[Sca-cooks] Porringers?

[Dan Phelps]

Was written:
>
> Of course, wood and pottery *are* options. But there are several
advantages to
> pewter - it doesn't break, it can be scrubbed completely clean, and it
> transfers cold easily.

It also trasfers heat just a efficiently something that you might not want.

And it's not inappropriate to the lesser nobility within
> the timeframe.

Well if you are going to metal what about a heavy silver plate goblet or two
which might pass in period for solid silver?  Or if you are not concerned
about breakage glass?  I suggest that either of these would be an
ostentatious display of wealth for a lesser noble.

Regards wood, pottery and pewter was witten:

> There really is so little difference between the cost of the three
materials,
> that for me anyway, it matters little on that level. It's going to be an
> investment either way.

The costs are comparable now but not then.  Pewter being metal would be IMHO
orders of magnitude more expensive in period.

> Reproduction period pewter spoons are pretty easy to get for under $10
each.

Visit a good flea market and you will be able to find silver plate or
possibly even sterling spoons of appropriate design within or in the case of
sterling near that price range. IIRC one or two off sterling pieces,
possibly slightly distressed, can be aquired at a few bucks over melt down.
I distictly remember looking at a small bin of sterling silver "salt" spoons
selling for under or around $10 each.

My
> horn spoons lasted less than a season - they split along the grain pretty
> quickly in spite of cleaning and drying right after eating.

Sorry to hear that I've not used any in quite a while but I do recall that
they were some what fragile.

I approach the issue of eating utensils and tableware in general from two
directions.  If I am recreating the spread of a minor noble at "home" then
glass, sliver, metal and fine pottery placed on table "linen" are the order
of the day  for me.   If I'm recreating a noble "traveling" light with "only
a couple of servants" i.e. not a "home" I lean more toward things that in
period would not break in transit or be stolen.   Thus I would lean more
toward treen i.e. wooden ware, leather jacks and a "traveling set" of good
utensils.
>
Daniel
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