SC - Breakfast shrimp/cheese/peppers/grits

[LYN M PARKINSON]

>Date: Sun, 31 Jan 1999 22:15:43 EST
>From: Mordonna22 at aol.com
>Subject: Re: SC - Quantities of salt and spices used.
>
>In a message dated 1/31/99 8:04:44 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
>mlegge at dph.uwa.edu.au writes:
>

>What was your source?  Is it a primary source?  

I do not have the the source used at hand but it was a secondary one. When
I find out I'll post it to you or the list. From the reproductions and
reprintings of primary sources I have seen and read, I do agree that
measurements are very rare and that the measurements were never metric (I
think the metric system came into being in the late 1700's or early
1800's). I remember (likely to be faulty) that the measurments given as
those I mentioned before, but they were most likely imperial rather than
metric. Having never done any period cookery before we felt that it was
better (especially due to time constraints) to follow the recipe than wing
it. At least it serves as a point of reference from which to experiment.

>It is my opinion that Medieval cooks were not nearly so heavy handed with
spices as we are
>given to believe by some secondary sources.  For one thing, spices were
darned
>expensive.
>

M'lady Modonna, I would have to agree with your opinion on the use of
spices and their expense. At the Western Australian Maritime Museum in
Fremantle the centre piece exhibit is part of the V.O.C. Batavia. She was a
very large Dutch East Indiaman which had been wrecked on her maiden voyage
in the Houtmann Abrolhos Islands in 1629. Many of the other exhibits are
related to the Batavia and at least three other Dutch wrecks, and some of
these cover the the spice trade which is thought to be one of the main
reasons for why these ships, and the Portguese before them, were in this
part of the world.

I think that these secondary sources seem to have a bias about the quality
of the produce available at the time and the "need" to conceal it with
heavy use of spices.

By the way, the feast itself went very well. The guests looked like they
had fun and several came up afterwards and gave us some compliments as
well. Not bad for a first attempt at a feast - I would credit the help and
guidance from more experienced members of the barony which was invaluable.

Yours in service

Maidiu Ruadh

Aneala.



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