[Sca-cooks] Menagier and stuff was Charcuterie

[Johnna Holloway]

SNIPPED from the longer message on

>From: "Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius"
>Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Ham, Cold cuts, and Charcuterie
>  
>
> Admanantius and Ham ? Had to look

It was said----

"CAVEAT: I AM WORKING ENTIRELY FROM A RATHER FALLIBLE MEMORY!!!

We need a manuscript geek (possibly from the Midrealm? ;-)  ) to 
verify this, but I have a vague memory of hearing somewhere, being 
told, or having a note slipped under my door at midnight, about 
rillettes in period France. Possibly in Le Menagier, the English 
translation of which I have on hand (Powers -- but don't, in fact, 
which is why I'm working from memory) makes references to cracklings."
  

I'm not a geek--- I am a Librarian!

And I can find my copy of Powers (Ha!) .  But I don't find cracklings 
mentioned -- cracknels yes
but no cracklings. Under sausages, there's the recipe To Make Sausages, 
page 308 which is the
minced pork and fennel sausage recipe. Pages 248-49 go into the making 
of the black puddings.

I shall check into the French language editions that I have at hand and 
see what I can find.

Menawhile I would note that Balzac was into these in the 19th century---
http://jollyroger.com/xlibrary/TheLilyofBH/TheLilyofBH1.html   has a 
translation of what he has to say
about them.

>My theory/impression, based, again, on incomplete memories of having 
>read this years ago, is that rillettes, as well as the general 
>concept of potting things in fat, are probably either very late or 
>post-period. However, I think perhaps le Menagier in the original 
>French may hold a clue, in its pig processing section, and I would 
>not be at all surprised if Powers has translated as cracklings 
>something very much like rillons, which are rillettes' big brother.
>
>  
>
http://www.best-gourmet.com/uk/produits/p20.html      describes 
rillettes  for those interested
in pork meat products. 

Johnnae

>I think perhaps what might have been done in period France, at least, 
>is that rillons were made in this way, but strained from the fat to 
>be eaten separately. Maybe more like Latino chicharrones than like 
>modern rillons or rillettes.
>
>Maybe someone with more time (at the moment) and access to the 
>appropriate sources can verify, debunk, or otherwise add to our 
>information.
>
>Adamantius
>  
>