SC - Feast Prep Questions

[Laura C. Minnick]

Specific advice for Scottish feast ideas:
For your Scottish feast, get a copy of C Anne Wilson's Food in Britain and
read *everything* pertaining to Scotland. You'll find out nifty things such
as the fact that Scotts merchants so abhored the English bread that they
would bring their own makings and cook oarcakesover the fire when travelling
south. The theory was that real men needed real food, not that fluffy white
stuff ;). Also, highlanders tended to carry a scallop shell with them to use
as a cup to drink spirits from. Plus, Scottish cheese was judged to be
highly inferior.   There's lots more good stuff in there.

 Then, find yourself a copy of Mrs. McClintock's Receipt Book (Glasgow
University Press, or possibly Molendinar Press, last published in the
mid-80's I believe). It's the earliest known Scottish Cookbook, even though
it's slightly out of our period. Very similar to Hannah Glasse, but there
are some differences. There's a handy measurement equivalent guide in the
front, which you should copy and keep. Scotts measure are different from
English measures. I also found useful a book I got through inter-library
loan called Lady Castlehill's Receipt Book, which is actually a coffe table
book version of the original (re-typed and punctuation corrected, but not
the language). That probably was published in the 1970's. If you want the
exact info, e-mail me at home at liontamr at ptd.net and I'll dig out the bits
I have copied. I should warn you that it's remarkably similar to English
cook books, with some regional variants. Lots of "Colonel So and So's
receipt for XYZ" sort of stuff. Several mead and wine recipes.

And BTW I prefer my oatcakes toasted. They're kinda nasty when they are
still soft, In my opinion. And also a personal preference, they must be made
with bacon fat AND the crusty little bits of bacon in the bottom of the pan.
Very good with soft cheese. Cheese goo, perhaps, but I prefer stilton with
mine. Not that you could afford that for an event, but it's do-able if
potted.

BTW One can buy, at the cake/confectioner's supply store, something called
gold dust which is a gold-colored powder that looks pretty good as gold
leaf. Might work for your soteltie.


Good luck

Aoife



Quicksilver wrote:
I've been dragooned into running a Scottish Type feast at the end of
March and we're still running through details like food.
....The problem is We don't know any real good recipes to use.  Does
anyone have any ideas on what might be a good idea to serve?
redacted recipes are nice, but I'll take anything anyone has to offer
a poor stuck cook like myself.

On the other hand the subtlety we're planning on making came off
alright on the practice attempt.  A large stained glass window of a
celtic knot.  Made basically with a biscuit mix and the stained glass
is melted boiled sweets (I know hardly period)  It looked brilliant
when propped upright and candles behind it.  We wanted to guild the
cookie with edible gold leaf, but we decided that we couldn't afford
enough to cover a frame the size of a medium cookie sheet.

Wish us luck for the final attempt.

- - -Min