[Sca-cooks] Questions about cleanliness and food safety at Viking Era event

[UlfR]

Sharon Gordon <gordonse at one.net> wrote 2003.09.11:
> The question has arisen, for Real Viking I and other events where we
> wish to be highly authentic, what steps can one take to assure proper
> hygiene (especially in the kitchen) with period materials and techniques?

Quote a bit. 

* I assume you have ample access to basins (e.g. cut up
  barrels or purpose made equivalents work fine).

* The key is warm/hot water and soap, and some sort of scrubbing tool
  for things that need them, none of which is beyond viking age
  technology (I *think* soap was available, but don't quote me on that).
  You can get detergent type effects from some plants, but I have no idea
  if this is even remotely documentable.

* Making scrubbing brushes from thin birch twigs. A bit like the
  traditional birch whisks, but cut down. Works quite well. For pot
  scrubber use Equisetum hyemale (Rough Horsetail,
  http://linnaeus.nrm.se/flora/orm/equiseta/equis/equihye.html), which
  works _very_ well. 

> Obviously, a soap can be made from fat and ashes, and if you have greasy
>    dishes, you don't need extra fat.   Can this be documented in the
> Viking Age?  

Don't use pure lye, make soap and use that. While it is true that soap
is made from fat and lye, which was tradditionally obtained from ashes,
the devil is in the details (in extreme brief you need to mix the proper
proportions of fat and lye, heat them and allow to stand for several
weeks). Too much lye and it will hurt your skin.

Remember that lye is nasty (e.g. if someone gets it in their eyes), so
be carefull when using it.

> Is there a period hand-lotion to use after this
> harsh-on-the-skin substance?  Sand gets suggested as well.

Period (to the viking age) as in documentable, or as in "quite
possible"? For the latter try using suitable fats (sheeps tallow,
lanolin, etc), beeswax, etc as the base for a cream.

/UlfR

-- 
UlfR Ketilson                             ulfr at hunter-gatherer.org
Graduate life: It's not just a job.  It's an indenture.