SC - How Lord Ras bought my husband & me closer!!!

[Alderton, Philippa]

Dear Cousin Phillipa,

I'm hoping he _brought_ you and your husband closer, not _bought_ you and
your husband closer- they ought to be saving all their money for the wedding
and honeymoon ;-)

Seriously, dear, you've been mentioning trying out your own redactions for
recipes. This is a good, no a GREAT thing ;-) And it's not really as tough
as you think, particularly with your Kosher background.

Think about it, dear, how many times have you found some interesting treif
recipe, and modified things a bit so it might be Kosher- corned beef instead
of ham, like that? And how about finding another thickener than milk, to
serve as a gravy with meat? You've been doing it all your life, but you're
used to doing that, and think nothing of it- OTOH, doing Medieval is
Different, and therefore, Scary. As you know, I'm very interested in Kosher
recipes, because observant Jewish folk do many of the same things with food
that we Gentiles do, but use different ingredients.

So, enough sales pitch.

Find a recipe, preferably with inexpensive ingredients, in Curye, which is
somewhat similar to another recipe you know. And do it. If it doesn't work
out, do it again, until it does. And then enjoy it, and look for the next
one ;-)

Keep in mind, that not that much has changed since the MA. Water still boils
at 220 Fahrenheit, or 100 Centigrade, milk still scalds if it boils, and
rice still needs about two volumes of water to one of rice to cook. And
spices are always too durned expensive ;-)

You've got access to one of the best redactors around, Lord Ras, and keeping
in mind that he has a PA Dutch take on cooking techniques, ask him if
something feels close, but doesn't quite get it.

And taste, smell, look, listen, and feel. All of your ingredients, at all
times- know how they taste and smell raw, partially cooked, and finished.
Know how they sound when boiling/simmering, frying/sauteeeing,
baking/roasting. Know how they look, feel their heft and texture in your
hands. Every bit of information you get about the product will help you deal
with it more effectively.

There's really no big secret to being what Ras calls, "an instinctive cook".
It's simply directed observation- I suspect any Chef on the List will tell
you the same.

But, above all, ENJOY!!!!!!!!


Phlip

Nolo disputare, volo somniare et contendere, et iterum somniare.

phlip at morganco.net

Philippa Farrour
Caer Frig
Southeastern Ohio

"All things are poisons.  It is simply the dose that distinguishes between a
poison and a remedy." -Paracelsus

"Oats -- a grain which in England sustains the horses, and in
Scotland, the men." -- Johnson

"It was pleasant to me to find that 'oats,' the 'food of horses,' were
so much used as the food of the people in Johnson's own town." --
Boswell

"And where will you find such horses, and such men?" -- Anonymous