SC - sca-cooks V1 #519 -Reply

[David Young]

The following was posted to the sca-arts list.  Can anyone out there
assist with answers to her questions?

Murkial

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Good Gentles All,

I've been reading through my newly-acquired copies of "A Queen's
Delight"
and came across the following "recipe":

To make a true Majistery of Pearl.
Dissolve two or three ounces of fine seed Pearl in distilled Vinegar, &
when it is perfectly dissolved, and all taken up, pour the Vinegar into
a
clean glass bason; then drop some few drops of Oyl of Tartar upon it, &
it
will cast down the Pearl into fine Powder, then pour the Vinegar clean
off
softly, then put to the Pearl clear Conduit or Spring water, pour that
off,
and do so often untill the taste of the Vinegar and Tartar be clean
gone,
then dry the powder of Pearl upon warm embers, and keep it for your use.

This is toward the back of the book, in a section entitled "Choice
Secrets
made known", not in the food sections.

- - What exactly is a Majistery? What was the pearl dust used for?

- - What is oil of Tartar?

- - Does anyone know what chemical reaction is taking place here? What is
it
about the oil of tartar that makes the pearl dust precipitate back out
of
the vinegar solution? Is it really still pearl dust at this point, or
something entirely different?

Looking forward to using those leftover seed pearls from my last
embroidery
project  :-)

Thanks for the help.

- -Margritte

- --------------------------------------------------------------------
Gryphon's Moon - Celtic jewelry, garb, and much more.
Catalog at http://maclain.home.mindspring.com
Or email us at gryphons.moon at mindspring.com
- --------------------------------------------------------------------
[Christi Redeker]
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