SC - Cooking a Dragon

[Alderton, Philippa]

Bear said:
> This is a matter of economics and time.  A trencher loaf is about 10 ounces
> and provides two trenchers.  The trencher is not eaten and several may be
> used per person during a feast.

Yes, it appears that it could be at least one per course.

Where do you get the 10 ounces from? But yes, if it is only 10 ounces then
I can see where you would get only two trenchers per loaf after you slice off
the top and the bottom.

> When you consider the cost and use of trencher loaves, they represent
> conspicuous consumption.  They are less desirable than the white loaves
> served at a noble's feast, but they are far superior to the loaves the poor
> can afford and therefore represent significant alms.  To adulterate such
> loaves with oats or rye would be pleading poverty and might be considered
> uncharitable.

And then the Wroclaw trencher recipe says:
> 8 cups stone ground rye
> 7 cups stone ground spelt or whole club wheat flour

Argh. Ok, Bear do you have anything specific you are basing your comments
on? Or possibly this is a regional differance because wheat was more
difficult to grow in eastern Europe? Or maybe William Weaver is interpreting
things differently as I doubt he has an explicit recipe, either.

Bear also said:
> A cheat to get around this is to use a coffee can loaf cut into 1 inch
> slices.  It is not authentic and it is not as effective as a real trencher,
> but it provides the illusion of using bread trenchers. 

And:
>The bread machine loaves would probably be similar to the coffee can loaves.

But the recipe you give later in your message doesn't mention any coffee
cans. Are these used to bake the loafs in? To just shape them? I assume
the latter, but even so, coffee cans have little round ridges in them. It
seems like it would be difficult to extract either the dough or the baked
bread from the can. More directions for the new or non-bakers among us,
please.

- -- 
Lord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
Mark S. Harris             Austin, Texas           stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:
         http://lg_photo.home.texas.net/florilegium/index.html ****
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