SC - period dishes for Ari

[Philip & Susan Troy]

Isha ArrowHawk wrote:
> 
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Stefan li Rous <stefan at texas.net>
> To: SCA-Cooks maillist <SCA-Cooks at ansteorra.org>
> Sent: Saturday, September 16, 2000 8:58 PM
> Subject: Re: SC - period dishes for Ari
> 
> > > Stuffed Dormouse:  Is stuffed with forcemeat of pork and small pieces of
> > > dormouse meat trimmings, all pounded with pepper, nuts, laser, broth.
> 
> Question:  What are 'laser' and 'forcemeat'?

A forcemeat is a stuffing, often, but not always, made from meat. By
extension, various foods such as the mixture from which veal, poultry,
or fish quenelles are made, are also considered forcemeats. 

Laser (if I remember the order of details in this confusing issue) is an
aromatic, resinous root used fairly frequently in Roman cookery. IIRC,
laser is the older form which describes Cyrenaican sylphium, which I
believe became extinct in the reign of the Emperor Nero (r. 54-69 C.E.).
Subsequently Persian sylphium, still occasionally referred to as laser
in later Roman recipe sources, such as Apicius, became the universally
accepted substitute. Now, Persian sylphium appears to have been
asafeotida. I may have some of these details reversed or incorrect, but
it's almost irrelevant since asafeotida is all modern adaptors of Roman
cuisine have to work with. It is unclear whether there was any real
similarity between the two types of sylphium, other than that both are
described as aromatic, resinous roots. A little asafeotida goes a long
way -- too much makes your food reek somewhat of rotting garlic, while a
tiny bit acts as an amazing flavor enhancer in fish dishes and various
others. Available in Indian groceries as "hing"
    
Adamantius
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com