Beetes, both white, greene and red, are put into the pot among other herbes, to make pottage, as is commonly known vnto all, and are also boyled whole, both in France vsually with most of their boyled meates, and in our Countrey, with diuers that delight in eating of herbes.
The Italian Beete, and so likewise the last red Beete with great ribbes, are boyled, and the ribbes eaten in sallets with oyle, vinegar and pepper, and is accounted a rare kinde of sallet, and very delicate.
The roote of the common red Beete with some, but more especially the Romane red Beete, is of much vse among Cookes to trimme or set out their dishes of meate, being cut out into diuers formes and fashions, and is grown of late dayes into a great custome of seruice, both for fish and flesh.
The rootes of the Romane red Beete being boyled, are eaten of diuers while they are hot with a little oyle and vinegar, and is accounted a delicate sallet for the winter; and being cold they are so vsed and eaten likewise.
The leaues are much vsed to mollifie and open the belly, being vsed in the decoction of Glisters. The roote of the white kinde scraped, and made vp with a little honey and salt, rubbed on and layd on the belly, prouoketh to the stoole. The vse of eating Beetes is likewise held to bee helpefull to spleneticke persons.
Chap. XXI.
Hipposelinum, siue Olus atrum. Alisanders.
Alisanders hath beene in former times thought to be the true Macedonian Parsley, and in that errour many doe yet continue: but this place giueth not leaue to discusse that doubt: but I must here only shew you, what it is, and to what vse it is put ordinarily for the Kitchen. The leaues of Alisanders are winged or cut into many parts, somewhat resembling Smallage, but greater, broader, and more cut in about the edges: the stalkes are round and great, two foote high or better, bearing diuers leaues on them, and at the toppe spokie roundles of white flowers on seuerall small branches, which turne into blacke seede, somewhat cornered or crested, of an aromaticall bitter taste; the roote is blacke without, and white within, and abideth well the first year of the sowing, perishing after it hath borne seed.
The Vse of Alisanders.
The tops of the rootes, with the lower part of the stalkes of Alisanders, are vsed in Lent especially, and Spring of the yeare, to make broth, which although it be a little bitter, yet it is both wholsome and pleasing to a great many, by reason of the aromaticall or spicie taste, warming and comforting the stomack, and helping it digest the many waterish and flegmaticke meates are in those times much eaten. The rootes also either rawe or boyled are often eaten with oyle and vinegar. The seede is more vsed physically then the roote, or any other part, and is effectuall to prouoke plenty of vrine in them that pisse by drops, or haue the Strangury: It helpeth womens courses, and warmeth their benummed bodies or members, that haue endured fierce cold daies and nights, being boyled and drunke.