Chap. XXII.
Selinum dulce.
Sweete Parsley or sweete Smallage.
This kinde of sweete Parsley or Smallage, which soeuer you please to call it, for it resembleth Smallage as well in the largenesse of the leaues, as in the taste, yet sweeter and pleasanter, is (as I take it) in this like vnto sweete Fennell (that hath his sweetnesse from his naturall soyle and clymate; for howsoeuer it bee reasonable sweete the first yeare it is sowne with vs, yet it quickly doth degenerate, and becommeth no better then our ordinarie Fennell afterwards). The first yeare it is sowne and planted with vs (and the first that euer I saw, was in a Venetian Ambassadours Garden in the Spittle yard, neare Bishops gate streete) is so sweete and pleasant, especially while it is young, as if Sugar had beene mingled with it: but after it is growne vp high and large, it hath a stronger taste of Smalladge, and so likewise much more the next yeare; that it groweth from the seed was gathered here: the leaues are many, spreading farre about the roote, broader and of a fresher greene colour then our ordinary Smalladge, and vpon longer stalkes: the seed is as plentifull as Parsley, being small and very like vnto it, but darker of colour.
The Vse of sweete Parsley.
The Venetians vse to prepare it for meate many waies, both the herbe and the roote eaten rawe, as many other herbes and rootes are, or boyled or fryed to be eaten with meate, or the dryed herbe poudered and strewed vpon meate; but most vsually either whited, and so eaten rawe with pepper and oyle, as a dainty Sallet of it selfe, or a little boyled or stewed: the taste of the herbe being a little warming, but the seede much more, helpeth cold windy stomackes to digest their meate, and to expell winde.