On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 21:21:37 -0400, "Jean B." > wrote:

>Richard Wright wrote:
>> On Wed, 24 Sep 2008 05:50:57 +0200, Martin S
>> > wrote:
>>
>>> Richard Wright wrote:
>>>
>>>> By this the OED author means that it was only in the 18th century that
>>>> crushed, stewed fruit appears in the description of a fool. Before
>>>> that a fool was described as a sort of clotted cream or custard.
>>> The Compleat Cook, 1658:
>>> Take your Gooseberries, and put them in a pot, and set it in a skillet of
>>> boiling water, and when they are coddled enough strain them. Reheat them
>>> and when they are scalding hot, beat them very well with a good piece of
>>> fresh butter, rose-water and sugar, and put in the yolks of two or three
>>> eggs; you may put rose-water into them, and so mix it altogether, and serve
>>> it cold.
>>>
>>> Shouldn't that be interpreted as "crushed, stewed fruit"?
>>>
>>> --
>>> Old time cookery and brewing:
>>> theoldecookerybook.com
>>
>>
>> Yes, of course it is, and I see that it is called a 'foole' in the
>> text and a 'fool' in the table of contents.
>>
>> Well done. The OED is always wanting to revise its earliest citations.
>> They took one from me for the earliest use in English of "tom yam
>> kung" for the famous Thai soup (1952).
>>
>> Perhaps you could refer this to them for their next revision..
>
>I don't suppose there is anywhere one can easily see the food
>terms and the current earliest dates? It is always fun to look
>for precedents.

As I said to an earlier poster, it may be that your local public
library has a subscription online.

If not, then you can get a private subscription:

http://www.oed.com/subscribe/