[Sca-cooks] Re: Danelaw sources and a book by Savelli

[iasmin at comcast.net]

Aoghann:

> In defense of the book by Savelli, her goal was not to reproduce 
> specific Anglo-Saxon recipes, but instead to create a collection of 
> recipes that would at least be "recognized and enjoyed" by someone from 
> the time. [....]
> /A Taste of Anglo-Saxon England/ is well worth the purchase price and is 
> an enjoyable and informative place to start exploring cooking from that 
> period. This is all that Savelli intended her work to be (according to 
> her introduction), and in that context it is an excellent resource.

It is what she was ultimately told to make the published version become. A minor nit to pick, but an important one in understanding what is being sold. 

Mary Savelli spoke at the MK Cook's Symposium a few years back and it was an utterly eye-opening experience for most of the attendees. When I signed her up as the quest speaker, I had numerous people email me privately saying that the book was utterly horrible, perfectly incompetent, and generally worthless from the point of view of a "true" researcher (whatever they thought that was). 

I invited her to speak anyway because it gave many people the opportunity to see what an incredibly difficult experience it is to publish a book on historical research. For some, it goes well; for Mary, she got a book published, but it was decidely not the book she wrote. In her talk to the attendees of the conference we hosted, Ms Savelli specifically stated that her manuscript not only contained the information you see in what is marketed today, but also *considerably more* information. Actual quoted source material comprises the bulk of the now-missing information. Original text from manuscripts and such were verbotten by the publisher because the publisher said no one would buy the book. And if I'm not mistaken, even some of her notes were removed.

Looked at from that perspective, I think your approach to it is spot on. It's an excellent place to start exploring. She made some choices that many of us would disagree with. She made choices that *she* disagrees with. And after hearing her speak about her book, nearly all the people who emailed me privately again emailed me or spoke with me to apologize for their rash opinion.

Cheers,

Iasmin