SC - period cooking

[Richard Kappler II]

Thanks to all for your responses and opinions on this thread.  I have read
and enjoyed them all, but have read and reread three in particular, those
being from Bonne, Adamantius and Duke Cariadoc.  I have not personally
changed the unvoiced opinion I held when I started this thread, but all the
posts and these in particular have helped me refine it and hopefully
articulate it better.

My sense of the issue is that we strive individually and as a collective
(egads! I've been assimilated :-O) to be as historically accurate as
possible and in fact take pride in being quite anal....no no, I'm not
allowed to say that....ummmm....METICULOUS! Yes, that's it! We take pride in
being absolutely meticulous about this accuracy.  I am learning locally that
this is not always the case, no slur intended, but nine bows to the cooks
list for this inherent attention to historical detail and correctness.  To
paraphrase for the sake of my argument, this historical correctness we
strive for I shall label the 'science' of period cooking.

Having said that, much of the sources available to us are indeed open to
much interpretation re quantities, times, flavors and textures.  This allows
the proverbial seventeen different versions of Stupid TV Cook on Toast all
of which, if they make it through this gristmill of Gunthar's, will meet the
'science' part or the test of historical accuracy, yet may come out
completely different.  This I will label the 'art' of period cooking.

While we are never able to perfectly produce a medieval dish by the
strictest definition of the terms, we can indeed meet the 'science' or
historical accuracy part and then, usually, admire and accept or at least
agree to disagree on the 'art' or individual interpretation part.

Kinda kewl, I think.

regards, Puck

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