SC - "Old Food"

[alysk@ix.netcom.com]

And it came to pass on 18 Dec 99,, that Stefan li Rous wrote:

> Well, I'm having similar problems making some savory wafers. I've
> finally got a sweet wafer recipe that I can depend upon although I'm
> trying others. Unfortunately, I did not stick to my test recipe for
> the pot luck at work today. I decided to make savory wafers.
[snip]
> However the main problem was they were quite bland. Also at least when I
> served them, the one I ate seemed old, stale, even though I had cooked
> them the night before and kept them in a sealed bag overnight. It was
> also too chewy. 
> 
> I used the recommended cheese and it is period. And I used grated parmesan
> cheese and not the stuff that comes out of the can from Kraft. Perhaps a
> stronger tasting cheese would help?

Stefan,

I have never made wafers, but let me repeat to you a comment that was 
made to me about one of my redactions: "Maybe it's supposed to be 
like that."

The impression I have is that wafers were often used as an ingredient in 
other recipes.  Sweet wafers, for instance, appear as the base pastry for 
various marzipan confections.  Were savory wafers used in a similar 
fashion?  Imagine a future student of 20th century cooking who 
reproduces  "Aunt Marie's Quiche Crust" -- sans filling -- and then 
complains that 20th century people ate bland, boring food.

By way of comparison, here is Scully's redaction of the same recipe, in 
_Early French Cookery_:

Yield: about 30 4-inch round wafers

4 eggs
1 tsp salt
2 TBS sugar
4 TBS dessert wine
2-3 tsp oil or fat
1/2 cup + 2 TBS all-pupose flour
1-2 TBS additional sugar

Beat eggs lightly.  Whisk in salt, wine, oil and sugar.
Whisk in flour 1 TBS at a time until a smooth runny paste is reached.
Drop 1 TBS at a time onto a hot sandwich grill or Krumcake iron.  Close 
grill and press on lid.  Cook until lightly browned -- about 1 min.
Sprinkle with sugar.  Store in airtight container in a cool, dry place until 
needed.
Re-crisp in a low oven (275F) before serving.

Cooking variation: add 2-3 TBS of grated hard cheese to the basic wafer 
mixture.


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