[Sca-cooks] - a slight rant on logic (was Sauerbraten)

[Chris Stanifer]

--- Jeff Gedney <gedney1 at iconn.net> wrote:

> I just feel that it is necessary to point out a little something...
> 
> This whole excercise is "back documentation", the practice of trying to find proof that a modern
> thing existed in period. 

I think we are looking for a period Sauerbraten recipe, aren't we?  I may be mistaken, but I don't
think anyone has said that any of the recipes offered so far *are* Sauerbraten, merely that some
are similar enough to the modern dish that they *may* be the forerunner to it.  Because there are
glaring similarities, and because Sauerbraten is, we know, a very old dish,  I think that
backtracking the history of the modern dish, in this case, is warranted.  We are not trying to
find proof of Cheeseburgers or the Aeroplane in period texts.  What we are trying to find is the
root source of the modern Sauerbraten recipe, so that it's period counterpart may be used in a
feast with authenticity and accuracy.  If it doesn't present itself, then so be it.  Backtracking
a recipe from it's modern presentation to it's historical roots is good scholarly work, and a lot
can be learned about the cultures of the times in this way.  I, personally, don't see anything
wrong with it.  If it turns out that Sauerbraten is not a period dish, then at least we have
learned that much.  However, the modern version is so very similar to the surviving period recipes
for braised soured beef, that I feel there is a likely connection, and it is worth exploring to
it's logical conclusion.

If we accept the existing corpus as the be-all and end-all of our research, and do not delve any
deeper into it, then we may be passing up some very valuable information.  Besides...how many
times can you eat armored turnips and Sekanjabin wihtout getitng completely fed up with them? 
Research into this field may very well turn up heretofore unknown extant sources, which open up a
new avenue for all of us.

William de Grandfort

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


		
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