[Sca-cooks] Define Dessert? Was: dessert onions

[Stefan li Rous]

Alys Katharine replied to my inquiry with:

<<< Johnnae wrote:

> But of course their idea of a dessert varied in a number of ways  
> from ours.
>

And maybe that's what Stefan should clarify when he said:

> (snip) but does anyone know of any
> period desserts that contain onions? >>>

Yes, I had in mind period desserts. That's our period of study and  
today with sweeter onions it is much more likely to see them in a  
"dessert" dish.

<<< Today we consider "dessert" to be the final food dishes after  
everything
else has been served, and the dishes are usually sweet in the US,  
although
they could also be fruit or cheese in other countries.  My  
understanding is
that "dessert" as we know it didn't exist for much of SCA's time  
period. >>>

Oops. And I thought I had composed my question so carefully. When I  
started out I did intend to use a phrase such as "dessert-like" since  
a sweet dish could show up almost anywhere within a dinner. I know  
that the term "dessert" or having a specifically sweet dish at the  
end of a meal was late period or post period. Like the fork, it  
started in certain classes and then spread from there. Unfortunately  
by the time I'd composed my message I forgot and simply used the term  
"dessert" out of  modern habit.

<<< That, to me, doesn't equate with "dessert" as I
was understanding Stefan's question to be.  Certainly the "ambroyno"  
might
have been served in one of the courses of a meal.  Then, the meal might
have ended with spiced wine and comfits although the label "dessert"
wouldn't have been used. >>>

While interesting, the "ambroyno" wasn't quite what I had in mind.  
BBQ sauces often have a fair amount of sugar or honey in them, but  
few would consider barbecued chicken to be dessert. Spiced wine can  
be sweet, without being the rich, sweet, sugary taste which today is  
often associated with "dessert".  And yes, the cheese that was  
mentioned does count as a dessert, although it was further away from  
sweet than I was thinking of, at that time. Comfits are rather sweet,  
though.

<<< In England, the final course came to resemble more what we would  
call
"dessert" in Tudor and Elizabethan times.  The "banquet" had the sweet
dishes that we expect as ending a meal.  So, Stefan, were you looking  
for
"period desserts" or "period sweet dishes" which contained onions? >>>

Perhaps "period sweet dishes" is a better description of what I had  
in mind. However a discussion of other, non-sweet dessert dishes  
might be a good thread. Especially of those that folks in the SCA  
might be willing to eat at a feast or pot-luck.

Stefan
--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
    Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas           
StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****