[Sca-cooks] Dutch ovens?

[UlfR]

ranvaig at columbus.rr.com <ranvaig at columbus.rr.com> [2004.02.09] wrote:
> Or do you know where to buy a more period style of pot that isn't too 
> expensive?

There were several options for cooking pots in period

  * iron
  * brass/bronze/copper
  * soapstone
  * clay

IIRC cast iron did not come into use until post-period. 

Iron is the type that would be easiest to reproduce these days, but your
local armourer would charge you plenty for it. i

Brass, bronze, and copper is not really a good choice; we know too much
about the health issues these days.

Soapstone would be nice, but I have never found a large enough piece for
a price I could afford. They also are fragile, at least compared to
metals.

Clay would be another option, but is also fragile. Takes skill to make,
even if you go for viking age stuff.

Of modern materials there are pots made from aluminium and steel
intended for outdoor usage (boy scout troops, etc) that are reasonably
decent looking (paint them black on the outside with a high temperature
resitant paint, or let nature and firewood take its course; there is no
reason to clean the outside to shiny metal each time you use it). 

My choice is the latter (been using the same set for a few years now),
and when I win the lottery I'll ask one of the local armour guys to mae
a set of pots for me. 

This summer I might try to make some clay pots and fire them in a pit.
And try to trace down some chunks of good soapstone.

UlfR

-- 
UlfR Ketilson                               ulfr at hunter-gatherer.org
Software is getting slower faster than the hardware is getting faster