[Sca-cooks] Secret Life of Christmas

[Stefan li Rous]

Cailte mentioned:
> On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 01:04:12 -0800
>    Susan Fox-Davis <selene at earthlink.net> wrote:
> > Also includes some b-roll footage of Selene [just hands,
> > no interview]
> > making plum pudding and lebkuchen.  It re-airs in about
> > 1 hour here, I may
> > stay up and watch.  For several months, I've been
> > getting questions about
> > Medieval and other historical holiday practices - I want
> > to see what they did with it.
>
> speaking as a laurel, a cook, and one of those
> pre-christian religion folks, quite well, i think.  sorry
> you didn't get more air time, tho.  they could have done
> two hours with that.
Yep. I thought the amount of time devoted to the plum pudding was all 
too short. I did think there were a number of new things discussed in 
the plum pudding and lebkuchen segments which were new to me, even 
though we've discussed both here previously.
I saw the show Friday, before I saw Selene's comments. Otherwise I'd 
have looked for her hands in the show :-). I was surprised not to see 
her or any other SCA folks on there and now I see that wasn't quite 
true. I know it is probably just personal taste, but I find the host to 
be a bit too bouncy and his humor to be a stretch at times. I guess my 
preferred style is more in the way of a strict documentary. For one 
thing this would allow more information to be given. :-)
>
> those cookie molds are gawjus.  i ordered some of master
> huen's sprengerle cookies for our midwinter hospitality
> room, but i would love a couple of those molds, boy
> howdy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The cookie mixture appeared to look very much like medieval 
gingerbread. I guess I'm going to have to find out some recipes. I was 
surprised that the molds were single-sided. I'm thinking it might be 
nice to carve some of these molds with SCA themes but in a period 
style. At one time I looked into doing woodcuts. This looks more 
feasible. :-)

The wassail section also was interesting. I do wonder about drinking 
from that large wooden tub, though. It seems like as the tub got 
emptier you would have a big chance of the contents of the tub 
including the apples (which were floating in the ale) in your lap along 
with the ale. It seems more likely that you would just dip your 
drinking vessel into the tub. I wonder what the basis is for thinking 
you pick up the heavy tub and drink directly from it.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
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