Making Medieval Fig Spread - Rapé | History of the Fig

The Fig is one of the oldest and most prized fruits in history. In this episode, I explore that illustrious history and make a delectable fig and raisin purée from Medieval England called Rapé.

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LINK TO INGREDIENTS**
SANDALWOOD POWDER (SAUNDRES): https://amzn.to/3ev58aP
RICE FLOUR: https://amzn.to/3agR3KV
DRIED ORANGE PEEL: https://amzn.to/2ykaHIC
CINAMMON: https://amzn.to/3agLyM8
CLOVES: https://amzn.to/3alW4Sd

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RAPÉ (Fig and Raisin Purée)
14TH CENTURY RECIPE (THE FORME OF CURY c.1390) - https://amzn.to/31frAAy
Take half fyges and half raisouns; pike hem and waishe hem in water. Skalde hem in wyne, bray hem in a mortar, and drawe hem thurgh a straynour. Cast hem in a pot, and therewith powdur of peper, and oother good powdours. Alay it up with floer of rys and colour it with saundres. Salt it, seeth it and messe it forth.

MODERN INTERPRETATION (Based on Lorna J Sass's adaptation from To The King's Taste)
INGREDIENTS
125 g/4 oz well-soaked dried figs
125 g /4 oz stoned raisins
275 ml/10 oz red wine
A pinch of black pepper
Other spices. These are up to the chef. I used:
1. 1/2 tsp cinnamon
2. 1/8 tsp cloves
3. 1/8 tsp dried orange peel
1/2 tsp Sandalwood Powder
3 tsp rice flour
A pinch of salt

MODERN METHOD
1. Remove the stems from the figs and soak fruit in cool water for 30 minutes.
2. Combine figs, raisin, red wine, spices, and sandalwood powder in a saucepan (do not add rice flour or salt), and stir to combine. Then set over medium head until simmering, then cover pan with a lid and simmer until fruit it softened or about 10 minutes.
3. Once the fruit is soft, purée with either a mortar and pestle or in a blender.
4. Mix rice flour and salt into the puree and return it to the stove on low heat for another 5 minutes, or until the puree has thickened.
5. Serve it forth.
**Rapé is meant as a garnish or filling and can be used in numerous ways. I suggest it as a sauce for meat (add a bit more wine to make it less stiff) or as a filling for a pastry or on sweetened bread, or served with a mild cheese like brie.

SOURCES
The Forme of Cury - By Samuel Pegge - https://amzn.to/3cXBycA
To The King's Taste - Lorna J. Sass - https://amzn.to/3bNg2XE
The Medieval Cookbook - Maggie Black - https://amzn.to/2KEgFaf
The Tree that Shaped History - http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/201701...

PHOTO CREDITS
Fig Newton Photo By Evan-Amos - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

Tell es-Sultan in Jericho Photo By A. Sobkowski - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

Olympic Medals Photo By Christophe95 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

Santa Barbara Mission Photo by Ken Lund, - Own work, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

Santa Barbara Mission Fig Tree Photo by HarshLight - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

Mortar and Pestle Photo by William Warby - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index...

#fig #medieval #medievalfood #foodhistory #tastinghistory