SC - trenchers

[Decker, Terry D.]

> 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.
> 
I get the 10 ounces from some of the tests I've run.  You do not slice off
the top and bottom, you split the loaf and use the top and bottom for the
trencher surfaces, which is presumably why the upper crust was given to the
highest ranking people, no ashes.  Scully specifies in Early French Cookery
that Menagier's loaves were turned over in the oven which would tend to
negate that idea of the "upper crust".  A conundrum to investigate. 

> > 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.
> 
Trenchers are described as being wastel in some of the English sources.
Menagier's comments seem to support this in France.  Wastel is a second
quality wheat bread produced by brown bakers.  Trencher bread and manchet
are roughly the same weight.  When manchet was 6 a penny, trencher would be
10 a penny and unbolted household loaves of equal weight would be about 13 a
penny, if I understand the Assize or Bread and Ale correctly.  Household
loaves would be given to servants or hired laborers, with better grades of
bread being given for specific cause or for reward.

The comments about conspicuous consumption and why wheaten loaves were used
when cheaper grain would suffice are opinions based on considerations of the
practices.  No gentle would be so gauche as to comment directly upon the
reasons for certain behavior.

The trenchers I've been describing represent Western Europe.  The Wroclaw
trenchers represent Eastern Europe.  The use of maslin as the basis for
trenchers doesn't surprise me.  Growing wheat and rye together to produce
maslin flour (whether by accident or design) was fairly common practice.
Wheat was generally more costly in Eastern Europe, so maslin makes a good
compromise for wastel.  I would like to see Weaver's comments about this, so
I guess I need the book.

> 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
> 
The comments were about using a basic bread recipe to experiment making
trencher loaves.  Such a recipe could be used to bake coffee can bread.

For the coffee can bread, you use the can as a loaf pan.  Thoroughly grease
the interior of the can.  Place the kneaded dough in the can and let it rise
the second time.  Bake as with a normal loaf pan.  The dough shouldn't stick
to the greased pan and will shrink slightly in baking.  After you remove it
from the oven, run a knife around between the loaf and the side of the can
to make sure nothing is sticking.  Turn the can upside down and the loaf
should slide right out.  I recommend using solid shortening, margarine or
butter rather than an oil to grease the cans.  Doughs often absorb oil.

Scully suggests using 100 fl oz cans rather than coffee cans.

Bear


============================================================================

To be removed from the SCA-Cooks mailing list, please send a message to
Majordomo at Ansteorra.ORG with the message body of "unsubscribe SCA-Cooks".

============================================================================