SC - Re: SC - redactions

[Shayne & Trudi Lynch]

Baaastard at aol.com wrote:

> Does anyone know if this sausage is period?

As with many cheese varieties, this probably developed as a local
specialty. It may be period, but it's possible that no record exists of
its earliest creation, and it's also quite possible that the technique
for making it has changed over the years. For instance, Mortadella di
Bologna is almost certainly period, but probably 90% of the mortadella
(and about 99.9% of the bologna) are made with things that would have
horrified Platina. So, it's a tough call. We do know, though, that
cured, smoked, and air-dried sausages existed in period, and there's no
reason to think they were very different from Landjaeger (except fot the
ones that contain paprika).

  If it is it would make wonderful
> camp food.  If this particular recipe isn't period do you know of any other
> sausages that are?  Particularly cured sausages.

Le Menagier de Paris has a recipe for both black puddings and pork
sausages. I believe the sausage recipe instructs that they be hung up in
the smoke, but there doesn't seem to be any deliberate curing or drying
process separate from the smoking.

Sir Hugh Plat gives a detailed recipe for what he calls Polonian
sausages, which appear to be an attempt at recreating Polish krajana or
siekana kielbasa. The sausages are stuffed, then cured in a brine,
blanched, then hung up in a chimney. The recipe states they will keep
for a year and will engender a mighty thirst. Rather like Landjaeger,
don't you think?

Gervase Markham also gives  a recipe for "links" which are evidently
fresh pork sausages. This recipe is kind of noteworthy in that it
explains in detail how to chop the meat finely enough with a knife.  The
possibility is that they are meant to be smoked, but the recipe doesn't
say so. Other possibilities might include eating them fresh, air drying
without smoke, and preserving them in lard. This last technique is open
to some debate (ahem!).

There are other recipes out there, but these are from fairly commonly
available sources.

Adamantius