About
Picture the Vatican in the late Renaissance — marble floors clicking under the boots of guards, incense drifting through cold corridors, power hanging in the air like humidity before a storm. Behind all that sanctity and ceremony was another world entirely: a roaring, sweating, knife-sharpening kingdom of cooks. And at the top of that food chain was Bartolomeo Scappi — the Pope’s “secret chef,” a man who fed god’s emissary on earth and knew exactly how much of that holiness depended on a good meal.
Scappi wasn’t just a cook. He was a conductor. A man running kitchens the size of small villages, directing an army of butchers, bakers, sauciers, fishmongers, pastry makers — all working like cogs in the Renaissance’s most well-oiled culinary machine. And while painters were busy reinventing beauty on canvas, Scappi was doing it with capons, cinnamon, sugar, and fire.
His capon in almond milk sauce is pure Renaissance theater — not loud or gaudy, but quietly decadent. A castrated rooster, prized for its tender richness, simmered gently until it practically sighed off the bone. Almond milk — the old-world answer to cream during fasting seasons — strained by hand from crushed nuts, smooth as silk. Cinnamon and nutmeg, spices worth more than rent in half of Europe, dropped in like perfume. A spoonful of sugar to remind you this was food for men who negotiated with kings and crowned emperors.
This wasn’t the rustic peasant stew bubbling away in the countryside. This was a dish designed to whisper power. To impress an ambassador from Constantinople or shut up a French cardinal who thought he’d tasted it all. Slow, careful cooking. Flavors melding into something refined and almost shockingly modern. The kind of food that tells you more about the era than any fresco ever could.
Scappi captured it all in his Opera dell’arte del cucinare — a thousand-plus recipes, woodcut diagrams of massive hearths and copper cauldrons, precise instructions for everything from pastries to whole roasted sturgeons. It’s the Renaissance from the point of view of the kitchen: hot, loud, alive, and absolutely essential.
Taste this dish and you taste the Vatican at its most human — the quiet luxury behind the politics, the meticulous craft behind the power, and a chef who understood that even the most important man in Christendom was just another hungry soul at the end of the day.
Samp is meant to be simple and nourishing. Its texture can be adjusted easily: add more water for a looser porridge or simmer longer for a thicker, almost pudding-like consistency. It is one of the closest dishes you can make today to the foods shared at the earliest recorded harvest gatherings in New England.
If you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram or Pinterest – seeing your creations always makes my day. Let's explore international cuisine together!
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INGREDIENTS
Capon or Chicken: 1 whole capon (about 4–5 lbs) or 1 large whole chicken (about 3–4 lbs), cleaned and patted dry
Water: 8 cups (for poaching)
Salt: 1 tbsp (for poaching)
Almonds: 1 cup (blanched, skinless almonds)
Water (for almond milk): 2 cups, cold
Sugar: 2 tbsp (adjust to taste; Renaissance recipes favored sweeter flavors)
Ground Cinnamon: 2 tsp
Ground Nutmeg: 1/2 tsp
Optional: Fresh parsley or edible flowers for garnish (to reflect Renaissance presentation)
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Instructions
Poach the Capon:
Place the whole capon (or chicken) in a large pot and cover with 8 cups of water. Add 1 tbsp salt.
Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, skimming any foam that rises. Cook for 45–50 minutes until the bird is nearly cooked (internal temperature at the thigh reaches about 150°F/65°C). The meat should be tender but not fully cooked.
Remove the capon from the pot using tongs and let it cool slightly on a plate. Reserve ½ cup of the poaching liquid.
Make the Almond Milk:
Place 1 cup blanched almonds in a blender or food processor with 2 cups cold water. Blend until smooth, about 1–2 minutes.
Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a bowl, pressing to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the almond pulp or save for another use (e.g., baking). You should have about 1½–2 cups of almond milk.
Prepare the Almond Milk Sauce:
In a medium saucepan, combine the almond milk, 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg. Stir in ½ cup of the reserved poaching liquid to enhance flavor.
Heat the mixture over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until warm but not boiling, about 5 minutes. Taste and adjust sugar or spices if desired (Renaissance palates leaned sweeter, so feel free to add a touch more sugar).
Finish Cooking the Capon:
Cut the cooled capon into serving pieces (legs, thighs, breasts) for easier cooking, or keep whole for a dramatic presentation.
Place the capon pieces (or whole bird) in the saucepan with the warm almond milk sauce. Cover and simmer gently over low heat for 15–20 minutes, until the capon is fully cooked (internal temperature reaches 165°F/74°C) and infused with the sauce’s flavors. Turn the pieces occasionally to coat evenly.
Serve:
Transfer the capon to a serving platter. Pour the almond milk sauce over the top, ensuring it coats the meat generously.
Garnish with fresh parsley or edible flowers for a Renaissance-inspired flourish, if desired.
Serve hot with crusty bread, roasted vegetables, or a simple salad to complement the rich, nutty sauce.
Notes
Historical Context: Scappi’s original recipe used two pounds of almonds for a single capon, reflecting the Renaissance love for lavish ingredients. I’ve scaled this down for practicality while maintaining the creamy texture. The cinnamon and nutmeg quantities are also reduced to suit modern tastes, as Renaissance dishes were heavily spiced.
Substitutions: If capon is unavailable, a high-quality, free-range chicken works well. For a vegan version, try firm tofu or seitan, adjusting cooking times accordingly.
Lenten Adaptation: This dish was suitable for Lent in Scappi’s time, as almond milk replaced dairy. To make it fully Lenten, use a vegetable base (like mushrooms) instead of poultry.
Tips: For a smoother sauce, blend the almonds thoroughly and strain twice. If the sauce thickens too much during cooking, thin it with a splash of water or poaching liquid.
