sca-cooks Greetings

[Aonghas MacLeoid (B.G. Morris)]

Ceridwen:

Yeast, as we know it, would most definitely have been used in period times.
To achieve the yeast, and rising of today, periods cooks would leave a bowl
of flour, water (or milk) and sugar. This was used to collect *wild* yeast,
that would form the basis for bread, with a *natural* rising take place. It
is my opinion that medieval breads could be likened to *sour dough* bread.

Regards,

Ealasaid

May thee hae meikle feres,
Kennin fae, A guid burdie
An ding a fou coggie.......
......Lang May Thee Lum Reek!!!!!!

hylndr at ionline.net
http://www.ionline.net/~hylndr/

- ----------
> From: Sharon L. Harrett <afn24101 at afn.org>
> To: SCA-Cooks at eden.com
> Subject: sca-cooks Greetings
> Date: Thursday, April 10, 1997 7:16 PM
> 
> 
> 	I am Baroness Mistress Ceridwen o Cahercommaun (OL) from Trimaris. I
> started in the East Kingdom as Ceridwen of Erehwon in 1987. I have cooked
in
> and out of the SCA for about 15 years and would just have loved it if my
> Laurel had been in cooking (Costuming and Domestic Sciences instead). I
> welcome any and all comments, would love to share recipes redacted from
> period sources, and share newly found sources.
> 	A thread has been heating up on my other listserver and I would like
> to ask you all your opinions. The discussion is on "yeast", for brewing
and
> baking. The argument seems to be split between those who believe that
> "yeast" was unknown in period and therefore should not be used in any
> authentic period cooking, baking or brewing. The other side is that
although
> folks in period did not neccessarily call their leavening "yeast" we know
> now that most starters work because wild yeasts have taken up residence
in
> them, and that therefore to ensure a quality product for SCA consumption
it
> would not be a leap of logic to use packaged yeast for baking and
brewing.
> Comments?
> thanks
> Ceridwen