[Sca-cooks] Food Network and Master A's nightmare

[Daniel Myers]

On Wednesday, December 4, 2002, at 10:58 PM, Stefan li Rous wrote:

> Then when is something a "pie", compared to a "tart", compared
> to a "pudding", compared to a "custard"?
>
>
> I've still got a collection of posted messages that are grouped
>
> under tarts-msg because that was what they were titled or referred
> to as. But many look similar to the files in the pies-msg file. And
> I already have a puddings-msg file, but they also include things
> boiled in bags or custardy things cooked in dishes in water. I'd like
> to get these tarts-msg files online.

Barbara Santich has a good article in "Food in the Middle Ages" which
includes a section on the evolution of pies.  In it she points out
evidence that pies generally had hard, inedible crusts (made without
shortening), and that tarts or tortes developed early in the 15th
century and had a soft, edible crust (made with shortening).

"Custard" may have been synonymous with "tart" in the 15th century, as
evidenced by two of the recipes in "Two Fifteenth Century Cookery
Books".  One is "Custarde" and the other is "Crustade", yet they are
essentially the same - a soft-crusted, savory pie made with meat,
broth, and eggs.

- Doc


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  Edouard Halidai  (Daniel Myers)
  http://www.medievalcookery.com/
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