[Sca-cooks] Food/recipe ideas

Terri Morgan online2much at cox.net
Thu Oct 4 07:05:08 PDT 2007


Norsa will take what it can get so long as there is good grounding in
documentation. I *just* sent their list a link to Cariadoc's review of
Savelli's book because it was being cited as a _good source_! (That is
because the Vikings-NA folks who cook also do about ten other things to
support the group and haven't had time to create a good listing of foods.
It's an umbrella group for a bunch of smaller re-enactment groups scattered
all over the US and Canada.)

They would, basically, kill for the sort of thing so many of you so-casually
offer up to the SCA. Oh yes, dear.

And so would I - I'm trying to put together a menu for a single person at a
five-day event where *no non-Viking Era equipment may be used*. In public,
anyway. There is a clay oven onsite but I don't know if I will be allowed to
use it.

> So could you take a small amount of cured ham,
> maybe pre-fried bacon, bread, oatcakes, hard boiled eggs,
> fruits for the lunches? 

I was thinking of that but am also tempted to not pre-fry the bacon (must
find 'medieval cuts' of that if I can) since I have my fun little
swirly-griddle and the Viking frying pan to play with. Oh!  I have *got* to
remember to make myself a potholder! Thank goodness I have some felted wool
leftovers. I'm toying with the idea of frying the bacon on the frying pan
and then wilting spinach in the resultant grease. Augmented with bread,
cheese, and fruit, that would be a substantial meal.

I've been doing some research since I sent the message you (Johnnae) replied
to. I'm thinking about attempting to make Skyr cheese if I can figure out
how to find the ingredients in my home town. It's that 'casual cook' thing -
I don't know all the good stores! I can get *anyone* to fabric and
embroidery/weaving places but food stores.... eh. We have a really good
health food/bulk store in the area though so I have hope.

Some of the guidelines are kinda cute. Apparently, I can only bring white
cheese. :)

> You could cook eggs or soups in the evening.

Well... my only pot is a single-hammered one that holds about 2 gallons. Far
too large for one person. I'm thinking this is where the to-be-hidden butane
burner will step in and I'll do boil-in-a-bags. I don't really want to but I
can't take the pans outside of my very-small tent to do any clean-up thanks
to the 'no modern stuff in sight' rule and that crimps the cooking-on-site a
bit. Neither am I willing to live 5 days on grilled foods and raw or dried
veggies/fruit. I want soup! And porridge! Or something like.

> Barley with some meat? Fish? Freeze meat in
> advance and cook/fry as it thaws?

> Is anyone going to be selling fresh foods on site?

I wish! But this is their first try at what will be a bi-annual event. On
alternating years the push will be to travel to Hastings, England to take
part in the event there.

> What are the chances of a potluck or a contributed dish supper?

There's no organisation for it. I'm sure once we're all onsite, that will
become something - folks who can't start their own fires are being
encouraged to 'become friends' with those who can so it seems that food will
naturally follow. And of course, this is a 'shake down' event and things
will be noticed and addressed better at the next one. (Not to mention
everyone will have arranged to have more equipment to support their fun by
then. I certainly will have a new pot.)

> You have October to pre-cook and try a few things at home
> before you leave anyway. At least it's not this weekend.

Yup! And it is going to be fun to do so, too!

> I would guess that Devra could probably rush Hagen to you too.
> Other authors to check out are Debby Banham's Food and
> Drink in Anglo-Saxon England.
> Johnnae

Both are on my shopping list. A friend here just handed me her copy of
Hagan's book to use this month but I believe Devra will be getting an order
soon after I return from the event. It sort of surprises me that the
LH-crowd has so few resources given how long they've been in existence and
how tight their standards are - certainly their armour and clothing kit
guides are quite complete! I'm a casual cook, for the most part, and am now
kicking myself in the head for not paying enough attention when our (Manx
Camp) good cooks were fixing stuff for us. I was too busy demonstrating
fibre arts instead. When I wasn't wolfing down tasty foods, that is. :)

What I'm going to try to do right now is narrow down my options of healthy
foods and try to create a menu that will blend fork or griddle cooked foods
with raw foods, augmented by what I can quickly heat in a boil-a-bag. I know
that I want stewed parsnips, for instance, and am now trying to find a
reasonable recipe for them using techniques and spices/herbs that would have
been common in my culture. Luckily, as a middling-wealthy woman, I can
justify using a bit of pepper. I like that too much to give it up.

long-windedly yours,
Hrothny




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