[Sca-cooks] period fruit pastes (long and whiny and with questions)

[Holly Stockley]

>Anyway, the person on the herbal guild list pointed out what a big
>problem roses and rosemary are and how wrong it would be to have any
>rosemary there, and problematic if there are roses. I am not denying
>that some people are allergic to them, but i think that it's not a
>huge problem. Sure, huge for the individual who is allergic, but i
>don't think there's a huge number of sensitive people who'll be at
>the Ball. As with food at feasts, one cannot accommodate every
>possible allergy, and this is the Masked ROSE Ball, so i think roses
>are de rigueur.

I would  think so.  In floral, petal, oil or food form, or all of the above. 
  Rose Balls in this neck of the woods have included all those things.  
Molded butters, cookies, candies, marchpane, etc.

>Additional pectin may not be bad, but i dunno... anyone have any idea
>about that? I don't think i've ever made jam before. Or maybe i have,
>but if, so it was well over 30 years ago. I remember making Indian
>lime pickle and mango chutney in 1967, but i don't recall doing
>anything like it again.

Not a problem.  In fact, the recipe for Damsons in Quaking Jelly in Elinor 
Fettiplace's receipt book directs the cook to start with "green apple 
water."  Which is being used her for pectin.  I tend to make pectin stock 
from green apples this time of year and can it for jam-making next year.  
It's just a little insurance, and gives a bit more "snap" than commercial 
pectin.  It won't do anything but maybe help the pastes set up better.

>Of course there's the beet sugar vs. cane sugar issue. I've got a
>huge sack of pure cane sugar in my kitchen, but i suspect that most
>commercial preserves are made with the cheapest sugar they can get.
>Anybody have any idea if the sugar source will matter for fruit paste?
>
I've used beet and cane and not had a problem either way.  I usually DO use 
at least ceylon cinnamon, sometimes other spices, and some rosewater or 
orange blossom water.  That might make pastes made from commercial preserves 
"feel" more period??

Apple paste also goes quite well with cinnamon stick comfits.  ;-)

Femke