SC - Trenchers Oh my!

[Elaine Koogler]

What came out were items that looked sort of like large cookies that had risen a bit.
They were about 4" across and maybe an inch high in the center.  So cutting them
crosswise as you suggest would have produced something akin to biscotti in
appearance.  My idea seemed the only way to produce something useable.  But, as
Muirghen pointed out, had he been aware of the proper kind of sponge, etc., they
probably would have risen more.  I still wonder if Bear's suggestion might not have
helped as well.....

They weren't actually used...he just brought them along so that we could see what the
recipe as he interpreted it produced.

Kiri

Stefan li Rous wrote

> Why do you bring up the idea of cutting them in half to form a bowl? It is
> my understanding, from the trencher cutting directions posted here from
> period books, that trencher loaves were cut into slices after the crust
> was removed. I don't remember any directions to create bowls out of them,
> just flat, squareish slices.
>
> So were these served with the crust on, or cut off? And how well did they
> work as plates? Did the sauces/juices soak through them?
>