SC - Long Pig

[CBlackwill@aol.com]

In a message dated 5/31/00 1:10:48 AM Eastern Daylight Time, stefan at texas.net 
writes:

<< So why would you want such an item today? It would seem like a strainer of
 that style made with monofilament line or some other polymer would be
 stronger and less effected by humidity than horsehair.>>

Because it is a superior product. When cleaned and stored properly it 
literally lasts for years. The horsehair have scales which polymers do not 
allowing much finer material to be removed from the liquid poured through 
them. 
 
 > Other strainers I seen pictured were low sided pans with 
 > holes in the bottom and at least one Roman source that showed a metal 
 > strainer which closely resembles today's rounded strainer with holes.
 
 <<Although, I used to call such items "strainers" isn't the better term
 for these "colanders" or are colanders something else? >>

In SCA period the term colander was used as early as the 14th century CE and 
was derived from the Latin word colare (to sieve).

Sieve, colander and strainer are used interchangeably by a large number of 
people including myself. 

Technically, a modern colander is a perforated utensil used for washing or 
draining food. 

The word sieve is derived from the Old English word sife which is related to 
the Old High German sib (sieve) and appeared in the 12th century CE. Today 
the word is used for "a device with meshes or perforations through which 
finer particles of a mixture (as of ashes, flour, or sand) of various sizes 
may be passed to separate them from coarser ones, through which the liquid 
may be drained from liquid-containing material, or through which soft 
materials may be forced for reduction to fine particles."

Strainer has its origins in the 14th Century CE. The modern usage of the term 
is for "a device (as a sieve) to retain solid pieces while a liquid passes 
through."

Hope this helps. 

Ras