Cast iron cookpots (was: SC - Re: sca-cooks V1 #183)

[Dguptill at aol.com]

In a message dated 97-07-03 14:16:04 EDT, you write:

> >Cast iron is interesting: I have been given to understand that cast iron
>  >for cookpots are of a later date than the SCA (or at least very late
>  >period). Can you provide any information on this? It would be very
>  >usefull if cast iron pots and pans are useable in "enchanted ground"
>  >settings.
>  
>  The question got discussed at some length on (I think) the An Tir list a
>  while back. My memory is that it looked as though cast iron cookware was
>  either late period or out of period, but just when it came into use was
not
>  entirely clear. If anyone has any more detailed information, I would be
>  interested. We use it because it is the most period seeming thing we can
>  readily get, but would be happy to shift to something better.

I'd go for late-period. They're certainly period for Jamestown (my other
hobby), which is only 7 years late. The variety and specialization of
implements there (dutch ovens, caldrons, pans, etc... is a pretty strong
hint, to my mind, that they'd been around a while. A dutch oven's not the
first thing that's going to come down the pike after such utensils are
invented....

Erich von Kleinfeld
Atlantia