[Sca-cooks] "Authentic" cooking

aldyth at aol.com aldyth at aol.com
Sat Apr 26 11:41:47 PDT 2008


Eira writes:





Well there is the difference I suppose.? I don't think we have to have it in the 
written word or a painting to believe that someone, somewhere, given the tools, 
and skills of the time, wouldn't have tried it.
 
There are hundreds of thousands of things we do everyday that aren't written 
down in a book, or a picture painted of.? It doesn't mean it didn't happen, only 
means that no one bothered to record it.
 
I think that this documentation is good for base, it gives us what tools, 
processes, techniques, and goods were generally available, but I don't think I 
need limit myself to only those dishes we have recipes for, or only those 
techniques dipicted in paintins and tapestries.
 
If I'm using the same tools, etc, and stumble across mixing two things never 
mentioned as mixed, or cook something using a different process that was 
available then, I don't feel it's less period because I can't document this very 
dish.
 
We know people played with recipes and techniques even back then.? Look at the 
variations of 'documented' recipes for Blancmanger.? I agree we need to be as 
period as we can, but don't think we should leave out creativity for the sake of 
documentation.
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On this list we have such a well of knowledge.? Not everyone here is a member of the SCA, which gives us a unique perspective on many issues related to food.? There are quite a number of people who have been recognised at one level or another for their knowledge related to food.? Published authors.? Cooking is both an art, and a science.? The trick is blending them in?just the right way.? We have manuscripts that have been translated so that we can attempt to re create an exact dish from a time and place.? If we are really fortunate there is some sort of illustration that looks like what the recipe would have produced.? What we don't know is whether the illustrator or painter took artistic license?in representing something, or ran out of a paint color and went with that?they had.??

It is all about the process.? Take Mac and Cheese.? The box is useful and quick.? But how about buying?macaroni and cheese and making it.? How about making the?macaroni?(From grinding the grain to buying flour)?and grating the cheese (certain kinds, or made yourself) butter and spices and putting it in a baking dish that was in the picture onthe box. (stretching it I know) and then the finished product served to a waiting and appreciative audience.

There is nothing wrong with being creative with food. If you are tinkering with "medieval" food in the SCA, you will have more of a battle if you represent it as "authentic" or "period"?rather than your own creation.?

Aldyth
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