SC - Re: White, Dafair, Flour & Semolina

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Christina van Tets wrote:
> 
> Hi, Cairistiona here.
> 
> 1) Kael, I don't know if Lassi (yoghurt, water/apple juice,
> salt/sugar/mint) is period but it might be a suitable, if
> non-italian, drink for your white feast.  I'm never quite sure
> whether its Indian or Middle Eastern.

Technically Indian, I believe, but I'd be very surprised if there
weren't modern Middle Eastern versions, since India and Persia were at
various times politically under the same rule. Kefir might be regarded
as something along those lines, too. In its simplest forms, it's
basically thin, drinkable yogurt, and many Eastern European and Middle
Eastern markets sell bottles of fruit-flavored kefir "shakes". How
recent the practice of putting fruit into kefir, which was originally
more along the lines of kumiss, I understand, I couldn't say.
> 
> 2) My Dafair keep exploding & I keep getting burnt, is this normal?
> They do it regardless of shape, to break the crusts that form when
> they are first dropped into the fat.  Any ideas for preventing this?

'Fraid I've never heard of Dafair. From what you say, though, it sounds
like you have some kind of rapid surface shrinkage. I'm very tempted to
guess they are some kind of cheese fritters. In general, a bit less
moisture might help, but then it also might help if I went and found out
what dafair are before going any further...;  )
> 
> 3) FWIW, I find stone-ground wholemeal flour bakes heaps lighter than
> the roller ground stuff.  Presumably because the bran flakes are
> smaller.

Quite possible. Another possibility is that wheats that can be finely
stone-ground might be harder than those that are roller-milled,
resulting in a higher-gluten flour. Ever use chapatti flour? It is
extremely fine, almost pastry-grade, whole wheat durum flour, with quite
high gluten potential. I suppose not everyone has access to an Indian
market that sells five-pound bags of chapatti flour, but it really is
excellent for lightening up dishes that call for whole-wheat flour, if
you can find it.
> 
> 4) Is there a (period) semolina pudding (cold) which uses dates,
> spices and rosewater?  I seem to be devising one but thought it not
> unlikely that a recipe already existed.

I have a vague recollection of an Italian blancmange sort of stuff made
by mixing still-warm, cooked semolina with hot stirred custard and dried
fruit, and poured into a mold to set. I further have a vague
recollection that something very similar is in either Epulario or
Platina, except that I currently have neither source on hand to check.
Anybody else want to look into this? Failing that, there is almost
certainly some sort of hulwah in one of the Islamic sources, that comes
pretty close to what you describe.
 
> 5) No hay box documentation, huh?

Not as such, although, interestingly enough, what you describe comes
pretty close to Gervase Markham's instructions for mashing malt in a vat
or tub of boiling water, which you cover and wrap up in blankets,
leaving it to mash gently for a couple of hours or so.
 
> 6) If you're going to stuff a 6 y.o. with a pippin, it had better be
> a Pippin-the-Very-Short-Indeed.

There Otto be a law!

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com
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