Spese di cucina dal 7 novembre 1794 al 16 giugno 1795 (Kitchen expenditures from November 7, 1794 to June 16, 1795)

ASUPg, Sapienza Nuova, Libri di cucina (Kitchen registries), registro (register) n. 39

Tanned leather, cardboard bound paper register

The last two register pages show what were considered as extraordinary expenses. Among them, there are some of particular interest, referring to the purchase of special foods, such as golden apples, chocolate and parmesan cheese. This kind of cheese was considered well distinct from the one following it on the list. The common daily diet was enriched by sweet and savoury delicacies that became common even in the dietary regimen of College students. The extraordinary expenditures refer to such spices as saffron, the so-called “multiple pepper”, cloves and cinnamon; the latter, once used only in the preparation of medicaments, later became a staple also in the preparation of food, in order to enrich its taste.

The document also lists pastries and beverages that were prepared exclusively on special occasions, such as the pinoccate, probably consumed during Christmas celebrations; the documents following the one on display show expenditures for the “rinfresco fatto il 4 agosto per l’esame de s. scolari” [refreshments for our students’ exams on August the 4^th”], with rosolio [a sweet liquor], sorbets, snow (to keep foods cool; the snow probably came either from the snow deposit – “neviera” – located in Via Appia, where the snow was stored in the narrow tunnel of the so-called “postierla della Conca” or from the snow deposit located on the slopes of Mount Tezio).