[Sca-cooks] Re: Coffyns

[Daniel Myers]

On Feb 21, 2005, at 6:50 PM, Nancy Kiel wrote:

> My understanding is that since the piecrust of a standing pie was not 
> the light, flaky delicacy we know and love today, it was not intended 
> to be eaten, and therefore needn't be made really thin. Looking at 
> some pictures of standing pies from Dutch paintings, the pies appear 
> to have been broken open, rather than sliced, and the crust is 
> definitely thicker (2-3 times at least) than the metal plate onwhich 
> it is served (Jan Davidsz. de Heem, 1606-1648, from  THe Dutch Table 
> by Gillian Riley).

While this may partly true, it is not always the case.  Note the 
warning in the recipe below about putting in too many eggs.  This 
implies that the crusts were (at least sometimes) intended to be eaten.

Source [The Good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchen, Stuart Peachey 
(ed.)] To make Paste, and to raise Coffins. Take fine flower, and lay 
it on a boord, and take a certaine of yolkes of Egges as your quantitie 
of flower is, then take a certaine of Butter and water, and boil them 
together, but ye must take heed ye put not too many yolks of Egges, for 
if you doe, it will make it drie and not pleasant in eating: and yee 
must take heed ye put not in too much Butter for if you doe, it will 
make it so fine and short that you cannot raise. And this paste is good 
to raise all manner of Coffins: Likewise if ye bake Venison, bake it in 
the paste above named. (England, c. 1588) [emphasis added]


As for the thickness, check out the pictures below.  In each the crust 
is notably thin (with parts missing, which I assume have been eaten).

Still-life with Turkey-Pie, Pieter Claesz (c. 1630)
http://www.rijksmuseum.nl/images/aria/sk/z/sk-a-4646.z

Breakfast Still-Life, Willem Claesz Heda (1637)
http://gallery.euroweb.hu/art/h/heda/breakfa.jpg

Breakfast Table with Blackberry Pie, Willem Claesz Heda (1631)
http://gallery.euroweb.hu/art/h/heda/breakfas.jpg

- Doc


-- 
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
  Edouard Halidai  (Daniel Myers)
  Cum Grano Salis
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-