In addition to prophecies, Nostradamus published a cookbook.

In addition to prophecies, Nostradamus published a cookbook.

One of Nostradamus’ earliest publications was entitled “Treatise on Cosmetics and Conserves.” In addition to providing instructions on how to make blonde hair dye, laxatives, toothpaste (using ground cuttlefish bone and sea-snail shells, or—if your teeth are really rotten and decayed—blue clay) and a ‘rose pill’ lozenge to treat the plague, the book offered recipes for marzipan paste, candied orange peel, marmalade, cherry jam, pear preserve and quince jelly “fit to set before a king.” Oh, and a love jam (made from mandrake apples, sparrows’ blood and eyelets from the arms of an octopus among other things) so powerful it would induce “a burning of her heart to perform the love-act” when the concoction combined with saliva in the midst of a kiss.