[Sca-cooks] Re: Flaming Subtleties (was Piecrust revisited, was,Books for Cooks)

[Micheal]

Greetings
 Flaming = Flambé same thing
 It has been my experience and training that you can flambé almost anything. 
Most flambé is done for show and adding subtle flavor. It is more a question 
of it being appropriate to the dish and presentation your using.
 I have seen and done such items as a bowl of dates, a platter of meats, an 
entire pig on spits ,  Fish dishes , Plum Puddings,  and yes items that 
could be called with wide interpretation great pies.  I  would agree there 
is no reason why such could not have been done with dishes from our time 
line. But there is little proof of such being done with many dishes . So I 
would leave it to artistic flare.
 Also Flambé or flaming requires a high alcohol or sugar content in the fuel 
so until those liqueurs were developed , odds are  flambé or flaming would 
not have been  possible.

  However I would advise extreme caution in attempting flambé for the first 
time. As it can be very surprising if you have not dealt with it before. ( 
Little fire balls , gouts of flame, small burst of burning fluid coming out 
of areas you knew not of , and such. )Best to get into a large sheltered 
area with no one near to practice,  until you get used to it.
 Although  during our time line such presentations were often carried out to 
the head table.  Such as the print, showing a flaming boars head presented 
to Henry the VII, I believe . Don`t have my book handy right now. To be 
placed upon a small stand in front of. I would again suggest such not be 
tried first in a hall of friends. Also Acquire 2 very strong and fast young 
gentles with really good health insurance.
Da