Libellus De Arte Coquinaria

Libellus De Arte Coquinaria (The Little Book of Culinary Arts) is a culinary manuscript containing thirty-five early Northern European recipes. The Collection is composed of four versions (or pieces) and consists of recipes in Danish, Icelandic, and Low German. Dating from the early thirteenth century, the libellus is considered to be among the oldest of culinary recipe collections. The cookbook exists in a three-part collection consisting of a book of herbs, one of stones, and Libellus De Arte Coquinaria. The two former are written by Henrik Harpestræng.

Publications

The libellus was first published as part of the Collection included in An Old Icelandic Medical Miscellany [Ms. Royal Irish Academy 23D 43] in 1931 by Henning Larsen.

A translated edition (An Early Northern Cookery Book) that combines the four surviving versions was published by the Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies in 2001.

Manuscripts

• Royal Library of Copenhagen, Denmark Ny samling Nr.66, 8vo, c.1300, and Ny samling Nr.70R, 8vo, 14th century, both in Danish (K and Q respectively)
• Dublin, Royal Irish Academy 23 D43, late 15th century, in Old Icelandic (D)
• Herzog August Bibliothek of Wolfenbüttel, Germany, Helmst.1213, 15th century, in Low German (W)^[1]

References