Which Historical Foods Do We Still Eat Today?

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© Libre de derechos

The Book of Sent Sovi

The oldest known recipe book in Spain is The Book of Sent Soví, also known as Llibre de Sent Soví in Catalan. It was written at the end of the 14th century, and is considered one of the first cookbooks in the Catalan language. Although it is not known with certainty who the author was, it is believed to have been written by several cooks and scribes of the monastery of Sant Benet de Bages, in the region of Catalonia.

The Book of Sent Soví  contains a compilation of recipes and culinary from the period, and focuses mainly on meat, fish and vegetable dishes. It includes recipes for soups, stews, sauces, desserts and drinks. It also provides details on cooking techniques, cooking utensils and suggestions for the presentation of dishes.

Over time, this recipe book has gained great historical and gastronomic importance, as it provides a detailed overview of medieval cooking and culinary practices in Catalonia. Over the centuries, various editions and adaptations of the Book of Sent Soví have been made, and it has influenced the culinary tradition in Catalonia and throughout Spain.

The second oldest known recipe book dates from 1740, and was written by an Andalusian woman named María Rosa Calvillo de Teruel, who was in charge of the kitchen in a wealthy family. The book was published in 1964 under the name Book of Notes on Stews and Sweets.

Among its recipes, we can find How Aunt Filipa Cooks Birds, How To Make Sausage Like Doña Joaquina, and How To Make Mariquita's Cake. It also includes stews from other regions of Spain, such as How To Make An Egg Sweet in Utrera, How To Cook Pigeons in Extremadura, How To Make The Tortas de Morón (de la Frontera).