[Sca-cooks] Feast Day at Jorvik and the smoked fish

[King's Taste Productions]

I went into the store today and smoked my fish - the better part of a
side of a 10 lb or so salmon.  I used Alder, and it came out really
well.   I was trying to quantify the smell as it was working - it
reminded me for a minute of my wood-burning set I had as a kid and the
smell of wood being seared by that hot iron, but without the slightly
sweet smell of resin carmelizing (when I was working on pine boards)
more akin to oak.  
 
I left it on for a while, I wanted to get this fish cooked all the way
through since it had been in my freezer for a month, and I cooked to an
internal temp of 145 degrees.  
 
I'm happy with it, now to see if the kids will eat it!
 
Here is my menu for the class tomorrow: 
 
JORVIK FEAST DAY
 
SMOKED SALMON, GRAVLAX
 
SMOKED, PICKLED, AND CREAMED HERRING
 
PRUNE-STUFFED PORK TENDERLOIN
 
BARLEY POTTAGE 
 with garlic, chives, and carraway, 
served with lots of butter
 
POTHERBS
LEEKS, TURNIP GREENS, GARLIC, LINSEED (FLAXSEED)OIL
 
HONEY-GLAZED ROOT VEGETABLES
 
DRIED CHERRIES
 
PANCAKES WITH BERRIES
 
RYE BREAD AND RYEKRISP
 
FRESH CHEESE WITH CHERRY BUTTER
 
HONEY DRINK, WHEY, CHERRY JUICE
 
 
One of the parents is baking some barley bread, and another is bringing
some gluten-free pancakes for the sensitive crowd.  I don't have any
documentation for the creamed herring, it was there.  I bought ginger
snaps to go with it because creamed pickled herring and ginger snaps is
one of those 'it can't be good together' things that actually turn out
to be delicious!  The honey drink is basically mead without the yeast
and time - watered down honey that was boiled with ginger, cinnamon and
cloves, and then skimmed.  
Oh, and I'm making drinking horns - the ones that I am doing are made
from rawhide - large dog chewies actually, which I soak, cut out
according to the pattern I made, then wrapped around a small horn I have
and secured with rubber bands.   A few hours in my dehydrator and they
are set - then I'm coating the inside and the lip area with beeswax.
They are watertight (thanks to the wax), and are the right shape, plus
they are small enough for the kid's hands because I'm making them that
way.  They aren't horn, but they are from a cow product anyway ;)
I think it will go well, I just have a few more things to finish up and
then get my handouts ready.  Then packing up the feast ware, you guys
know the drill! 
Christianna