SC - creations and creativity

[Mary Morman]

On Tue, 23 Jun 1998, John and Barbara Enloe wrote:
> Milady,
> 
>      No you are not evil -- and constructive comments such as suggested
> readings are a good thing, however, some of the items you mentioned were
> used before 1600AD in Europe.  One example is the potato - which has
> documentation for the potato, not the sweet potato, of 1597.  Although this
> is late period, it is still within period.  Chocolate was also eaten before
> 1600, however not in it's current, sweet state.
> 
>                             Jon

well, here i am being evil again! <grin>

yes, we can document the potato to the late 16th century.  there is even a
potato soup recipe in the german corpus (-very- late period...).  you and
i and most of the folks on this list know how to take that material for
what it is worth.  and it doesn't justify the use of potatoes in stews or
baked potatoes with roast for dinner - which is what i see all too often
and am trying to avoid fostering.

same idea for chocolate!  i keep threatening to make up a 'real' hot
chocolate drink for an A&S - complete with hot pepper and without milk or
sugar.  but then i chicken out, fearing my aging arches wouldn't carry me
away fast enough from the pursuing blades of those who drank the
concoction.

knowing that certain new world foods were marginally seen as novelties at
the very, very end of period does not make them appropriate ingredients
for people trying to re-create medieval recipes.  documenting chili
peppers to spanish colonists in mexico in the 1580s is not an excuse for
adding them to a pork dish from the harlian manuscripts - and that's what
i'm more likely to see.

elaina
(the evil one...)

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