[Bryn-gwlad] Feast Gear Questions

[Catalina Ana de Salamanca]

Would you believe ice cream spoons? One of the sets of Al-Andulsian 
miniatures I've seen had a bunch of men, reclining around a table, with 
long (and I mean long) handled spoons that they were using to eat 
something out of a goblet. I immediately though "ice cream sundae". I 
know, probably not ice cream. Sorbets however....
I digress.
The time period that question was asked for (pre-1450) I've not seen 
much evidence of forks anywhere. I admit, since my persona hadn't been 
born yet, I wasn't looking as hard. However, by 1500, if you wanted to 
be seen as better quality folks, you used those new fangled Italian 
poking things. The Queen (Isabella) imported them along with her 
humanist philosophers and the Inquisition.
Many foods in Spain are still eaten with the fingers (tapas!), but that 
was the habit of North African tribes that had been brought in as 
soldiers. To many of the local Moors, those people were barbarians:)(I 
mean goat hair tents? So last century!).
As with so many of the items we take for granted today, the answer is 
:It depends.

~Catalina

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
> 
> 
> 
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