[Sca-cooks] Compost

[Stefan li Rous]

Ranvaig commented:
> I have a question about compost.  What size do you cut the pieces of
> the various veggies?  I've been served it cut into fairly big slices,
> some of the recipes say to cut into chunks, some into cubes.
I wonder if this likely varied depending upon individual tastes. When I 
made compost for the Crown Luncheon I did, I cut most of the pieces 
fairly small, because I was envisioning it more of a chutney type 
topping. If someone is thinking of the compost as a salad of pickled 
vegetables, then I could see the pieces being larger. Above a certain 
point, the shape of the pieces is going to depend upon the size of the 
vegetables involved since cabbage is likely to be in layers and carrots 
are only so big in diameter so you would have both large and small 
pieces. I think when I've seen jars of pickled vegetables in the store, 
the items inside are of different sizes and shapes.
>
> I cleaned out the fridge and found carrots, parsnips, cabbage and
> pears... I'm gonna make a batch today.
This brings up an idea for modern compost that has similarities to my 
understanding of how period compost was done. Since the various items 
that compose compost ripen at different times throughout the year, I 
believe each was picked at their optimum time, chopped and placed in 
the pickling solution. When the next item was available, it was 
chopped, placed in the solution and more solution added if needed. Etc 
until the harvest is finished.

You could do the same. When you clean out your refrigerator, you chop 
up these leftover veggies, and place them in the solution and perhaps 
using them as time goes by. Then when you next have a surplus of items 
in the refrigerator or buy a surplus, you chop them up and add them to 
the compost jar and continue.

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