SC - Documented Substitutions (Long)

[catwho at bellsouth.net]

> Libra de arte coquinaria - 'Ravioli for Meat Days' :  "...and a libra of fat 
> hog's tripe or calfs' head...<snip> ...and if you add the chopped breast of a 
> capon, so much the better...<snip> ...You can make ravioli with breast of 
> pheasant, partridge, and other birds"  (this is the first recipe I came 
> across with actual substitution suggestions in the recipe itself.  It seems 
> to validate my belief that medieval cooks regularly substituted one meat for 
> another, and not necessarily because of humoral theory)

But notice though that they aren't substituting beef for fowl.  They 
list a series of different fowl that would be appropriate.  Probably 
if calf wasn't available they might  have used lamb (or vice versa)  
 Small game such as rabbit might be substituted for other small game 
animals.  Make sense?  So you wouldn't substitute beef for pheasant. 


> 
> Le Menagier de Paris - ' White Poree' :  "...served with pork loin, 
> andouille, or ham on meat days in autumn and winter...<snip> ...put them to 
> cook in a pot with the water from salt meat or with pork and pork 
> fat...<snip> ...sometimes a bread liaison is made for the leeks." (note:  
> this recipe suggests a lot of substitutions for days of abstinence)

I wonder if they mean "salt meat" as being preserved meats or bacon?  
Does anyone know if meat meant any specific meat or a meat that was 
available.  I'm wondering if in this case the salt meat would have 
been bacon or other cured pork and if not available then fresh pork 
and pork fat?  Any ideas?  Substitutions for days of abstinence were 
common as they followed much stricter sumptuary laws than most 
Americans do today.  There were also many many recipes that I have 
seen that say "On a feast day"  or "during time of fast"  These were 
important things to keep in mind.  I would love to do a Lenten meal 
sometime!  LOL!!!

> 
> Le Menagier de Paris - 'Green poree for days of abstinence' :  "...And at the 
> bottom of the bowl, under the poree, put some salted or fresh butter, or 
> cheese or curd, or aged verjuice."

Well, this is only a matter of larder, not really a substitutions 
list.  If you had fresh butter, by all means use it, otherwise pull 
out the salted that has been "preserved"  The difference between 
cheese and curd is whether or not you have cheese in your larder.  
Otherwise you would make some curd (as in curds and whey - cottage 
cheese)

> (question:  In 
> humoral theory, were all vegetables considered to have the same properties, 
> as this recipe makes no mention of it, and seems to treat all vegetables 
> generically?)

One thing that I try to remind myself is that few of these 
"cookbooks" that we look at today were meant for more than a few pair 
of eyes.  These were generally written notes. Sometimes copied down.  
The author probably was well aware of what vegetables he wanted in 
this dish.  It is difficult sometimes to determine what vegetables 
they meant.  He knew and the person that he wrote this recipe down 
for (if in fact he did) also knew.  They weren't writing cook books 
like we do today.  John the Smith's wife didn't go out seeking a 
copy of Cury on Englyshe so she could get some new and exciting 
recipes.

> 
> Libro della cucino del secolo - 'Civet of Hare or other Meat':  "...The same 
> can be done with partridges.." (This would seem to back up Huette's comments 
> that medieval cooks classified meats differently than we do today.  But 
> again, was this due to humoral theory, or rather a similarity in the flavor 
> and affinity for certain cooking styles?  I'm still researching this)

Well, rabbit does taste like chicken!  LOL!!

> 
> Libro de arte coquinaria - 'To make a game-meat civet' : ...then add plenty 
> of ginger and cinnamon so that it be mild or strong according to the 
> collective taste, or to that of your master..." (This seems to illustrate 
> quite plainly that the recipe is very flexible, based upon the persoanl likes 
> and dislikes of the diners, or the lord of the manor. 

Which only goes to prove that some like it hot and some don't, just 
as we do today.  Some like cinnamon more than ginger.  


> Liber de Coquina - 'Limonia' :...When the time to serve nears, add the juice 
> of lemons, limes or bitter oranges."

Probably again a matter of what's in the larder.  Given this 
information I would feel freed up to go a little broader.  Say I go 
shopping for feast foods and Lemons are 10 for $2.50, but there is a 
special on Limes at 10 for a dollar.  Think I would opt for lime.  
Unless of course I was making Lemonaide




Melbrigda
There was som deceptyon or frawdulent
induction that hath made her to condescende 
therunto

Visit my website at http://milkmama.tripod.com/sca.html