SC - Pennsic Potluck

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

I was very ill-prepared for Pennsic this year, and consequently made no 
advance plans for the potluck.  I didn't even have any cookbooks with 
me (though Devra's tempting wares quickly changed *that* situation).  I 
had a vague notion that I might go into town and get some fruit or 
something to contribute.

On Monday I took a fascinating class on campfire bread-baking.  Now, 
you have to understand that I'm a Coleman-and-cooler gal -- there's only 
my lord and I to share the shopping, cooking and cleaning, plus I have 
health-related dietary restrictions.  And living where I do, I attend very 
few camping events.  Still, the class was intriguing, and made me 
wonder what I could do had I brought my little Dutch oven from home.  
On Monday, I also bought a copy of "World Sourdoughs from Antiquity" 
from Poison Pen Press, and noted with growing interest that there were 
several flatbreads that could be cooked on a griddle.  I had brought 
some starter along for pancakes (used it all up on Saturday, and fed half 
my barony).

I decided to make some flatbreads for the potluck.  I used one of the 
most basic recipes in the book -- starter, flour, salt, sugar, oil.  The oil 
was vegetable oil, since that's what I had in camp, and the flour was all-
purpose, not bread flour, as I had only been expecting to make 
pancakes at war.  I mixed the dough, and was pleased to note that 
several years of depending on a KitchenAid mixer have not caused me 
to forget how to knead by hand.  Rolling out rounds was more difficult, 
as I had not brought along the necessary equipment.  I improvided with 
a cutting board and an aluminum cylinder from my camp coffee pot.  
The cylinder was too short and too lightweight to be effective, and my 
"rounds" were neither round nor evenly flat.  I had to guess at an 
appropriate temperature for the griddle (actually, a cast-iron frying pan), 
and my first few efforts were significantly scorched.  Subsequent pieces 
were edible, though not up to my usual standards of baking.  
Nevertheless, the flatbreads proved useful at the potluck, as several 
gentles had come without feast gear, and had no plates.

The next day, I tried a different recipe from the sourdough book.  It was 
for seasoned flatbread, which I made plain, without the suggested herb 
topping.  This recipe, though not substantially different from the first, 
produced a more flavorful bread, and I wish I had been able to bring that 
batch to the potluck.  The main difference between the two is that the 
latter recipe has no added water, and thus a higher proportion of starter 
to flour.  I am eager to try this recipe at home with bread flour, olive oil, 
and the baking stone in my oven.

The potluck was a veritable feast, and I practically had to roll back to 
camp afterwards.  It was wonderful being able to put faces to the names 
on the computer screen.  I look forward to future such gatherings.

Brighid, who is in the frustrating position of having to take off the few 
pounds gained over Pennsic, and who has several new cookbooks...


Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Settmour Swamp, East (NJ)
mka Robin Carroll-Mann
harper at idt.net
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