SC - Re: Questions

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Kathleen M Everitt wrote:
> 
> What are grains of Muske?

Musk is any of various animal sex-attractant, pheromonal secretions.
They were, in perod, and are, now, very common in perfumes. They used to
be taken and processed from glands of the musk deer or several other
mammals. Essentially they were used to add an exotic perfume to foods.
 
> How about gum Dragagant? I've seen it spelled several different ways. The
> Sweet Celebrations catalog has a "gum paste mix" listed. Would this be
> similar? It sounds like it's used for the same things.

Gum tragacanth is the standard spelling today. It's a tree resin that
originally comes, I believe, from Persia. It is used to add structural
strength to sugar pastes. While other gums and gum pastes will do this
too, we have no real way of knowing if they are a really good substitute
for gum tragacanth without trying them. On the other hand, gum
tragacanth is pretty readily available by mail order, if you have the
right catalogue. I just bought some at the NY Cake and Baking Center, 56
West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010, (212) 675-CAKE. I paid $10 for 4
ounces, which I gather is an okay, but not terrific, price. I figure I'm
compensated by the fact that I was in the neighborhood, so there was no
wait and no shipping charge. 
 
> I've been reading old cookbooks, again. :-) Our conversations about
> period candy have me in the mood to try some of these things.

Mahvelous! Would you happen to have run across a recipe for hippocras
powder dragees? Kinda like those little cinnamon drops, but made with
powdered hippocras spices. I have a pound or so of the spice mix, as
described in Le Menagier de Paris, and want to use it up before it
becomes stale. There may be a recipe in Chiquart; I expect to lay hands
upon a copy over the weekend, so we'll see.

Adamantius
______________________________________
Phil & Susan Troy
troy at asan.com


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