[Sca-cooks] Drachma Weight

[Terry Decker]

>> Remember that most spices in period were sold through apothecaries or
>> spicers and that the spices were sold in apothecary measures.
>
>Correct.  But did the cooks measure them that way once they had
>them in the kitchen?
>
>
>Thorvald

Depending on the size and structure of the household and given their value,
spices would probably have been purchased and stored by the Clerk of the
Wardrobe (Privy Purse, etc. etc.) and dispensed to the cook on the basis of
the daily menus and the portions required as were most food stuffs.  I'm
fairly certain they were purchased by apothecary weight and were dispensed
to the Kitchen by apothecary weight.

If the household was too small to buy in bulk, they would probably purchase
what they needed, already ground, from the apothecary or spicer.

Bear