SC - Jellies vs. aspics

[LYN M PARKINSON]

Genevia,

>> Would they have used the large amounts necessary to make jellies to do
this or would they have prepared them some other way for storage? <<

That's an interesting speculation.  We know they dried fruit, and used
the dried in tarts, with meat, in fritters...all sorts of ways.  A little
jam can go a long way and makes both a delicious and a pretty display. 
In keeping with the humoral theory, that sugar was the perfect food, to
use some of the sweet jam would say very nice things to your guests, or
to your family and household.  Of course, the humoral theory seems to be
falling away just as preserves are really coming in.  

Most of the nobles whose recipes we have had large estates, with orchards
full of fruit.  I don't think they'd find the use of enough fruit for
preserves to be out of keeping with good, economic use.  After all, a
dried apple is one apple--how much jam or conserve would you get for
adding the water or juice, the sugar, and whatever else you use?  And
there's the fact that some of the conserves--barberry, bugloss flowers,
rosemary flowers, rose leaves--all and more in Martha Washington's Booke
of Cookery--would not be likely to be used in other ways.  I think that
once we had access to sugar, and developed a thorough-going sweet-tooth,
the conserves, gellies, pastes, etc. were an established fact and the
cost was considered well worth it.  Other opinions?
Regards,

Allison

allilyn at juno.com

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