SC - Period food in the workplace

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

Vicente wrote:
>We decided to have a Soul Food Day at work today.  In the midst of 
>all the cooked greens and red beans and rice and fried chicken from 
>Hodak's (God's favorite fried chicken!) was my submission...
>
>the salad of roasted onions from Odile Redon's "Medieval Kitchen".
>
>people are scarfing it down like there's no tomorrow.
>
>(wondering how this stuff would taste with some roasted fennel bulbs 
>mixed in... gotta try that!)

Probably would be good!

I do not like the taste of anise or fennel seed, and i don't find the 
smell of fennel bulbs appealing, although not bad. But for the sake 
of trying Medieval and Renaissance food, i've cooked with fennel 
bulbs several times in the last 6 months or so.

And i find i rather like the fennel bulbs in those dishes that called 
for them. Among them were (1) an Italian recipe i tried from Santich 
last summer (it isn't handy right now but called for cabbage buds, or 
tips, or sprouts, i forget the exact term - i used a mix of broccoli 
and brussel sprouts - apples, and fennel bulb (and almond milk? i 
can't remember) - it got scarfed right down) and (2) the Chicken with 
quinces i cooked  at Estrella.

I say this for those who either don't like anise or fennel seed, or 
don't like the smell of fennel bulbs, or have never tried them. If 
you have been hesitating, go ahead and give it a try.

The original of the Santich recipe used a term for which the actual 
vegetable is uncertain. Santich suggested broccoli, which i used. I 
decided to use brussel sprouts, too, which i cut in halves or 
quarters, because my understanding - or perhaps misunderstanding - 
was that they are both late period and this was a late period recipe 
and not knowing exactly what vegetable to use i figured they were 
both about equally close.

It was served at a pot luck dinner at a camping event, and it was 
dark. I think if i'd said i'd made a dish of brussel sprouts no one 
would have eaten it, but i said it was broccoli and no one complained 
and i didn't notice folks digging out the brussel sprouts by candle 
light. And the pot was empty by the end of the meal.

Anahita