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--> --> Nov. 20: Apicius and the archer By Jeff Cheek As the earth makes its annual pilgrimage around the sun, it passed through different constellations. The Greeks noted this and divided the night sky into 12 equal parts, each one of 30 degrees to complete the circle. They named each part after an animal - in fact, we get the word zodiac" from the Greek words "zodiakos kyklos," or circle of animal. The next sign is Sagittarius, November 22 through December 21. The Greeks named it after a mythical beast, the half-horse, half-man centaur. The Romans changed this slightly. The sign is knows as Sagittarius, or "The Archer," in Latin. Modern astrologers said that 2001 would be a year of enterprise for the Sagittarian with many born under this sign finding better paying jobs or opening new businesses. The year will close out with many opportunities for world travel. The new year is less favorable by comparison. The Sagittarian will have to adjust his or her lifestyle due to his/her personal or financial condition. Apicius, the famed Roman gourmet and cooking writer felt that zodiacal forces affected the appetite. He saw the Sagittarian as primarily an outdoor type, and the archer symbol was a good indication of his or her personality. For this reason, he suggested several types of wild game. For meat, he chose partridge, hare (rabbit), goose, and smoked beef. Roasting rather than boiling was his preferred way to prepare these dishes. He believed the Sagittarian taste was for tangy, musty, or salty foods. For spices, he recommended chervil, thyme, and juniper berries and the inevitable garlic. Beans, peas, and leeks were the suggested vegetables. Oddly enough, his recipes for Sagittarius used butter instead of olive oil. It is fun to try to translate some of his recipes from Latin into English, like this one for Hare in Sauce A La Apicius. He was famous for creating a plethora of sauces. In Latin, it reads: "coques ex vino, liquamine, aqua, sinapi modico, anetho, porro com capillo scuo." This is translated as "cook in wine, fish sauce, water, a few mustard seeds, dill, and a whole leek." The sauce should be thickened "conditura lepus in patina perfunditur," or "mixed with a little corn flour." Wheat was knows as corn in Roman days, as the grain we know as corn did not come from Europe until the first voyage of Columbus, 1492-93. Another of Apicius' beliefs was that Sagittarians usually enjoyed good health. Their active, outdoor lifestyle protected them, so he felt safe in offering them rich, greasy foods. He noted that they tended to have high blood pressure but blamed it on lack of activity. Being the son of a sharecropper, growing up during the Great Depression, I ate a lot of cottontail rabbit, but I have not tried this recipe for Roast Hare Apicius created. Bacon, sour cream, and butter in just one dish is much too much fat for me. The recipe is almost 2,000 years old. INGREDIENTS: 1 whole hare or rabbit 6 strips bacon, cut in half salt and pepper to taste 3/4 cup melted butter 1 cup water 3/4 cup sour cream PREPARATION: Clean the hare; remove the tough leg tendons. Rub the meat with salt and pepper; cover with bacon strips. Pour melted butter on the hare; let stand for several hours. Place in roasting pan, broil at 400 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes, pour in water and sour cream; reduce heat to 300 degrees. Cook for 1 hour, basting frequently with pan juices. Carve and serve with pan gravy. Jeff Cheek lives in Medford Email your... Technical questions & comments to: WebMaster Daily Tidings editorial comments & questions to: Editor Visit our other Oregon Newspapers... | Albany Democrat-Herald | Ashland Daily Tidings | Corvallis Gazette-Times | | Lebanon Express | Newport News-Times | Springfield News | Cottage Grove Sentinel | Ashland Daily Tidings 1661 Siskiyou Blvd. Ashland, OR 97520 Telephone 541-482-3456 © Copyright 2001 Lee Northwest Publishing