[Sca-cooks] Pillsbury pie crusts

[Susan Fox-Davis]

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>Another reason you may wish to make 'pie crusts' by hand for period feasts is that there appears
>to be a bit of evidence that the 'pie crusts' used in many of the extant recipes were not all that
>flaky or tender to begin with.  It all depends on how authentic you want to be.  A crust used to
>encase a rabbit (Hare Pie???),
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" For in her cunny borrow may two tumblers and a ferret play...."  fa la 
la etc.  o/ o/ o/

> and take the shape of the original creature would need to be
>sturdy.  A modern flaky pie crust may well crumble under its own weight if used in this manner. 
>There are those, like myself, who believe that some of these crusts were not even meant to be
>eaten, but rather acted as sturdy little pastry ovens to help keep the contents moist and
>protected from excessive heat.  When the dish was served, the crust was cut away and discarded.
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>William de Grandfort
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You echo my on-air comments completely.  The paste needs tensile 
strength if it is to serve as not only the cooking vessel but the 
lunchbox as well!  It's really easy enough to do and fun to mold and 
hold.  Pie paste, the toy for lunchtime, playtime, anytime... I should 
be an ad writer for period cookery.

Selene, pasty princess