SC - Re: Ginger (

[Robyn Probert]

Elizabeth/Betty Cook wrote:
><< This is something I have wondered about a long time.  ...<snip>....But
>where would a
> 15th-century Englishman get fresh ginger root? >>

Ras wrote:
<snip>
>There is also a possibility that the ginger was minced and dried before being
>imported and was available from the spice merchant in this form. 

and Cindy/Sincgiefu wrote:
<snip>
>Nevertheless, there are recipes in the Harleian MSS., for example, which
>call for parings of ginger.  The recipe for Peris in compost, Harl. MS.
>4016, #97, says "...And then pare clene rasinges of ginger, & temper hem
>ij. or iij. daies, in wyne, And after, ley hem in clarefied hony colde, all
>a day or a night; And [th]en take the rasons [parings] oute of the hony,
>And caste hem to the peres in composte..."

I think it is more likely that the ginger was imported dried in slices - you
can still buy both it and galingale this way. Grinding it up before drying
and transport would reduce the potency of the spice, as it exposes more to
air. It is also possible that in the Harlieian MSS recipie above, soaking
the ginger strips in wine for 2 or 3 days would reconstitute it as well as
mellow the flavour.

IMO fresh ginger was possible, but dried seems more probable!
Rowan


- -----------------------------------------------------------------
Robyn Probert				
Customer Service Manager		Phone +61 2 9239 4999
Services Development Manager		Fax   +61 2 9221 8671
Lawpoint Pty Limited			Sydney NSW  Australia
- -----------------------------------------------------------------

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

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".

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