[Sca-cooks] peacocks

[Susan Fox]

Stefan li Rous wrote:
> Several weeks ago, Adele de Maisieres commented:
> <<< SilverR0se at aol.com wrote:
>  > The only truly edible part of the feast was a roast turkey, decorated
>  > with peacock feathers, which only the high board got to eat.
>
> Oh, do not get me starter on this practice! >>>
>
> Why? Although they used a different faux peacock than a turkey, there  
> is period commentary about doing this. Apparently they weren't as  
> enthused about the taste of peacock as they were with it's colorful  
> plumage.
Speaking as the one who cooked that turkey... even in Los Angeles, land 
of a zillion foodstuffs, it was not possible to obtain a food-grade 
peacock, with or without plumage.   However tempting the notion and 
better for my unemployed budget, sneaking through Griffith Park at night 
with a crossbow is frowned upon by the local constabulary.  If we have 
offended, please forgive;  within our means we must needs live.

Besides, Stefan's right, "adulteration of foods" is hardly exclusive to 
modern times, as we plainly see from various Medieval and Renaissance 
sources, telling how to stretch wine with water and colorants, etc.

Selene