SC - reasonably safe water at Pennsic

[Alderton, Philippa]

> It is my understanding, now, that the majority of
> this List requires "documentation" before they will entertain such a "far
> fetched" idea, and I can see why.  After reviewing my previous posts, I
> realize that I offered little, if any, actual documentation. I will correct
> this.  Please be patient, as I am obviously taking "the road less travelled
> by."  I' will, of course, expect heated (but not malevolent) discussion with
> each post.

It's not that we won't entertain the idea, we can and we do.
It's that you are using the term "Period" to mean what we have termed
"period like" or "period style". 
Every one of us is a cook, and from what I have seen, every one of us
is more interested in Feeding Tasty food to the populace we are cooking 
for than in making an unpalatable showpiece.

We have come to use a definition for Period on this list, which means what 
you have called "Documentably Period". we are using the rather nebulous 
term "period" as a "term of art"  with that definition for the purposes of this 
list.

Therefore your use of the term "period" describing a recipe runs up against 
the historic usage of the term "period" on this list, and our natural reaction
is to disagree.

That said, we'd love to see any documentation on substitutes.
>From what I have seen, there are so many cultural and religious restrictions 
on foods and combinations of foods in period that I am not comfortable
saying that any substitutions I make are the same ones a cook in period 
would make. (Humoral theory, Fast and Feast day restrictions, astrological 
relationships and governance of various foods, etc.)
I am forced to acknowlege that _my_ substitutions are made according 
to a modern sensibility and a modern understanding of foodstuffs. Therefore
I can only use the term "period substitution" as relating to a substitution 
that I can VERIFY was actually made in period. This limits me to the 
substitutions spelled out in period texts. 
That is IF ( and this is a big IF ) I want to lable the food as Period (a recipe as 
it would have appeared and hopefully tasted in period).
If I choose to use "Period-like" or "Period Style" as the lable, then I am at 
liberty to make such substitutions as I deem fit.

It is not that you are taking a rare path, It is just that you are using a different 
name for the same road. 

brandu