[Sca-cooks] Gunthar's Adventures with Sugar plate (very

[Elise Fleming]

Aww, Gunthar.  What you bought couldn't have been gum tragacanth.  It isn't
white, it's a pinky-beige and costs more than $35/lb.  I'll bet you got a
gum paste mixture where all you need to do is add sugar and liquid. 
'Tain't period, but it works just fine.

You probably should have mixed the cinnamon and ginger with a small amount
of the paste as you were working it up.  Otherwise, as you saw, it would be
blotchy.  Sprinkling it on the kneaded paste won't help it work in to a
uniform color.  If you still have some of that recalcitrant blob left, try
kneading in some of the spices.  You may need to carefully moisten your
hands or dab bits of water into the paste to make it workable - without
becoming too sticky.

Huh... Sticking to everything?  Oozed??!?? Maybe it was too moist and
needed more sugar?  It should be similar to the consistency of a newborn
baby's tush, firm, smooth, but malleable.  Need a thin dowel?  Try a
pencil!  Or an arrow, if you have one.  Sure wish I could have been a mouse
in the corner for this grand adventure!

Now, I will say that you fighter fellows make armored combat seem easy.  A
number of years ago I donned helm and armor for a lesson from Mistress Sir
Hilary of Serendip.  Couldn't get my right arm to do what she wanted, not
even after an hour of trying various techniques, but she did compliment my
footwork!

So, O grand and glorious knight and Count, what are you going to make with
the leftovers?   Hey, feel free to call me if you have problems!  I'm
retired and home most of the time!

Alys Katharine

Elise Fleming
alysk at ix.netcom.com
http://home.netcom.com/~alysk/