SC - Adventures with wafers - part the third (long)

[Kerri Canepa]

Stefan,

>I would not have thought of trying from this direction. I've not tried to
>contact a book author before. I'm real surprised at how fast you got a
>reply to your inquiries.
>
I was surprised too. The first query was sent September 1. I'm pleased that Will
Weaver was prompt in replying and that Jerry Singerman was prompt about
forwarding the info on to me.

>The first section of the book details how Will Weaver ended up editing the
>book for US publication that Maria Dembinska wrote in Poland in Polish and
>that she died before she saw it published here. The story of how the manuscript
>and notes were originally smuggled out of Poland reads like an adventure novel
>but it was real-life. The book does not quite portray the history of Poland
>as the communist regime in Poland wanted it told. Had I known what you were
>trying to perhaps I could have sent you the info from this introduction to
>help you and I still can if it would help. I do still recommend buying the
>book as there is little or nothing available on cooking in Eastern Europe.
>
My goodness, I had no idea. Thanks for your offer, but I was only looking for
info on the wafer recipe and I think that's been reasonably answered. I do plan
to purchase the book but as a gift for a friend who has a Polish persona and who
cooks feasts from time to time. Perhaps a little reviewing of the text is in
order before I gift it to her, hm?

>My one complaint so far with this book is this lack of translated, original 
>recipes. Not redactions. Recipes.
>
I'm guessing that's not discussed in the book. It wouldn't be the first historic
food book to do that.

>Perhaps I will also have to try contacting Will Weaver. There is on page 159
>a recipe for a Beer and Cheese Soup that I am considering for a future event. 
>However, one of the directions for this soup is to brown the flour in melted 
>butter over medium-high heat until "the roux turns a golden brown". I'd like 
>to know if he is basing this on what a period recipe (not necessarily this
>one) says. Previously it has been claimed on this list that roux were
>a post-1600 technique.
>
Given the explanation for putting together a saffron wafer recipe (oral history
from nuns mostly), it wouldn't surprise me that roux was included in the recipe
for lack of any information about a thickener to the soup. That or neither Ms
Dembinska nor Will Weaver were that familiar with ground bread for thickening.
But I'm only conjecturing. There really might have been something like a roux.
 
Kerri

>Stefan


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