SC - Room temp food-OOP

[Yeldham, Caroline S]

> In a message dated 5/11/98 7:44:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
> heilveil at students.uiuc.edu writes:
> 
> << Well, it was a luncheon not a feast, but it
>  was Blancmanger (I like it room temperature.  sorry.), >>
> 
> Given the distances from the actual cooking facilities during the Middle
> Ages
> and the feast hall, I would suspect that most foods were served room
> temperature or at the very best slightly warmed.
> 
	Peter Brears (wrote the British Museum book on 16th century cookery
and cooks at Hampton Court every year between Christmas and New Year)
reckons he can get a dish from the Great Kitchen to the main Hall in 45
seconds - and that's through crowds of visitors (I shouldn't think he runs
either - not his style).  Given efficient servers (which is the problem most
modern groups have) I don't see why food shouldn't be served at least to the
top table at a reasonable temperature.

>   It may be a quirk of mine
> but I find that most foods are more edible and more flavorful when served
> at
> body temperature or less.  Cold dulls the taste buds as well as hot.
> Which is
> the reason, I suspect, that a culture who likes BK and Mac D's (read the
> best
> of cardboard flavors) likes hot or cold food. 
> 
	Having said the above, I agree in principle, and think its
particularly pertinant that chilli peppers mimic the action of heat on the
mouth.  However, I am puzzled by fritters, which are a common recipe - and
are much better (to my mind) hot, and surely impossible to cook in period
circumstances for the 100s who would dine at any one time.  How did they
manage - or were they only cooked in small quantities as a 'treat' and
served privily to the family and important visitors?  Any thoughts?

> It is truly a shame on all of us moderns that most of the food is
> tasteless
> (or extremely piquant which has the same dulling affects) in the form it
> is
> available today.  A perfect example is the Golden Delicious Apple which is
> the
> best selling apple available.  It has been bread specifically to be
> neutral in
> flavor.  I tasted one once.  My reaction was insipid and tasteless!  The
> reason it is the best selling is because neutral flavor seems to be in.
> Disgusdting to the max but the truth. <sigh>
> 
	The supermarkets love it because it ripens all at once (ease of
picking), it stands up well to packing and long transport (tends not to
bruise), looks good and it has a long shelf life.  In the UK we can get a
small range of eating apples now (better than it used to be) but still the
only cooker available is the Bramley (want a cooker that doesn't fall - hard
luck!)

	Caroline



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