His Doomsday predictions may have been off the mark, but Nostradamus' celebrity was not all for naught. In addition to his alleged abilities as a "seer," the famous French apothecary possessed another, perhaps more useful, skill: cooking.

His first published book did not contain premonitions, but recipes. Fittingly, the title is a mouthful: "EXCELLENT & USEFUL Treatise to all Needed who want Knowledge of Several Exquisite Recipes ... Newly Composed by Master Michel de Nostredame, Doctor of Medicine in the city of Salon de Craux en Provence."

Some of the book's contents appeal only to the senses, such as those for candied orange peels and pear preserve. Others, according to The Guardian, serve more practical purposes, such as turning one's hair blonde or supposedly curing the plague.

If you're looking to try a taste of Nostradamus' medicine, you may have to fetch some absurd ingredients. His recipe for a "love potion" sounds not unlike a fictional witch's brew, including "the blood of seven male sparrows" and "the arms of an octopus."