[Sca-cooks] Period Flour Query
Terry Decker
t.d.decker at worldnet.att.net
Thu Feb 22 22:35:18 PST 2007
Tamis is a derivative of the Old English temse, which means sieve. A little
checking suggest that the small drum sieve is primarily a home appliance. A
larger version was used in some small mills, but the drum sieve is not
designed for producing a high volume of flour. I've come across a couple of
descriptions that describe bolting by forming a bag from the bolting cloth,
which was then filled with meal and beaten to produce flour. And I've also
encountered a description of a tubular cloth bolter worked by two men. Just
for fun, here is an essay on grist milling that contains a description of an
18th Century automated bolter:
http://www.engr.psu.edu/mtah/essays/histbeth/gristmilling.html .
Bear
> If you look in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking, the
> section on kitchen implements, there is a line drawing of a tamis or drum
> sieve. According to my 90-year-old mom that is what she used as a young
> woman when learning to cook. Today's drum sieve - with metal mesh - can
> sometimes be found in Oriental markets.
>
> Apparently in the SCA period the tamis had a fabric bottom, most likely
> linen but could be silk.
>
> Cordelia Toser
More information about the Sca-cooks
mailing list