Skinny Cooks (was Re: Re: SC - Re: coronation menu (long))

[Philip & Susan Troy]

On Wed, 31 Jan 2001, Stefan li Rous wrote:

> > At the moment I´m doing some homework at my school about a mushroom
> > (polyporus) groing on treetrunks named Fomes fomentarius. I know that
> > substance (tinder, Zunder) in this mushroom can be used for making fabrics
> > and clothes, such as caps, shoes and coats. Maybe You can give me some
> > information about the production and use of tinder in fabrics in the
> > Hungaria and Romania? Or do you got any other perons I can contact in this
> > matter? 

ISTR seeing a set of hunting clothes, probably 17th or 18th century, in
the Swedish Royal Armoury made from this. I have also seen a hat -- or
rather the remains of a hat: it caught a spark -- made in one piece from
this, but that was modern.

Basic procedure AFAIK is to just work it gently, but then all I have
ever done is play with the concept. 

For tinder soak slices in urine -- or saltpeter if you prefer -- for a
week or so, dry, and work soft. Almost better than charcloth for steel
and flint firestarting.

/UlfR
 
- -- 
Par Leijonhufvud                                      parlei at algonet.se
...when in doubt, kill it, eat it, wear it's skin, carve its bones,
hang it's skull on your wall