SC - pierogis

[Tollhase1 at aol.com]

In a message dated 9/6/99 10:49:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time, ddfr at best.com 
writes: in reply to Frederich:

<< >This or course brings up the old argument, Is it period like to use
 >ingredients that were known to be used in a given period and place.  Say
 >Russia or Poland for this example.  I.e. If it can be found that they made
 >piroshkis like dishes.  Can we use things that they probably would have used
 >in ways they would have?  Must have documentation for this.
 Cariadac replies
 I think you are asking the wrong questions. You *can* serve tomatoes,
 potatoes, and corn on the cob. You don't *have to* have documentation for
 anything. "Period" isn't a yes/no variable.
  >>

I must not have expressed myself well.  First I would never use ingredients 
that I know are not period to Europe such as corn, tomatoes or potatoes in a 
medieval dish.  

Cariadac furthers:
The issue is not what you can do or what is or is not period--it is how
good your reasons are for believing that what you are making was made at
that time and place. If you are making it from a recipe written down then
and there, your reason for believing that what you are doing is a close
approximation of what they did is considerably stronger than if you are
using ingredients that they had but you don't know if they used those
ingredients in that way. But if no recipes have survived for that time and
place, that may be the best you can do.

If than, from period sources, not necessarily recipes such as Dairies, 
account ledgers, etc., describe dishes/feasts or ingredients purchased those 
ingredients could be used.  Please note, I am not trying to justify not using 
or following recipes.  I am curious how to use other sources than recipes in 
medieval cooking. 

Thanks 

Frederich

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

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".

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