sca-cooks To make sure recipes are good

[Uduido@aol.com]

In a message dated 97-04-10 11:41:55 EDT, you write:

<< Another big question is just what flavor changes have we experienced as a
   result of our botanical tempering? >>

Surprisingly, other than the changes affected by poor storage, there is, in
my opinion little  if any differences beteew spices of the period and spices
now. Grains of paradise, cubebs, galingal and true cinnamon are still to this
day collected from wild stock. I am unsure about the other spices such as
cloves, etc. Agriculural breeding techniques are only just becoming known in
the areas of the world where most spices come from and, even with that, there
is little inducement to "improve" luxury items before  work on dietary
staples is embarked upon.

As a word of advise, my approach to period cookery is to use quantities of
spices in amounts similar to those found in Middle Eastern or Indai cookery.
This has always worked for me. It produces a satisfying dish and many times
the results are deliscious enough for me to place the period recipe in my
"favorite" mundane" recipe file. I'm sure if you this technique you will have
good results and, in my opinion, some thing very near to a period flavor if
not exact.


Lord Ras the Reformed