SC - Greetings, passing on a question

[Decker, Terry D.]

The question you pose is somewhat ambiguous.  Your friend is preparing her
first feast.  She is attempting to prepare several recipes.  She wants to
know if unflavored gelatin or pectin are "period" for these recipes.

I am assuming the goal is to prepare a historically accurate, satisfying
feast.  For feasts, I prefer to error on the side of good cooking.  These
are paying customers, who deserve properly prepared food.  Being able to
make that food historically accurate is an additional pleasure and a
demonstration of the cook's skill.

My second assumption is that the recipes she is using are from historical
sources and require interpretation, which is why there is a quandary about
gelatin and pectin.

The term "period" covers 1600+ years and a world of history and has
essentially no meaning in discussing historical accuracy.  It might be
appropriate to add gelatin or pectin, but without the original recipes or
some idea of time and place, using them is of questionable accuracy.  Trying
to justify the general use of ingredients from a specific case is bad form.

Some historic recipes introduce gelatin and pectin  from natural sources as
part of the preparation.  In some circumstances, it may be appropriate to
substitute packaged gelatin or pectin, but the preferred method for those of
us who chase historical accuracy is to prepare the dishes as closely as
possible to our understanding of the recipe.

If your friend is worried about the historical accuracy and still needs to
use the pectin or gelatin, then do not claim historical accuracy as regards
the dish.  Rather than being a "period" dish from a "period" recipe, it is
"a modern adaptation by "cook's name" of a "period" recipe".

And while you looking for useful ideas, check out Stefan's Florilegium.

Bon Chance,
Bear


> Okay, I'm not on this list, actually, but I have a friend who is cooking
> her 
> first feast and wants to know if unflavored gelatin or pectin are
> considered 
> period for several receipes she wants to try. Any comment is appreciated;
> I 
> will pass on to her.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> LarsEllen de MacAvoy Morgan
>