SC - _Eat, Drink & Be Merry_

[Stefan li Rous]

In a message dated 6/15/00 7:51:59 PM Pacific Daylight Time, LrdRas at aol.com 
writes:

> What I question is the idea that sauces and 
>  spices during the SCA period were used to 'enhance' the flavor of the main 
>  ingredient. Such a concept is a modern culinary concept. The cooking of 
>  Southern India is most like medieval cookery so far as overall flavor. The 
>  use of spices and sauces to take many flavors and combine them to form a 
>  SINGLE new flavor. That is what I see medieval cookery as trying to 
achieve. 
> 

>From the recipes I have seen, I have to agree.  It seems, for the most part, 
that a single homogenous flavor or texture was desired.  While this may seem 
"weird" to modern palates, who have grown up with al dente vegetables and the 
concept of "I don't like it when my food touches", it seems that the medieval 
 palate preferred a well blended and contiguous (?) flavor.  As Ras has said, 
Middle Eastern cuisine is rife with this sort of thing (hummus, tahini, 
falafel, etc).  It also happens to be one of my favorite cuisines, next to 
Thai...

Balthazar of Blackmoor

Mr. Wizard, what happens when you combine pasta and antipasta?