[Sca-cooks] pates, spreads - modern processed/altered foods

[Philippa Alderton]

--- mls <mschulte at mcw.edu> wrote:

> On this topic, I was wondering where feast stewards
> purchase the bulk foods
> for their creations?  Farmers' Markets, Sam's Club,
> a local grocery store, a
> chain grocery, grow their own?  and the meat?  and
> Why there?  price,
> organic....?

In my experience, Head Cooks might use all you've
mentioned, as well as any other source they might
have. For example, when I helped Iasmin with her
Coronation feast, I bought a veal calf and slaughtered
and butchered it myself, and turned the bones into
veal stock, cut most of the meat into kabob chunks,
and cut and cooked the Crown Roast. Obviously, not
everyone either has these skills, or is willing to use
them. Adamantius uses good quality supp;iers with
which he is acquainted in NYC, at least he did for the
two feasts I've helped him with. The pears I smooshed
for him came from a Farmer's market, when I worked
with Ras, I slaughtered and butchered rabbits for and
with him (wanna see my scar ;-) and he used several
items which he had grown in his gardens.

Essentially, it boils down to where you can get the
best quality product for the best price- the balance
of quality and price is strictly at the discretion of
the Head Cook.

One thing I have noted that is common to every feast
I've ever helped with. Every last one of them has
required some item or items which call for a trip to
the nearest grocery store. Make sure you know where it
is ;-)

I've been thinking about this a lot
> lately, not only with
> respect to what/where I buy stuff for daily
> consumption, but a lot with
> respect to making period food....is it the final
> dish that is 'period', the
> process as well, the ingredients, etc?

Well, ideally, it's everything you can do to reproduce
the foods in as authentic a manner as possible, given
your facilities and your willingness to make an
effort. I am aware of people who try to use open fires
and period ovens for their cooking, as well as
horse-hair seives and the like. My take on it is to
try these methods and see what actual effect they have
on the foods- unless there's a big difference in
quality and/or flavor, I'll most often use a stove or
other equivalent modern device.

Other folks will make unfounded assumptions, like the
guy who added sand to his bread because he reasoned
that stone ground flour would have sand-like grit in
it ;-) Personally, I believe in trying things for
myself.

But, as far as I'm concerned, it's the final product
that you would consider period, if you feel that your
efforts have produced a foodstuff that a Medieval
person would immediately recognize as something they
would commonly eat.

Phlip

=====
Never a horse that cain't be rode,
And never a rider who cain't be throwed....

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