SC - Liber Cure Cocorum: I.L.L. Follies of 1999 (long)

[Huette von Ahrens]

>  What I'm really looking for is what makes the difference between a good
period dish and one that is not so much.  I wholeheartedly agree that the
finished dish being enjoyable is the ultimate test, . How does one know what
the dish SHOULD be like though? <

        The sad part is  all we  can use is our best educated guess.  We
have the ingredient list, sometimes a hint of  ratios or  *how* the dish was
prepared,  and little else.  I  judge a sucess by its taste and if I can
accurately reproduce it again.  ( and being a member of the "an' some"
group, it is but only on a basic level ;*> )


>I consider myself, as do others, to be a pretty fair cook, with lots of
mundane experience, very little period experience.  <

    I'm confused by this part  -- Period cooking experience would be???
cooking over an open fire with a caldreon?  Using a big wood fire brick
oven?   Experience cooking is experience cooking.  Just like your everyday
job, there are transferable skills.  So,  I have never made  (put your
favorite ethnic recipe here) but I know how to chop, slice, simmer, and cook
liquid to coat a spoon.  Some techniques may be a bit harder for me
(spinning sugar over cream puffs) but hey, I can figure it out and practice.

>If you take two period dishes, prepared by two different cooks from the
same recipe with the same ingredients, they will come out different. <

    Yeah, so?  it's personal interpetation.  Good grief, there is no
guarntee my meatloaf is every the same way twice.  My version of "stupid
cook" may be different from yours, coz I used more of a spice than you, or
broiled it longer til he quit screaming, but neither of us is wrong.  Just
different.   ans I know you are not suggesting that different is bad.  And
sometimes dishes are different coz Adamantius or Ras have more experience/
better technique than you.

    Will think more about your questions and get back to ya.

Caointiarn







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