SC - Creme' Bastarde

[Philip & Susan Troy]

CBlackwill at aol.com wrote:
> 
> In a message dated 5/22/00 3:51:14 PM Pacific Daylight Time, LadyPDC at aol.com
> writes:
> 
> >  Also, after straining the final cooked mixture, I beat the whole
> >  mixture 200 strokes before refrigerating and 100 strokes after an hour of
> >  refrigeration.
> >
> 
> One quick question:  Does anyone on the list have any references to how
> medieval cooks kept things cold, since the invention of the refrigerator was
> not to come about for many, many, many years?  I have read a few Middle
> Eastern pieces which refer to the making of sherbets using ice from Mount
> Etna, but doubt this method would have been used on a regular basis in
> Europe.  Just curious as to how this A&S entry could have been made more
> period..

Well, my immediate reaction is to leave that to the lady responsible for
it, and enjoy it as it is until the lady blows the whistle for her own
improvements. (Of course, I know you meant all this in the best way!)

But, since you ask ;  ) ...

One thing to consider is that ambient room temperatures appear to have
been somewhat lower in Europe in the High Middle Ages, overall, than
they are now.

With regard to specific measures, period cooks seem to have used a
variety of cooling measures: some recipes refer to hanging foods in airy
locations, others speak of marble or stone slabs for things like candy
work, which provides not only a smooth, non-porous work surface, but one
which is both massive and a good heat conductor.

Some dairies seem to have had not only marble work surfaces, but ones
with runneled  or channelled edges through which cool water ran. I'm not
sure if this is a period measure, but the technology did exist and there
are some pretty old dairies which have this design feature. How old,
offhand, I dunno.

Meat, usually pork, was stored in larders, which used a combination of
several methods to keep meat cool and insect-free. Generally such rooms
and their various cabinets were airy, made partly in stone, and had
openings covered with a gauzy fabric that allowed circulation of air but
not flies.

Then, of course, there were cellars, which tended to stay cooler in summer.
  
Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com