[Sca-cooks] Quick spice query

[Mark.S Harris]

Lucrezia asked:
> Does anyone know if there will be a spice stall at Pennsic? Francesco, will
> you be there? I'm just sorting out what I'm cooking for my turn on the
> Thursday and need to know if I can buy stuff there rather than lugging it
> from the UK.

The Pepperer's Guild should be there. They usually set up across from
the barn near the merchants that have the little wooden buildings.

It is quite interesting and can give you a medieval "feel" to watch
them wiegh out the spices on their balance scale.

They have a wonderful selection and their prices are some of the
best around. I'm especially fond of their small glass vials of
very red, Spanish saffron for six? or eight? dollars. The best
price I've seen and the quality is excellant.

They have a website, so you could peruse that to see if they carry
the spices you will be needing. More info about the Pepper's Guild,
and I think their website address (it has changed several times)
can be found in this file in the PLANTS, HERBS AND SPICES section
of the Florilegium:
merch-spices-msg  (31K)  1/18/01    Spice merchants. Reviews and
recommendations
http://www.florilegium.org/files/PLANTS/merch-spices-msg.html

There are other merchants that carry spices, but they don't have
the selection of the Pepper's Guild and for them spices and herbs
are just a sideline. Spices and herbs are all that the Pepper's
Guild sells.

Stefan li Rous
(who has been buying small quantities of the exotic medieval spices
just for his use. *This* year I want to remember to buy larger
quantities, so I can use them for prizes, favors and gifts. And
thusly, perhaps encourage more period cooking)