Re- SC - medieval "spam"?

[Mark Harris]

Adamantius said in response to my question: 

Mark Harris wrote:
> There isn't anything medieval even close to spam, is there?
>   (wondering hopefully?) Perhaps a ground ham of some type?
>   I love pan fried or fried spam.

Well, I already knew some of our tastes in food differ, but you needn't
rub it in ;  ) .

>>>>>>>
I didn't say I didn't like truffles. I said I don't understand paying
what to me are exorbiant prices for them. I've never tasted any. As I've
said, I'm expanding my food tastes, in part due to the SCA. Ten years
ago, I would not have even considered pickled herring, did not eat salads
or mushrooms and had never had venison. I can't taste much differance 
between a ten dollar bottle of wine and one costing three times as much
or more. Whether a disadvantage or advantage your food training and
perhaps inclination puts you ahead of me in this area. I wonder how
much your being in New York(?) affects your outlook, although perhaps
you are there because of it rather than the other way around.

I'm happy to learn from you even if I don't always understand your
choices.
<<<<<<<

Probably the closest thing you'll find would be some kind of brawn,
which, in (relatively late) period, would be a boneless whole, small
pig, or a piece thereof, with some skin on it, brine-cured or "pickled",
rather like corned beef or some such, rolled up, tied in a bundle, and
braised. 

>>>>>
But Spam isn't pickled is it? I'm not quite sure how corned beef is
processed.
<<<<

This is the ancestor of the various modern souse meats and head cheeses.

>>>>>>
So what are souse meats? And a description of head cheese would be nice.
I've heard the term before, but I'm not real clear on what they are. I
assume it is not a pig's head packed with cheese. Are either period? I
would assume so, but...

I remember having some sort of ham loaf that was served at our medieval
wedding and at a prior SCA event. I think I was told it was medieval.
I'll have to see if I can chase down the recipe and any referances. It
was finer grained than spam and I think drier. It was good, but I've
not had it since.

Stefan li Rous
mark_harris at email.sps.mot.com

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