SC - Another Bounce from Akim

[Michael F. Gunter]

Somehow this post didn't make it to the digest,
so if you were wondering what my "in reference
to mu earlier post" was and why it didn't make any
sense, I am reposting it.Balthazar of Blackmoor comments:
>>>>They are also the main ingredient in a delicious period(?) sweetmeat

called
cotignac.  I plan on making some using canned quince paste (as soon as I
can
find it), but I am not sure how this will compare to the fresh stuff.
So
long as there has not been too much processing or preservatives added, I

think it should work okay.<<<<

That's "condoignac"  and the recipe is in Le Menagier.  The recipe
was posted  in Cooks #2205 in the original post of this thread. I make
it quite regularly during the holidays in 10 pound batches.  I also make

chardequynce (circa 1444) in three different versions in 20 pound
batches.
It is more like a thick jam, while condoignac is like a dark
licorice-coloured
gummy square.  The taste is very powerfully flavoured.  Some folks like
it, others won't touch it.  The chardequynce is pretty much universally
popular by those who try it.  I use it (in a period fashion) in feasts
as
a last course item to soothe" the stomach, though I can't seem to keep
the feasters from using it as a sauce on pork and chicken dishes as
well.   I think it may in period  been our equivalent of cranberry sauce

at Thanksgiving.  I will probably bring a gallon or so of it to Pennsic
to reduce the gracious plenty of it I have at the moment.

I doubt that quince paste will give you equivalent results
to the original as the cut fruit is boiled in the red wine for
hours and is transformed in flavour by it as it boils down
in volume to about 10% of its orginal liquid volume.  Then
you render this fruit, which retains its original shape completely
incidentally, into mush ( I use a blender as hot fruit through
a sieve is for the birds).  Then this thick paste is boiled for
even more hours with the honey.   I don't think paste will
do well at all.  I wrote a huge post on these recipes which
Stefan put his collection last fall.

One final note, Condoignac  was a kingly gift in period as it
was made from expensive honey, wine and spices.  It is very
expensive to make now as the wine and fruit are premium
items and the price of honey is rising fast.  If you have some
extra cash and use a lot of honey, I suggest you stock up now.
Last year was an absolute disaster for most of the Eastern
US beekeepers as the drought cut the bloom of most usual
honey flowers drastically.  The many bee parasites and
diseases plus the lack of close by open water sources
also put a huge amount of stress on the hives as well.  Loss
of hives this winter in my area by professional apiaists was
over 50% and most amateurs 100%. The price of honey may
well double by the end of the year (or more) unless this is a
really great(and normal ) summer.

Akim Yaroslavich
"No glory comes without pain"