[Sca-cooks] Castration WAS Dutch Recipes

[Micheal]

 Yes it is still done pretty much the same still. Except Elastics instead of 
strings mostly. The crushing tool is called a bardizo (could be wrong on the 
spelling). But it looks like a large set of pliers with  4 inch wide jaws. 
They do crunch when you squeeze those cords.
 Parrie Oysters are still collected in the same manner. Open sack remove and 
rinse brown in a pan and serve forth.
 Da
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Robin Carroll-Mann" <rcmann4 at earthlink.net>
To: "Cooks within the SCA" <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
Sent: Friday, February 11, 2005 11:23 PM
Subject: [Sca-cooks] Castration WAS Dutch Recipes


> Jadwiga Zajaczkowa / Jenne Heise wrote:
>
>>I guess I don't know all that much about period methods of neutering rams. 
>>Nowadays an elastic band is used around the testicles, so the penis 
>>wouldn't be removed until slaughtering.
>>
> Okay, all of you squeamish guys, hit delete now.
>
>
> I mean it.
>
>
>
> Right.  Don't say I didn't warn you.
>
>
> The 1551 edition of the "Book of Agriculture" by Gabriel Alonso de Herrera 
> has animal husbandry information.  The section on sheep refers the reader 
> to the earlier section on goats, since the castration procedure is the 
> same.  It's a long passage, so I'm going to summarize and paraphrase what 
> I've read, since I really don't want to take the time to transcribe and 
> translate.
>
> http://alfama.sim.ucm.es/dioscorides/consulta_libro.asp?ref=X533701960
> The section on castration begins with image # 319.
>
> Kid goats should be castrated under the age of one year, and the earlier 
> it is done, the better they will tolerate it, and the better the meat will 
> be.  Castration should be done when the temperature is moderate; neither 
> very hot or very cold.  Kids born in September should be castrated in 
> March.  Those born in December should be castrated in April or May, before 
> it gets hot.  Those born in March should be castrated at the end of 
> September, or in October.
>
> The animals should not be allowed to eat or drink before castration. 
> There are several methods for castration.  The first is to use a cord to 
> tie the scrotum.  This, Herrera says, is the least painful method.  [note: 
> I gather, from some casual Web research that a similar method is used 
> today, though with elastic.  Apparently, the scrotum dies from lack of 
> blood and falls off in a couple of weeks.]  The second method is to tie 
> off the scrotum with a cord, open the scrotum and cut out the testicles. 
> This makes better meat, very tender.  A nerve is taken out with them. 
> This way, you remove all of the lust and aggression.
>
> Others crush them [ie., the testicles] with something, and this is very 
> painful.  And others cut off the scrotum, having first tied it firmly with 
> a cord as said before.  It can be cauterized with a hot iron, and anointed 
> with cow's butter.
>
> Castration is best done in the morning, when the animals won't have had 
> food or water.  They should not be given food or drink that day.  They 
> shouldn't be allowed to walk around much that day, and should be kept in a 
> corral or stable.
>
> --- end paraphrased text --
>
> Okay, guys.  You can come out now.
>
> -- 
> Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
> Barony of Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom
> Robin Carroll-Mann *** rcmann4 at earthlink.net
>
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