’s web site (listed below).
The copy I own is:
Melitta Weiss Adamson: Daz buoch von guoter spise (The Book of Good Food). A Study, Edition,
and English Translation of the Oldest German Cookbook. Krems 2000 (Medium Aevum
Quotidianum, Sonderband IX). ISBN 3-90 1094 12 1.
Welt ir gut Wirst zu Sallat Machen, recipe #23 from “Das Kochbuch der Sabine Welserin”
which was written in 1553, and which I copied from Dr. Gloning’s website as well.
The copy I own is:
Das Kochbuch der Sabina Welserin. Hg. von Hugo Stopp. Mit einer Übersetzung von Ulrike
Gießmann. Heidelberg: Universitätsverlag C. Winter Heidelberg, 1980 (Germanische Bibliothek:
N.F.: Reihe 4, Texte). ISBN 3-533-02905-0.
http://ddfr.best.vwh.net/Medieval/Medieval.html
Cariadoc’s web page, an excellent source of links to medieval cookbooks and other medieval
interest articles.
http://thousandeggs.com/cookbooks.html
Cindy Renfrow’s cooking links. More online cookbooks in need of translating.
http://www.uni-giessen.de/gloning/kobu.htm
Dr. Gloning’s website, with a large number of links to translated and untranslated cookbooks.
Also the largest bibliography, with cookbooks in and out of print (some with the isbn number
listed). Although it’s a German website, he lists many many cookbooks from other countries.
His English cookbook list is formidable. He also has several links for medieval winemaking and
health books.
www.pbm.com/~lindahl/food.html
This is the Medieval and Renaissance Food Homepage. Very useful and pops up in most of the
search engines and sites listed here.
http://www.oup.co.uk/academic/humanities/literature/eets/
Early English Text Society website.
http://members.tripod.com/rdeh/ppcmain.html
Index for the Petits Propos Culinaireshttp://www.kal69.dial.pipex.com/ppc.htm
Home of PPC (not indexed).
http://www.godecookery.com/mrcookwr/mrcookwr.htm
This is the Medieval Renaissance Cookery Webring Home Page.
http://www.netserf.org/
This is the home page for a medieval search engine.
This is the cooking specific section of netserf. http://www.netserf.org/Culture/Food_Drink/
www.the-orb.net
This is the Online Reference Book for Medieval Studies.
http://www.godecookery.com/glossary/glossary.htm
Medieval English cooking glossary. Searchable.
http://world.altavista.com/
Alta Vista’s Babel Fish Translator, which can be used for modern translations.
http://www.poisonpenpress.com/cookery.html
Devra, a local SCA merchant who carries some facsimile books as well as other books about
cooking.
http://www.biozac.de/biozac/capvil/Pfl_List.html
This is the plant list from the Capitulare of Charlemagne, all the plants required to be grown on
his estates, in four languages.
http://web.archive.org/web/20080206185219/http://www.silk.net/sirene/medgerm.htm
This is a listing of spices used in 8 German cookbooks over several hundred years, including
frequency of use.
Books with useful glossaries:
“An Early Northern Cookery Book” translated by Rudolf Grewe and Constance B. Hieatt.
Published by MRTS (Medieval and Renaissance Texts and Studies) Arizona State University
c2001, ISBN 0-86698-264-7
“Curye On Inglysch” by Constance B. Hieatt and Sharon Butler.
Published by the Early English Text Society, c1985, ISBN 0-19-722409-1
“A Culinary Reference Manual” revised edition pub. 2000. Jane Lynn of Fenmere, editor.
Published by the Madrone Culinary Guild.
Has listings of period and non-period foods, as well as a listing of culinary terms.
SCA Cook’s List:
To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit
http://www.ansteorra.org/mailman/listinfo/sca-cooks
or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to
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East Kingdom Cook’s Guild:
This is a yahoogroup, either go to the website and request to join, or simply email the
guildmistress at [email protected].
