food and appearance...was Re: SC - quick important note

[Huette von Ahrens]

- --- Bonne of Traquair <oftraquair at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
> > > >  > My solution to a "horrible looking stew"
> was to
> > > make dumplings
> 
> > >
> > > Actually, dumplings are quite period.  The
> recipe
> > > for "White Ravioli" in
> > > Redon's "The Medieval Kitchen" is exactly
> that...a
> > > dumpling.
> 
> >While I agree with you that dumplings are period, I
> >don't agree with you that raviolies are a form of
> >dumplings.  They are two entirely different
> processes.
> 
> My brain has two notions of dumplings learned from
> years of plain old 
> cooking as opposed to historical:
> 
> 1. the lump of dough type which may range from a
> thick noodle-y thing to a 
> big hunk of dough boiled in the broth.
> 
> 2. dough/paste wrapped around something, and the
> packet then cooked in steam 
> or broth.

I personally consider #1 to be one definition of
dumpling, but I have not considered #2 to fit my
definition of dumpling.  All the dumplings I have ever
made have been either boiled in water or broth or
plopped on top of a stew and baked in an oven.  None
have ever been filled, although some have been
flavored.
> 
> Ravioli fits #2, and the yummy dim sum I'm hoping to
> have for breakfast 
> tomorrow should include a different variation.
> Pierogis would be another 
> variation.

I personally don't feel that either ravioli or
pierogis fit the category of dumpling. But this is my
personal opinion and not based on any extensive
research. 

I never considered the category of dim sum, which I
have eaten but have never made.  I suppose that it
could be considered as a crossover item that fits both
categories; a sort of culinary missing link.  But then
sometimes inappropriate terms are assigned to foreign
concepts because the translators have no better word
to use.  

> 
> So, where did I go wrong in beleiving that #2 was a
> useful generic term for 
> the myriad ethnic variations of stuff wrapped in
> dough and cooked?  What 
> generic term would you use?

Personally I don't think that #2 fits the category of
dumplings, but I could be wrong.  I am sure that I
will be excoriated for this opinion if I am wrong.

Huette


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