[Sca-cooks] Artichoke/cardoons was Re: roast turkey

[Louise Smithson]

William de Grandfort wrote: <snipped for length>

That having been said, one could argue that the Artichoke is just as 
period as the turkey, since it was known to have been minimally available towards the end of the 15th century, as a cultivated version of the Cardoon.  However, the Artichoke does not appear in any known extant cookbook of our period of interest, nor has it ever grown wild in any part of the world.  I, personally, am of the opinion that those foods which were relegated to 'curiosities', or very difficult to find, should be excluded from the mainstream SCA gastronomique.  Potatoes, Corn, Turkey, Artichokes,
Chocolate, etc...

Would you like lots of period references to both cardoon and artichoke served in recipes.  Grilled over coals, eaten raw in a salad, cooked in broth served with cheese, served in a pie? Menu references to both items being served at feasts?  I have them all in a cookbook, written well within our period of interest (600 ad to 1600) and in a country of interest.  

I am of course referring to the Opera by Scappi, mid to late 16th century Italian, court of the popes in Rome.  Neither Turkey nor cardoon nor artichoke are particularly rare among the menus or recipes. Italy is not England, the Renaissance wasn't just art it was food too. 

Helewyse de Birkestad 
ps give me a week or so and I'll have some translations for you.

			
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