SC - Pumpkin Pie Spice

[Korrin S DaArdain]

>Hello Group,
>I have a bunch of q's for you folks.
>
>1.  Is "pot-au-feu" (pot on the fire)actually period or just plausibly
>period?
>"pot-au-feu"--beef brisket,saltpork,onion with clove,leeks,turnips,parsley,
>thyme,salt,one chicken--cleaned and trussed, cabbage.  MUST be cooked in
>earthenware pot (no kidding--this is part of the directions) from a cook
>book (1959) on french cookery.  I have read elsewhere that this dates from
>the Middle Ages but since I do not own a copy of _Le Managier_ I cannot
>check.

Trager in The Foodbook states that pot-au-feu was the French term for
the boiling pot for cooking meats during the Middle Ages.  Apparently
the pot was kept on the fire and various meats were dropped in to cook
them.  The broth was drunk or used to sop bread.  

I would suspect that the recipe you give is a modern one, trying to
recreate the flavor of the Medieval pot-au-feu.

>2.  The recipe for coq-au-vin leads me to believe it is plausibly period
>due to its lack of new world veggies.  Did cooks use wine to cook with in
>the Middle Ages or was it reserved solely for beverage?  Yes I know vinegar
>was used but I am really interested in whether potable wine was used
>regularly.

Wine was used for cooking, however the coq-au-vin recipe I have uses
brandy as an ingredient.  That would place my particular recipe sometime
after 1300 C.E..  As for a period recipe for coq-au-vin or a similar
dish, that I do not have.

>3.  Is mayonnaise period?

I have seen mayonnaise attributed to the Duc de Richelieu and to the
cook of the Napoleonic General Mahon.  Neither of these gentlemen is
within the SCA period.  I doubt that mayonnaise is period, as the period
dressings and sauces I am familiar with are all cooked.
 
>4.  Finally is a meat based mousse period? 

>Thanks much,
>Celestria
>(insert spiffy quote here)

Bear

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