[Sca-cooks] Re: Sugar Plate/Paste; Stained Glass Sugar

[Elise Fleming]

Subject: [Sca-cooks] Sugar Plate/Paste; Stained Glass Sugar
Reply-To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org

Anahita wrote:
>So I am toying with the idea of making one or two Sugar Plate
>sotilties for a feast i'll be cooking in September. One would be
the
>arms of the Principality of the Mists which will need to be white
(no
>problem), green (not hard), blue (a little tougher with natural
>vegetable products - i'll see if i can find dried cornflowers aka
>batchelors buttons). The other, a musical instrument (a hammer
>dulcimer - for specific reasons - i'll simplify it).

Question to you:  Are you planning on having folk eat these?  If
not, you can use illuminator's/limner's colors.  That was what was
done in period.  Hint: Lay a ground of white first, even though the
plate is white.  Otherwise the sugar absorbs too much of the paint
and is wasteful.

>Any suggestions for natural blue coloring besides cornflowers? I
>don't care if it isn't exactly heraldic blue.

Maybe Cindy Renfrow will pop in here.  Do you have the C.A. that we
did on period food colorings?  (Mine's not handy.)  We listed what
was cited as used.  However, for sugar paste, the period thing would
have been to paint on it.  I would suggest using slightly liquified
modern food paste colors.  They are edible and are a safer
substitute than what the period person would have painted with.

>I'm also intrigued by the "stained glass" sugar, but i'm only
finding
>scattered mentions in the Florilegium. Anyone here have any
>experience? (seems many are made of melted "Life Savers") I might
>make the device of the guest of honor instead of the musical
>instrument...

There is a boiled sugar recipe in Curye on Inglysche (again, it was
painted on), which would make a period "stained glass".  If you need
the recipe I might be able to find it tomorrow.  Melted Life Savers
might be easier.  Don't try to do melted Life Savers next to sugar
paste, though.  You'll melt the paste!

>Realistically, how far ahead of time can i make these?

I think "stained glass" might suck up moisture in the air, so it
might last only a few days.  Sugar paste can be made well ahead of
time, and is probably better done that way so it has time to
thoroughly dry.  I think the Florilegium has a whole bunch of my
"helpful" comments on working with sugar paste.  What is your
opinion of painting on top these items?  It's period...

Alys Katharine