[From nobody Mon Jul 18 15:50:44 2011
From: Faulconess@aol.com
Return-path: <Faulconess@aol.com>
To: owner-hist-brewing@rt.com
Subject: Re:  Grain question
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 1999 16:28:59 EST
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On Sun, 7 Mar 1999 15:49:05 EST, OxladeMac@aol.com wrote:

<<Markham calls for "pease" in his recipe for March beer:  
Excuse my ignorance, by what is "pease?"  I've heard it in the childhood rhyme
"pease portage hot, pease portage cold, pease portage in the pot, five days
old..."  But what is it?  What is the modern name for this grain?>>

The answer is fairly simple--at least, to an English major.  ;)
The term refers to the legume "pisum sativum"---the common pea.

The word "pea"  is a modern back-formation from the Middle English "pease"
(from the from Old English pise, from Latin pisa, plural of pisum, from Greek
pison.)  The word "pease" originally had no singular form, much like "wheat",
"millet" "corn",  and "rye" do not.  (It makes sense, since these things are
nearly always present in the plural anyway.  I mean, how often do you catch
yourself using JUST ONE pea?)

So in your nursery rhyme, "pease porridge" is exactly that;  
a thickly congealed pea soup.  In SCA dancing, we frequently perform the
"Pease Brensle", and "Gathering Peasecods." 

I have to admit, though...using table legumes in brewing sounds a tiny bit on
the weird side.  But that's just me!  :)

YIS,
^v^  --F
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