Re(2): Saracen Sauce

[Sue Wensel]

I (Sue Wensel) wrote:
> 
> While I've had Master Bertram's Saracen Sauce (and it's quite good), the
> challenge is avoiding the food dye. ;->
> 
> Derdriu

Lord Adamantius replied:

>Why are you so concerned with avoiding the red food dye? The food in
>period was dyed red with vegetable extracts generally now believed to be
>harmful. Probably the best of the period red dyes for food was saunders,
>generally regarded as a powdered form of red sandalwood. It has been
>known to cause allergic reactions in some people, and the tone of red it
>produces is muted at best.

>If we are addressing the issue of periodicity, then I can only raise the
>counter-issue of safety, especially when the alternative of red food dye
>is quite harmless when compared to its period counterparts.

I am avoiding the red food dye in part for safety-ish reasons.  Many dyes, red
food dyes high among them, can cause migraines in sufferers prone to such
(personal experience here).  However, without some fairly strenuous testing,
it is often difficult to discover a food dye as the culprit.  I find it best
to avoid artificial food dyes and dye my food with spices.

Besides, I find that artificial food dyes can taint the flavor of some foods,
most especially sauces.

I wholeheartedly agree with your comment regarding safety and redaction.  I
for one would not want to eat some of the foods prepared in period, such as
birds roasted than sewn back into their skins (or the skins of other birds),
gold leaf on coffins, or roasted butter (the cholesterol would kill you!! :-))
).  

Like any other activity, we really do need to balance the concerns of safety
against those of authenticity.

Derdriu