SC - Pleyn Delit et al-vinegar

[Darice Moore]

Greetings everyone,

> I dont find that the vinegar amount in Pleyn Delit is so high...and I take
> the words "make it sharp with vinegar" to mean make it sharp with vinegar,
> ie it should have a definate twang.

Possibly it's the recipe I chose (the cold sage chicken) which was just
a bit harsh, no matter how I adjusted it.  (I tried several times).

Actually, I moved on to the Menagier's "summer sauce" for chicken
(vinegar, rose water, orange), but knowing my audience and having an
orange tree in my back yard ;) I upped the OJ.

> Much depends on the type of vinegar yoiu're using....I only use white
> distilled vinegar for cleaning my fridge, and save the yummy cider vinegar
> or red wine vinegar or balsamic for cooking. THose have a lot less sour
> power per unit used.

Yes.  I used white wine and red wine and cider... my kitchen has a
plethora of varying vinegars!

I don't mind if the recipe is meant to be sharp, but in some ways, I
disagree with the idea that they all have to be sharp.  (For instance,
Hieatt's version of Pevre Gresse, in which she maintained that the
grapes would have been sour, so we should add lemon.  I and my tasters
found the recipe much improved without the "sour.")

> and one of the neat things about reconstructing medieval recipes is that
> they DONT give amounts, and so you can play with amounts on ingredients you
> dont care for (to a degree, anyway).

That's for sure.  :)  It's part of the fun!

And I do like the taste of, say, hot and sour soup (to use a modern
equivalent).  Possibly it was because I was choosing cold dishes that
the ones I selected were all vinegary!

> Where the cooks skill can come in is in menu design so that the 
> whole meal doesnt come off as monochromatic. 

And that's the proof of a true talent in the kitchen.  :)

Still practicing (and enjoying every minute),

- - Clotild