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

[Stefan li Rous]

Anahita said:
> As for the Compleat Anachronist on food coloring - i paid my dues
> about 2 months late that year, so i think i missed it, since i do
> have the ones before and after. It has been discussed on this list
> and sounds like something essential for my library.

So, buy it from the SCA Stock Clerk (or whatever the name of that
position currently is). You just have avoid procrastination and do
it. I missed one of the CAs because it came out when my membership
lapsed for a month. Kept procrastinating, but finally bought it from
an SCA book merchant at this last Pennsic. It was one on cooking.

> Back to "will it be eaten?" Since i don't know, i would prefer to use
> edible coloring, just in case...

Always the safest, unless you are doing it mainly as an A&S entry
and/or you are wanting to see exactly how the medieval coloring
agents worked.

> Hmmm, in re-reading this message i just got a twisted idea... So, the
> sugar plate sotiltie(s) are brought out, shown first to the High
> Table, then to the populace, then when approaching the High Table
> again they are dropped "accidentally on purpose" - and then fed to
> everyone... just a silly idea.
>
> Oh, and another one - show to High Table and populace - then a maniac
> with a mallet runs in and smashes them - and everyone gets to eat
> it...

Good for schtick, but not for authenicity. The high table often
shared tidbits with the people below them, as a sign of favor or
their generosity.

This doesn't do that. This is closer to picking up that piece of
food dropped on the floor, that would normally go to the dog, and
handing that to your guest. "Oh, it got smashed. I can't possibly
eat that now. You can have it, afterall".

I think it gives a better impression for the Baron or the King or
whomever it was presented to, to break it up and then pass out
the pieces. Or hand it to a server (who could have been a noble
personage themselves in period) and have them break it up and pass
it out. Perhaps keeping a crown or baronial charge or some such for
themselves or the other folks at the headtable.

> I suppose i ought to take photos first, if they don't look too awful.

Yes, do so. Others may not be as critical of your work as you are.
Or, if indeed it is bad, if you keep doing this, it will give you
something to look back on and realize how much better your work is
now than then. Often times as we gradually improve at something it
is difficult to realize that things are really getting better unless
we can go back and compare our current work to our original work,
rather than the project just previously done.

--
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris            Austin, Texas          stefan at texas.net
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****