[Sca-cooks] pilgrims and travel foods

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

G. Tacitus Adamantius scripsit:
>  >I read the book yesterday, thinking of McNuggets - small chicken
>  >bits (or perhaps in the commercial case) extruded chicken-meat fluff,
>
>You're truly better off not knowing.

Har, har, har.

>There are good descriptions of
>the process in one of Margaret Visser's books, I think ("The Rituals
>of Dinner"?), as well as "Fast Food Nation".

Haven't read Visser. Own and have read "Fast Food Nation".

>  >I am in an in-between position on this book. It does NOT present
>  >itself as containing truly accurate interpretations of historic
>  >recipes. It is aimed at those who are not devoted historic cooks.
>  >So, i wouldn't come down too hard on it. On the other hand, it's not
>  >a book that i would use, since i AM one of those devoted historic
>  >cooks.
>  >
>  >It serves its purpose, fills a void, has its place...
>
>Do you really believe that it fills a void in providing simple dishes
>for people travelling to events (am I mistaken as to the intent of
>the book?), that could not just as easily be filled by the simpler
>period recipes?

Yes, it fills a void, since a printed-on-paper collection of simpler, 
more historically accurate recipes is not available all in one place.

I agree that a better cookbook would be, well, better. But since to 
the best of my knowledge, there isn't one out there, well...

Sure, there's the internet, but you have to be able to tell the 
difference between good "redactions" and bad ones. And the beginning 
or disinterested cook can't or won't. And the Gode Cookery website 
has both good interpretations of historical recipes, bad 
interpretations of historical recipes, peri-oid recipes of varying 
qualities, and some downright modern recipes. And i've heard from 
some not-so-clueful folks who cooked whole feasts based on worked out 
recipes from that website, and they believed that if it was on Gode 
Cookery, it must be "period".

I have found the web site useful, but i think i can tell the 
difference. But some folks can't and apparently some folks don't read 
very carefully...

And for the most part, one can't put the internet and a printer in 
your pack and take it camping.

I put my recipes on the internet, so folks can use them. I include 
commentary and notes about what went well, and what went badly, and 
what i might do to improve the recipe. But most are not simple. And 
while most are my interpretations that i think are good of period 
recipes, a few are peri-oid - i think i've marked them clearly. And 
most are in feast quantities - although i've been thinking of making 
smaller versions, say for eight, rather than for 75-150.

So, Adamantius, when are you editing such a book? I'd be happy to 
contribute any of my recipes that are suitable.

Anahita