SC - Gold Leaf-A use

[Anne-Marie Rousseau]

>
>In a message dated 97-07-08 14:57:23 EDT, you write:
>
><<  Has anyone tried using gold (or silver) leaf
>   to decorate foods?   >>
>

For our big blow out Baronial Banquet this year we did Elizabethan, and 
attempted to document EVERYTHING. Food, service, beverages, decorations, 
entertainment. One of the dishes we serverd was  "gilded jello", or 
A White Leach (from Dawson, 1596)
Take a quart of newe milke, and three ounces weight of Isinglasse, halfe 
a pounde of beaten suger, and stirre them thogether, and let it boile 
half a quarter of an hower till it be thicke, stirring htem all the 
while: then straine it with three spoonfull of Rosewater, then put it 
inot a platter and let it coole, and cut it in squares. Lay it fair in 
dishes, and lay golde upon it.

Our reconstruction:
Serves 16
5 tsp gelatin (about 2 1/4 packets)
2 cups whole milk
1/2 heaping cup sugar
5 tsp rosewater
1 sheet gold leaf
1 beaten egg white

Heat a large pan of water to just below a simmer. Mix the gelatin in 4T 
of the milk with a whisk in a small bowl, suspended in the simmering 
water (like a double boiler). Keep whisking till it's completely 
dissolved. In a saucepan, heat the remaining milk, stir in the gelatin, 
add the sugar and bring to a simmer. Keep simmering, stirring for 5 
minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the rosewater. Rinse a 8x8 
glass pyrex pan with cold water, and pour the jello stuff in. Cover with 
saran wrap and allow to set. It will set faster in the fridge, and will 
take several hours. Cut into 1" cubes and guild every other square in a 
checky pattern. This part can be tricky, find someone who is familiar 
with working with gold leaf. Decorate with fresh pansies and other pretty 
things (we used ribbons, flowers, etc). 

This delicate jelly flavored with rosewater, decorated with edible gold 
is reminiscint of firni and other middle eastern rosewater puddings. 
Isinglass is a gelling agent from the swim bladders of fish, and I have 
yet to find a source. We used gelatin (Knox brand) instead. For easty 
removal of the squares, use a glass pan, and rinse with cold water right 
before you pour the stuff in.

It was a beautiful addition to our banquetting table! Gilded Jello! And 
chekcy, like our kingdom arms.

- --Anne-Marie

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Anne-Marie Rousseau
rousseau at scn.org
Seattle, Washington