[Sca-cooks] what are your thoughts on period-style food?

[Kirrily Robert]

Muiredach wrote:
> And then there are fools like me who never follow recipes, "period" or
> not.  Unless of course I bake, then I tend to be a little more particular
> about following the recipe! :-)
>
> It's not that I find period recipes bad, I just find I have a problem
> following a recipe in general.  I much prefer to use the recipe as an
> inspiration than anything else.  Of course, if I'm cooking "period", then I
> don't throw in extra ingredients and do my best to follow the technique
> provided.

Hey! I resemble that remark!

I'm very much a cook-by-feel type.  The only sorts of quantities I ever
use in a recipe are things like "about twice as much" or "a splash or
three".  Working from period recipes for me goes like this:

- read it through a few times
- compare with similar recipes, if available
- look up the meanings of any unusual words
- figure out ingredient substitutes/omissions/etc according to availability
- just do it, tasting as I go

Sometimes it comes out great, sometimes I learn by making mistakes.  I
seldom seem to get quantities wrong, though, nor cooking times, because
I just kind of apply common sense and extrapolate from other dishes I
know well.

Of course, actually writing up a good redaction for others to follow is
a real chore for me :)

Yours,

Katherine


--
Lady Katherine Rowberd (mka Kirrily "Skud" Robert)
katherine at infotrope.net  http://infotrope.net/sca/
Caldrithig, Skraeling Althing, Ealdormere
"The rose is red, the leaves are grene, God save Elizabeth our Queene"