[Bryn-gwlad] trenchers

[Stefan li Rous]

On Sep 3, 2006, at 11:50 PM, Zach Most wrote:

> I know next to nothing about this subject really, but
> I'm curious.  It seems like some good ideas have come
> forth on plates and cups.  Would Al-Andulusian Moors
> use utensils to eat or serve, or is eating with your
> hands more of a north African thing that didn't travel
> that far?  Certain foods don't lend themselves to that
> approach without being messy, but it might be worth
> considering.
>   Gaston

Forks were used almost no where within our period, so food often was  
eaten with the fingers, knives and spoons. The fork came into use in  
Renaissance Italy. You can find more precise info on this in the  
various files on forks which have been mentioned. Forks were used in  
cooking long before they were used as tableware.

I'm not that familiar with Andalusia, although it does appear that  
the fashion of using bread trenchers there,  instead of plates or  
wooden trenchers, which was common at least for major feasts for  
several centuries in much of the rest of Europe, did not catch on  
there. There are several folks who are beginning to study trenchers  
in detail, including Bear, the baker, up in northern Ansteorra, so  
more information on trenchers should start coming out in future  
years. Right now there is very little information and it doesn't seem  
to have been subject to academic study in detail.

I know this is getting away from Andalusia, since it wasn't done  
there, but those interested in trenchers can find info including  
period instructions on cutting them in this file:
trenchers-msg     (84K)  2/13/04    Wooden and bread trenchers. Plates.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-BREADS/trenchers-msg.html

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****