SC - Bread tip-softer crust

[LrdRas@aol.com]

I wrote:

>> Hi all, kat here ...still having trouble with that blancmanger.  <snip>

philippa replied:

> If you're going salt-free, a bit of cracked pepper and some dill might
> help.

Mmmmm... hadn't thought of dill... I'll look into that...


and good Adamantius replied:

> I may be completely out of line here, but I notice you aren't
> mentioning salt. I know it's not mentioned in the recipe (which really
> isn't much of an indicator that it is absent from the period dish), but
> you could probably improve the dish greatly by adding some.

Hmmm... that would be a major moral compromise for me (I NEVER cook with salt) but I'll give it a go next time I test this one out.  At this point I'm willing to try anything... 


> Another consideration is that blancmanger is supposed to be a bit
> bland.  Rich, yes.  A New Year's Eve party in the mouth, no. Some
> recipe collections refer to it as a dish for the sick, appropriately
> seasoned, of course. 

Hmmmm... true.  I had taken that into consideration, but I had also been told by a couple of people that it was a wonderfully tasty dish and they loved it...  I just naturally assumed **I** was screwing it up.

This may call for a change in menu...  I really need something full and savory to balance that sweet pork sauce.


> I think your best bet would be to add some salt while the rice is
> cooking. And don't forget the garnish of sugar raspings. This will add
> to the vaguely alien effect, and also be somewhat reminiscent of
> many Middle-and-Far-Eastern dishes, which season chicken with 
> sugar.

Garnish of sugar what????  The original I have didn't say anything about sugar... I don't have it with me (work) but I believe it was the one from the Harleian ms.  Which version talks about sugar raspings?  And what are they, and how do I use them?  <<Bambi eyes>>  Tell me more!!!  Please?  :-)


Thanks again, everyone, for the advice...  

	- kat


============================================================================

To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".

============================================================================