Title: juniper-beries-msg
Subject: Period use of juniper berries.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: medieval, juniper, berry, berries, tree, recipe

juniper-beries-msg – 3/3/13

Period use of juniper berries.

NOTE: See also the files: herb-uses-msg, spices-msg, spice-mixes-msg, sumac-msg, gums-resins-msg, p-herbals-msg, seeds-msg, nettles-msg.

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    Mark S. Harris                  AKA:  THLord Stefan li Rous
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Date: Thu, 30 Oct 2003 15:14:00 -0500
From: johnn holloway <johnna at sitka.engin.umich.edu>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Juniper was Mustard handout request (long)
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>

Harris Mark.S-rsve60 wrote:
   So far no one has posted any documentably period recipes that use
juniper berries.
>> Stefan
----------
Alright, I admit that I let the entire juniper discussion pass without
ever hauling a book off the shelf because I was busy getting ready for
the KW Costuming Symposium and I didn't have the time. But now that I
have some time, here are some things to ponder over and look for in full
in the sources cited. This search points out that one should be aware
that there are recipes and then there are recipes for things like the
plague. Gerald has quite a bit to say about what they cure. This
includes "all maner of wormes in the belly, it staieth the menses and
hemmorrhodes: it is commended also against spitting of blod; it dryeth
hollow ulcers, and filleth them with flesh, if it be cast thereon: being
mixed with oile of Roses, it healeth chops in the hands and feet. p.1373
of the 1633 edition.

Have fun---

Johnnae llyn Lewis

-----------------
Juniper---in OED as fa as quotes go for the
A genus of coniferous evergreen shrubs and trees, the common European
species Juniperus communis, a hardy spreading shrub or low tree, having
awl-shaped prickly leaves and bluish-black or purple berries, with a pungent taste, yieldin a volatile oil (oil of juniper) used in medicine as a stimulant and diuretic, also in the manufacture of gin. The common N. American species is J. virginiana.

A. 1400 Pistel of Susan 71 (Vernon MS.) Þe Iunipere ientel, Ionyng
be-twene;

C. 1400 Maunde. (1839) xxviii. 289 That Tre hathe many Leues as the
Gynypre hathe.

C. 1420 Pallad. on Husb. i. 397 (E.E.T.S.) Bordis of cipresse Playn and
direct, vpsette hem in their kynde A foote atwyn, and hem to gedir
dresse Wit iunipur [v.r. ienyper], box, oliue,or cupresse, So worchyng
up thy wowis by and by.

1523 Ld. Berners Froiss. I. ccccxix. 734 A great large dyke full of
busshes of genepar, and other small busshes.

C. 1550 Lloyd Treas. Health (1585) S v, Give vnto the pacient..a litle
oyle of Ienoper.

158 Lyte Dodoens vi. lxxxii. 763 Iuniper or the beries thereof burned
driueth away..all infection and corruption of the ayre.

1582 Nottingham Rec. IV. 199 Paid for iyneper to swetten the Hall jd.

1594 Spenser Amoretti xxvi, Sweet is the Iunipere, but share his bough.

---------
EEBO Full Text has these-- under juniper*

4. For Griping of the Guts.
• ...  4. For Griping of the Guts.: Take Anniseeds, Fennel, Bay-berries,
Juniper-berries, Tormentil, Bistort, Ba|laustius, Pomegranate-pills,
each one Ounce, Roe-leaves a h ...
from 1675 The Accomplish'd lady's delight in preserving
---------------
Woolley, Hannah, fl. 1670.
Title: The compleat servant-maid; or, The young maidens tutor. of 1677
calls for them in--
or the Griping of he Guts.: Take Anniseeds, Fennlseeds, Bayberries,
Juniper berris, Tormentil, Bistort, Balau|stins, Pomgranate Pills, each
one o ...

She also calls for them in The gentlewomans companion in 1673.
An admirable Water against the Stone in the Kidneys.
• ... st the Stone in the Kidneys.: ake of the middle-rind of the Root
of Ash bruised two pound; Juniper-berries bruised, three pound;
Venice-Turpentine of the best, two pound and an half; put thes ...

The following 3--
Another approved Remedy for the Stone and Gravel.
• ... : TAke a spoonul of Virgin-Honey, the whitest you can get, and
mix it with a glass-full of Juniper-berry water; take this in the
morning fasting, and continue taking it for some time, and it  ...
Ladanum Opiatum.
• ... ich boil to an Electuary with one ounce of the juie of Licorice.
Then add to it of the Tincture of Juniper-berries, and Powder of Saffron
of each two ounces, Castor one dram; boil it again ...
An excellent Cordial Water.
• ...  An excellent Cordial Water.: TAke Angelica, Carduus Benedictus,
Pauls- Betony Juniper-berries, of each one handful, of Wormwood two
handfuls. Mix them, and put them into a wide m ...

