[Sca-cooks] Pie Shapers: Was Speaking of Beets

[Johnna Holloway]

The web sites that I gave in the posting on coffins
also show several illustrations from Robert May
and several raised pies--

See also the marvelous cutwork custard pies at
http://www.historicfood.com/Setcustards.htm

As regards coffyns-- Ivan Day has pictures of raised pies
along with a description of various recipes.
http://www.historicfood.com/Pie%20recipe.htm
http://www.historicfood.com/Pie%20recipe2.htm

Johnnae


Terry Decker wrote:
> One of the great skills of a baker is to be able to cut and form dough by 
> hand to produce decorations for breads and other bakegoods (I haven't 
> practiced enough to be anywhere near good).  The little that I have found 
> makes me think molds were used where freehand decoration wasn't practical 
> (as with ginger bread) or where standardization was required (as with the 
> Eucharist).
>
> Using molds with a pie shaper or for a pie cover would probably work, but I 
> haven't seen anything to suggest it occurred.  It's an interesting question.
>
> Bear
>
>   
>> When we made chewets in Ivan Day's course last April he used a pie 
>> "former"
>> or "shaper" around which we pressed the dough to make specific sizes and
>> shapes.  Of course, experience with years of shaping coffins would tend to
>> lead to uniformity.  As to the top, I've seen lovely designs done by hand,
>> but that doesn't mean that the design wasn't cut out using cutters for
>> leaves, etc., which he or someone else at another course demonstrated.
>>
>> Alys Katharine
>>     
>
>