[Sca-cooks] Re: coffyns

[Nancy Kiel]

I think it unlikely that coffins were used because there weren't enough 
pans/trappes.  A coffin might be used because the dough can be shaped 
however the cook wishes; it might be used so that the innards of the pie can 
be presented in a different way; as I said before, it's a chance to show off 
wealth (using all that flour, instead of a reusable ceramic pan) and skill 
(shaping as desired).  As for thickness, certainly the Dutch paintings 
mentioned show thin top crusts, and one (at least) has a scoop of pie on the 
second plate with some of the crust.  My understanding was that the crust 
for coffins or raised pies, which I interpret as free-standing pies, was not 
meant to be eaten, just because it wouldn't be very tasty.  A "regular" 
crust would be made with more fat etc.  As for serving food "hot", do we 
have any idea as  to how quickly food cools off?  Maybe some experiments 
with refrigeration are in order.  And hey, if the food is room temperature, 
doesn't more of the flavour come through?

Something to look for (hint, hint, researchers): period 
descriptions/instructions for serving pies
            Kitchen inventories for pans


Nancy Kiel
nancy_kiel at hotmail.com
Never tease a weasel!
This is very good advice.
For the weasel will not like it
And teasing isn't nice.




>From: she not <atamagajobu at yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at ansteorra.org>
>
>If one has trappes, why raise a free standing pie shell rather than form
>the shell inside or outside of the trappe ?
>
>
>"If," indeed..think period solutions to period problems! raised pies, as 
>far as I can tell, were expedient to replace pans and dishes, although now 
>they're often baked in pans. (keep in mind that not everybody had the 
>resources  a court cook like Taillevent had. Since the royal kitchen always 
>needed to feed lots of people, he would have had more pans on hand than 
>most of his contemporaries) Using a trap is easier, but not necessary. and 
>after all, why put hot food on a cold dish when you can send it out in  
>nice  filling pastry that won't suck the heat right out of it?
>

>the thickness of the pastry and whether you need
> > support, it also becomes more stable when the pastry is filled with
> > something fairly solid, and a lid sealed in place...