Blamensir- from “Das Buch von Guter Speise (circa 1350)
|3:1| Wilt du machen einen blamensir,
|3:2| Wie man sol machen einen blamenser. Man sol nemen zigenin
|3:3| milich vnd mache mandels ein halp phunt. einen virdunc ryses
|3:4| sol man stozzen zvo mele, vnd tuo daz in die milich kalt. vnd nim
|3:5| eines huones brust, die sol man zeisen vnd sol die hacken dor in.
|3:6| vnd ein rein smaltz sol man dor in tuon. vnd sol ez dor inne sieden.
|3:7| vnd gibs im genuoc vnd nime es denne wider. vnd nim gestozzen
|3:8| violn vnd wirfe den dor in. vnd einen vierdunc zuckers
|3:9| tuo man dor in vnd gebs hin.
|3:10| Conf. Also mac man auch in der vasten machen einen blamenser
|3:11| von eime hechede.
Welt ir gut wirst zum sallat machen from Das Kochbuch der Sabine Welserin
(1553)
<<23>>
Welt jr gút wirst zúm sallat machen
So nempt 10 pfúnd schweinin fleisch, 5 pfúnd oxenfleisch,
allweg zwen tritail schweinin, ain tail oxenflesch/ das wer
15 pfúnd, soll man 16 lott saltz/ vnnd 5 lott pfeffer, soll ain
wenig erstossen sein, nit gantz, vnnd so das flesch gehackt jst/
thut man erst 2 pfúnd speck darein, klain gewirfflet
geschniten, darnach das schweinin flesch faist jst, mag man
minder oder mer nemen, man soll den speck vom rúggen nemen
vnnd nit vom wamen, vnnd das sý woll jberainandergetrúckt
werden, ýe er man sý tricknet, ye pesser/ hencken
sý jn stúben oder jn kúchin, doch nit jn raúch/ vnnd nit zú
nach zúm offen, das der speck nit ergang, solchs soll jm zúnementen
mon geschechen, vnnd soll man das geheck woll
vnnd hert aintrúcken, so beleiben die wirst lang gút/ vnnd
soll ain yedliche wúrst oben vnnd vnndten zúbinden, aúch
bendel lassen an beden ordten, damit man die auffhencken
soll, vnnd soll man die all 2 tag vmbkerenn, das vnndertail
jber, vnnd wan sý gar aústricknet seind, schlagst jn ain
túch vnnd legts jn kasten.
Wilt
daz
du
in
machen
die
einen
milich
blamensir,
Wie
kalt.
man
nim
huones
sol
brust
nemen
zeisen
zigenin
milich
hacken
vnd
dor
rein
mandels
smaltz
halp
tuon
phunt.
sieden.
Gibs
virdunc
ryses
stozzen
im
genuoc
zvo
es
mele,
denne
tuo
wider
gestozzen
violn
hechede.3 Blamensir
wirfe
This is how you want to make a
blancmange. One should take goat milk
and make a half phunt almonds. Pound
a quarter phunt rice to meal. And put
that into the cold milk. And take a hen's
breast, which one should tease. And
chop it therein (into the milk and rice
mixture). And add a clean fat therein.
And one should boil it and give it
enough (time) and then take it again (off
the heat) and take beaten violet, and
throw it therein. And a quarter phunt
sugar. Add that in and give out. Also, in
the fast (days), one may make a
blancmange from a pike.
zuckers
gebs
hin.
Conf.
Also
Mac
auch
vasten
von
eime
23 If you would make a good sausage
for a salad
Then take ten pounds of pork and five
pounds of beef, always two parts pork
to one part of beef. That would be fifteen
pounds. To that one should take eight
ounces of salt and two and one half
ounces of pepper, which should be
coarsely ground, and when the meat is
chopped, put into it at first two pounds
of bacon, diced. According to how fat
the pork is, one can use less or more,
take the bacon from the back and not
from the belly. And the sausages should
be firmly stuffed. The sooner they are
dried the better. Hang them in the
parlor or in the kitchen, but not in the
smoke and not near the oven, so that
the bacon does not melt. This should be
done during the crescent moon, and fill
with the minced meat well and firmly,
then the sausages will remain good for a
long while. Each sausage should be tied
above and below and also fasten a
ribbon on both ends with which they
should be hung up, and every two days
they should be turned, upside down,
and when they are fully dried out, wrap
them in a cloth and lay them in a box.