SC - Greetings and Chicken

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Wendy wrote:
> 
> Greetings.  I have been a quiet observer for a couple of weeks now and
> have finally decide to write and say hi.

Hello and welcome, Caitlin!
 
> I have been in the SCA for about a year and a half.  I really enjoy
> helping in the kitchen and have recently had my first feastocrat
> experience.  We were cooking for 200 people.  I was in charge of one
> remove and three others each had a remove (I really DON'T recommend
> this!)  I had many compliments on on dish and even had a request for the
> recipe.  Unfortunately I don't really know if it is period.  It seems to
> be and no one has told me otherwise yet. (I prepared it once before at a
> small event)  I am going to print it at the end of my message and
> welcome any comments.

Some of the ingredients suggest a post-medieval origin, but I've seen
greater departures from period, and I'm sure it was tasty if somewhat
medievally-challenged ;  ) . 
> 
> I really enjoy cooking, but not research.  If anyone who does enjoy
> research wants to send me recipes and period references I will prepare
> them (eventually) and let you know what everyone thinks.  I will also
> certainly give you credit.

Hmmm. What don't you like about research? The part about going through
books and finding recipes? Don't you do that anyway, in finding modern
recipes to cook? The fact that you're on an e-list suggests you may well
be both technically-minded and a problem-solver type, both excellent
qualities for a researcher. There are also plenty of research sources
with recipes translated into modern English, if dealing with the
language is a problem (I myself couldn't read most calligraphy if my
life depended on it, and I generally depend on various reprinted sources
where someone has transscribed the recipes into some type of
easy-to-read typeface).

I would also think it likely you like to experiment in a kitchen. That's
another big part of the kind of research many of us do. 

Awright, so I'm trying to proselytize, but I'm a little surprised, is
all. Usually when someone in the SCA says they don't like to research,
it means that either someone has managed to turn the person off that
particular pursuit, or misinformed them as to what to expect, just as it
might be surprising to find people in the SCA who dislike the costuming,
the fighting, and all that other stuff that we do. Can you blame me for
considering these possibilities?  

> Herb Roasted Chicken (one)

> 1/4 t. cayenne pepper
> Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon

These ingredients would be unlikely to have featured in any dish Robin
Hood (if any) ate. The first is something that seems not to have
significantly entered the European battery of ingredients until the 17th
- - 18th century or so, while the second was known to Europeans but it was
rather unusual for it to be found in markets in Northern Europe in fresh
form, and doesn't appear in many medieval European recipes from outside
of Italy. That would suggest the recipe probably is not period, at least
not as written.

It does sound tasty, though!

Hello again, welcome again, and thank you for sharing the recipe and a
bit about yourself!

Adamantius   
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
============================================================================

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".

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