These are from Digby, Kenelm, Sir, 1603-1665.
Title: Choice and experimented receipts in physick 1675

Precautions and Cure, Against the Plague cruely raging. > The 
Pomeambar.
• ... ling Reed, &ounce; j.Rhodium Wood,Yellow Sanders,Juniper,Cedar, an
&dram; vj.Lavender flowers,  ...
Precautions and Cure, Against the Plague cruelly raging. > The sweet
sented Pestilential Liquor.
• ...  Galangal, sweet eed,Zedoary,Wood of Rhodium,Juniper, an. &dram;
x.The leaves of dryed Scordium ...
Precautions and Cure, Against the Plague cruelly raging. > The moist
Fume for the Kings Bed-Chamber.
• ... d Bark of Cinnamon, &ounce; j.Sweet Garden-Reed, &ounce;
ij.Rhodim Wood, Juniper Wood, an. &ounce; j. ss.Yellow of Citron-Peel,
Benzoine, an.  ... plus at least another 5 or 6 cures for plague--

These are from Mayerne, Théodore Turquet de, Sir, 1573-1655.
Title: Medicinal councels, or advices 1677
----------------------

Pharmacopœia Londinensis, or, The London dispensatory further adorned by
the studies and collections of the Fellows, now living of the said
colledg ... / by Nich. Culpeper, Gent. of 1653 has 37 matches for 
juniper.

A physicall directory, or, A transation of the London dispensatory made
by the Colledge of Physicians in London ... by Nich. Culpeper, Gent.
of 1649 has 17 matches.

-----------
Sadler, John, ca. 1615-1664.
Title: The sicke vvomans private looking-glasse of 1636 uses juniper in
these two ecipes--
THE Sick womans Private Looking-Glasse. Wherein Methodically are handled
all uterine affects or diseases arising from the wombe. > CHAP. II. Of
the retention of the months. > Cure.
• ... ointed. Make insessions of faengreeke, chammomill, melilote dill,
marjerom, pennyroyall, feverfew, juni|per berries, and calamynt. But if
the suppression comes by a defect of matter, then ought not t ...
THE Sick womans Private Looking-Glasse. Wherein Methodically are handled
all uterine affects or diseases arisig from the wombe. > CHAP. IIII. Of
the Weeping of the wombe. > Cure.
• ... ion of chammomill, betony, fever|few, mallowes, lineseed,
juniper—berries, cummin|seed, aniceseed, meliloe: adding thereto of dia

Searching under--
basic search for "iuniper", "iuiper-berries", "iuni", or
"iuniper-herb", unsorted in Early English Books Online resulted in 392
matching terms in 104 full texts.

among these many citations, one finds that Estienne's Maison rustique of
1616 mentions them frequently including--

flowers and Rosemarie flowers, &c. / Of Fruits:[Fruits.] Iuniper, Bay,
and Iui berries, Pine-kernels, Capers, Abrico  ...
• ...  .] and barkes of Woods: Rosemarie, Sauine bush, Iuniper, Ash,
Gi|cum, Elder, the loppings and slisfts ...
THE THIRD BOOKE OF THE COVNRIE FARME. > A briefe Discourse of the
distilling of Oyles and Quintessences. > CHAP. LXXXI.
• ...  h the whites of women. / Fruits,[Fruits.] as of Iuniper berries,
&c. by reason that they are somewhat more oylie than hearbes and seedes,
doe no ...
THE SITH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE. > The Vine. > CHAP. XVIII.
• ... eat hurt that shall drinke the same: but indeed it would doe
better, if they would put into it some Iuniper berries and Ireos roots.
/ If that your Wine do continue to hold and still retaineany i ...
THE SIXTH BOOKE OF THE COVNTRIE HOVSE. > The Vine. > CHAP. XX.
• ... wo pints of vineger, put them together into a vessell, and vvith
them as much of pepper, mints, and iuniper berries, then vse it
afterward. / To make vineger of sea onions,  ..
...

Date: Tue, 17 Jan 2012 23:48:49 +1030
From: Hana <lady.hana at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [Lochac] Juniper trees.
To: "The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list"
	<lochac at lochac.sca.org>

<<< I am trying to track down some fresh juniper berries and branches for a brewing project. If any one knows whear I could get some could they please contact me off list.

Rurik >>>

um .. please make sure you get the right species of juniper (especially if
using the branches). Many *Juniperus* look like the edible ones but are
actually quite toxic.

Hana

Date: Wed, 18 Jan 2012 09:01:46 +1030
From: Craig Jones <drakey at internode.on.net>
Subject: Re: [Lochac] Juniper trees.
To: The Shambles: the SCA Lochac mailing list <lochac at lochac.sca.org>

I'll wade in here also.  The specific species that provides Juniper 
berries has a very limited range of growing conditions that you wont 
really outside of where it grows in Europe (mainly the pyranees and the 
balkans).  Most commercial juniper berries sold are wild harvested.  The 
berries are only lightly desciccated as when they're ready to harvest 
they're rather dry anyway. They're heavy in oil and preserve well... And 
a contraceptive apparently :P

If you insist on trying to track down fresh juniper, Juniper communis is 
the one you want.
You want to avoid Juniperus occidentalis - it's often sold as Juniper 
Berries but tastes different and is new world.

I got a decent sized bag from Gaganis Bros. for making jenever and was 
very impressed with the quality of em... Happy to send you some.

Drakey.

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	juniper-beries-msg	 of