Poem presented at start of Das Buch von guter spise

copyright 1993 Alia Atlas

Dis buch sagt von guter spise
daz machet die unverrihtigen köche wise.

Ich wil iuch underwisen
von den kochespisen
der sin niht versten kan
der sol diz buch sehen an
wie er groz gerihte künne machen
von vil kleinen sachen.
dise lere merke er vil eben
die im diz duch wil geben
wann ez kan wol berihten
von manigerleie gerihten
von grozzen und von kleinen
wie sie sich vereinen
und wie sie sich besachen
daz sie klein getrahte zu hoher spise machen
der sol diz buch vernemen
und sol sich nicht enschemen
ob er fraget dez er niht enkan
des bescheit in scheir ein wiser man
wer denne kochen welle lerne
der sol diz buch merken gerne.

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This book speaks of good food.
It makes the ignorant cook wise.

I want to teach you
of the cooking arts.
He who cannot understand them
should look at this book.
How he can make great dishes
from many small things,
he who remembers this learning very carefully,
which will be given in this book!
For it can well teach
of many dishes
of great and of small,
how they combine themselves
and how they see to it
that they make insignificant bits into noble foods.
He should take this book
and should not be ashamed
if he asks about what he does not know.
This decision makes him quickly a wiser man,
who then wants to learn to cook.
He should mark well this book.