SC - Period food in the workplace

[Philip & Susan Troy]

"Decker, Terry D." wrote:
> 
> Jumbals
> 
> To make finer Jumbals    To make Jumbals more fine and curious than the
> former, and neerer to the
> taste of the Macaroon, take a pound of sugar, beat it fine.  Then take as
> much fine wheat flowre, and
> mixe them together.  Then take two whites and one yolk of an Egge, half a
> quarter pound of
> blanched Almonds:  then beat them very fine altogether, with half a dish of
> sweet butter and a
> spoonfull of Rose water, and so work it with a little Cream till it come to
> a very stiff paste.  Then roul
> them forth as you please:  and hereto you shall also, if you please, add a
> few dryed Anniseeds
> finely rubbed, and strew then into the paste, and also Coriander seeds.
> 
>                                 Gervase Markham
>                                 The English Hous-wife, 1615
> 
> 1 cup sugar
> 1 1/2 cups flour
> 2 egg whites
> 1 egg yolk
> 1/2 cup butter
> 2 oz. coarsely ground blanched almonds
> 1/3 cup cream
> 1 teaspoon rosewater
> 1 teaspoon ground anise or coriander seed (optional)

<snip>

> Notes:  Rather than using ground anise or coriander seed, anise or coriander
> seeds can be
> sprinkled on the cookies before baking.
> 
> Jumbals are not as sweet as modern cookies and the spices rather than the
> sugar provide most of
> the flavor.

Not to come over all high-handed or anything -- I'm sure there's a
reason for everything you did -- but I note that the proportions you use
appear not to agree with Markham's. At first glance it seems as if you
halved the flour and sugar, and left everything else the same. Is this a
bow to the elusive "modern palate" ;  ), or a typo, or just a method
that worked for you?

Adamantius (realizing Bear is probably a long way from his e-mail
account by now)
- -- 
Phil & Susan Troy

troy at asan.com