SC - Jellies vs. aspics

[Decker, Terry D.]

<< 
 > Date: Thu, 4 Jun 1998 12:25:18 -0700
 > From: kat <kat at kagan.com>
 > Subject: Jams not period??? (was SC - Mulberry question)
 
 > So then, what is the accepted general belief on the use of preserves in
reenacting period cooking?
 > 
 > I have been happily placing my father's prizewinning apricot, berry and
plum preserves on my breakfast buffets and have never heard any objection... 
 > 
 > ... I have always felt that his were "more period" than storebought; if
only for the fact that he often grows the produce himself and uses less sugar
than commercial jams...
 > 
 > so... should I cease serving preserves, break my heart though it would?
  >>

I am coming into this late, I know, and may have missed something earlier.

I find in _The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Opened_ (1669) receipts for "Jelly
of Currants" and "Marmulate of Cherries" at least (This is only a quick
glance).  These seem to be straight-up fruit preserves, little different from
your father's prizewinning varieties.  

Surely this culinary process did not just appear full-blown in the seventeenth
century.  There must be antecedants, even if unrecorded.  Are there earlier
sources?  What's the earliest date that can be put on a recipe for sweet fruit
preserves?

Rudd Rayfield
============================================================================

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".

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