[Sca-cooks] Rotten meat and spices...

[Chris Stanifer]

--- "Laura C. Minnick" <lcm at jeffnet.org> wrote:
> Unfortunately, there is a bit of a 'let them eat cake' logic here. Spices 
> were *expensive*. They were often a way to display your wealth. If you are 
> so poor as to be forced to eat rotting meat (and no, I don't buy that- 
> people that poor seldom had meat in their diets) you aren't going to spend 
> what little you have on spices.
> 
> 'Lainie

This was not relegated strictly to the poor.  Bear in mind that there were no methods of
refrigeration available in medieval times (no reliable methods, at any rate), so even the wealthy
would have to deal with rotten or 'off' meats from time to time.  Probably more often than we
think.  Despite the SCA's deep seated desire for the perfect medieval world, where nobility and
landed lords only ate the freshest of ingredients, there was doubtless funky meat in their
larders... and they didn't throw it out to the peasants.  They spiced it or pickled it or
otherwise covered it up as best they could, and then they ate it.

William de Grandfort 

Through teeth of sharks, the Autumn barks.....and Winter squarely bites me.


		
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