SC - Harpestrengs-manuscript: Was: Re: Northern Foods

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

Nanna Rögnvaldardóttir wrote:
> 
> They use "thin metal plates", he
> says, no longer flat stones.

I suspect that would be the Norwegian griddle, I believe called a
"takke". My friend has an electric one specifically for lefse, of all things.

 
> "malvasir" (don´t know what that is)."

I wonder if that's a reference to malvoisie or malmsey, which I believe
is a sweet, fortified wine similar to sherry and port. The Julebrods,
BTW, sound suspiciously like wafers, I'd say, based on their ingredients
and flat state.
 
> I´ve seen speculation that the original flatbread of Viking times probably
> wasn´t hard and stiff, but rather soft, as the Icelandic flatbread still is,
> and was used to wrap around food, or butter. But the bread mentioned in the
> Sagas is mostly loaves, probably thick pieces of unleavened dough baked in
> the embers.

Has anybody on this list seen Mistress Thora Sharptooth's speculations
on Viking bagels? This might be pertinent for ths topic, and interesting
to those who haven't seen the material. I'll try to find the URL for her
stuff. As regards stiff flatbread, I believe the Swedish version of
lefse is made from several grains into large flat pancakes not unlike
matzoh when dry. However, the standard method for eating this bread is
to take a few rounds of it, and wrap it in a damp towel for an hour or
so, during which time it will have magically reconstituted into a
semblance of its fresh-baked glory, suitable for wrapping around, say
lutefisk ;  ).

A friend of mine brought a large supply of this bread to Pennsic a year
or two ago, and says it lasted through the entire War with no problems
at all.

And as long as I'm doing stream-of-consciousness logic here, I'll point
out that there is a perfectly good and period lutefisk recipe in Sabina
Welserin's cookbook.
 
Are we confused yet?

Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com
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