sca-cooks Transport of Foodstuffs

[Beth Morris]

Jeffrey Miller wrote:
> 
> I've noticed the avoidence of "new world" foodstuffs, but my
> understanding of history was that Europeans were visiting the "new
> world" before 1600 (1492 comes to mind for some biazzare reason -wasn't
> some viking sailing around then? =8^) Is it that the exportation of
> foodstuffs to Europe didn't begin until after period? My knowledge of
> late 15/16/17th centuries is more than a little rusty...

Derdriu addressed this from an archaeological/historical perspective
(thanks! nice job!) but it seems there's a philosophical issue here too,
and I'm willing to take a stab at it.  Its one that permeates nearly
every aspect of SCA activity but cooking is an area where it seems
particularly an issue:

Should we be attempting to cook feasts that are *typical* of medieval
feasts (or at least as typical of medieval foodstuffs as we have access
to them today - I don't get to cook with swan, heron, etc very
often...)?

Or should we stretch and strain to include modern foods because it is
possible that somewhere in Western Europe, or countries contacted by
Western Europe, somebody may have once tried to eat this thing?

I had a discussion recently with a gentleman who was telling me about a
feast that involved a chocolate gateau and amaretto ice and various
other things, and I frankly cringed.  He claimed to have "documentation"
for several other foods that I do not believe were commonly eaten in
period and that he has served in feasts.
Now, in all the cookbooks I've been through (and I've been through a
*lot*) and in all the supply orders & household records, I don't recall
seeing major orders for chocolate.  Sorry.  Or potatoes.  Or corn.  Or
half a dozen other things that I've had people tell me are period
because one person somewhere might have nibbled on one.  So are we
trying to cook 'typical' things of the period, or scrounge documentation
for oddities?

Food for thought....

Keilyn