SC - RE: SC Verjus

[Philip & Susan Troy]

This site (ThinkQuest) seems to be a site where participating High School 
students get to post their papers.

I can presume that this is not written by a historian, but a kid. 
Inaccuracy and generalizations are to be expected.

some thoughts:

> This was to prevent a fire in the kitchen from spreading 
> to the great hall. 
It was more likely because the preparation of food was distracting, 
servants work, and of no interest to the gentry (just the final product)

> Fires happened often because all food was cooked over a 
> fire or in an oven. 
Rampant generalization. Kitchen Fires continue to happen for the same 
reasons, BTW. 

> This would help to keep out the wind and keep the food warm 
> on the trip. 
More likely, to keep rain and mud and beggars out

> The kitchen itself could be constructed of wood or stone. 
no information. All castle buildings of the period were of stone or wood

> Animals were often cooked over the fire in the fireplace on 
> spits. 
they were more frequently boiled, if the corpus of recipes I have seen 
are any indication
(BTW Ras, I think a bed of wood coals would equate in the mind of a high
school kid to "fire"... that is putting too fine a distinction here, don't you think?)

> Spits were long poles of wood on which an animal could be secured. 
metal, is more likely. a wooden spit can only be used a couple of times 
before they burn through

> The 
> spit would then be turned over the fire to make sure the animal was cooked 
> evenly. 
Freequenly be some mechanical means, by a cranker, a clockwork 
mechanism (late medieval/rennaissance), or even by dogs in a tread wheel

> A 
> fireplace could also be used to smoke meat, a primitive form of preserving 
> it. 
more likely, a smokehouse performed this function. and it was not all
that primative. A fireplace where people were working would make a
lousy smoker.

> An oven might be used to make bread or cook other dishes like pastries or 
> pies. 
Not other way to do that I am afraid... 

Brandu