SC - Christmas Dinner and Gifts

[pat fee]

  Was Fig Brandy available in  our"period"?  If so does one use "dried" figs 
or fresh?

  Thanks
Lady Katherine McGuire



>From: Christine A Seelye-King <mermayde at juno.com>
>Reply-To: sca-cooks at Ansteorra.ORG
>To: SCA-Cooks at Ansteorra.ORG
>Subject: SC - Christmas Dinner and Gifts
>Date: Mon, 27 Dec 1999 11:32:03 -0500
>
>Happy Holidays to everyone on the List, and to your loved ones!
>
>    Christmas was a quiet affair here, my lord got home from being a Mall
>Santa late on Christmas eve, and we spent the day being at home and not
>socializing.  Very rare for us, but most needed this year.  ;o
>    I had planned to stuff a pork loin with prunes and walnuts and I knew
>not what else.  My lord presented me with a gift that made that not only
>possible, but so easy as to be almost effortless!  He has had a desire to
>find a damascus steel chef's knife for me ever since we saw a display at
>the Ornamental Metals Museum in Memphis that featured several examples of
>art worked into the patterns on damascus steel.  After looking in several
>knife catalogues, he came to the conclusion that there was no such thing,
>and began looking on the internet to find someone to make one.   He found
>such a person, by the name of Dan Fogg, who is a master knifesmith in the
>business of making collectible knives in Alabama.  Mr. Fogg was quite
>intrigued with the idea of someone actually *using* one of his blades,
>and was glad to take on the job.  Unfortunately, chef's knives are not
>something he usually makes, and the shape of the blade is just a few
>hairs off, and the handle (which is done in a wood that will age to an
>olive green, in honor of my device colors) is a bit too big to be
>comfortable for my hand.  Mr. Fogg's wife was quite anxious to keep my
>prize, and so he is planning on making a new knife for me to my specs,
>and Mrs. Fogg will have one almost as good!    Aside from it's slight
>imperfections, it is a gorgeous blade (and probably the most expensive
>Christmas gift I've ever received!)  and cuts like buddah!  I was able to
>slice that rather small pork loin so thin (my lord watched me and said it
>looked like I was just unwrapping it)  that I was able to stuff it and
>roll it almost three times around.  I would have been able to cut it with
>one of my other knives (like my Henkel he gave me for my birthday) but it
>would not have come out so thin or so even.
>    The blade is also marked with a 24kt. gold cherry blossom, the maker's
>mark.  As I said, a very special blade.  Yes, I will bring it to Pennsic
>next year, and you will all be able ooh and aah over it.  Maybe, if
>you're good, I'll let you use it, but, I warn you, it is VERY SHARP!!!
>    My lord is quite pleased with himself.  I am also thrilled, but have
>already asked what it would take to get a matching paring knife, you
>know, he already said I would have to specifically mention this knife in
>my will, so if I have to alter my will, shouldn't it be for a matched
>set?  I ask you?! ;)
>    The pork loin came out great, by the way, I used some fig brandy we
>strained the figs out of on Christmas day, some breadcrumbs, a little
>sweet spices, and a bit of pickled ginger vinegar.  I then wrapped the
>whole stuffed loin in pickled ginger slices and baked.  Served with
>whipped sweet potatoes and apples, and some Italian green beans with
>garlic.  It was simple but wonderful, and the three of us at home enjoyed
>it along with the peace and quiet.   I have spent the last two days
>unpacking the china I got from my parent's house, that has been waiting
>until my kitchen re-do was done.   With the new mosaic backsplash one of
>my proteges and I did this past week, the whole thing is finally coming
>together.  Now, if I could only find cabinet handles, I would be all set!
>    Here's hoping everyone else got wonderful cookery tools, resources and
>gadgets, (oh, I got lemon squeezers like the ones we saw in England, and
>some Lemon Curd from my roommate!), and are happily planning lots of
>great meals with them.
>    Happy 3rd Day of Christmas, are 3 French Hens on anyone's menus this
>evening?
>    Christianna
>________________________________________________________________
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