[Sca-cooks] SCA 50th Anniversary Challenge

[Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius]

On Jul 21, 2008, at 12:26 AM, Stefan li Rous wrote:

> Adamantius suggested:
>
> <<< How about 50 sweets from several groups and cultures combined?  
> Let's
> see... we got:
>
> Anise Confits
> Caraway confits
> Ginger confits
> Cinnamon Confits
> Almond Dragees (basically almond confits)
> Hazelnut Dragees >>>
>
> I don't think you should get to count these six as six different  
> items out of the fifty. These are really all variations on the same  
> item. The procedure doesn't differ that much between them. The whole  
> idea is to learn some new things.

Well, with respect, unless you've done them, how would you know? For  
example, what is it about the volatile flavors and moisture content of  
each item that might require different treatment? They're applications  
of some similar techniques to different items, but not the same item.

> <<< Payn Ragoun (honey and pignole "fudge")
> Penydes (pulled sugar hard candies)>>>
>
> We've discussed pulled sugar here before, but I thought the  
> discussion had been inconclusive on whether pulled sugar was done in  
> period. Are you basing this on a period recipe?

Yes. See Curye On Inglysch; what do you think I am, Madeline Pellner  
Cosman?

> <<< Marzipan
> Festicade (I think that's what it's called, basically pistachio
> marzipan)
> Sweet wafers (I like Markham's recipe with sugar, rosewater, eggs and
> cream)
> Quince paste
> Apricot paste
> Cherry paste >>>
>
> Again, the fruit pastes aren't that different from each other.

Except for seasonality and their behavior due to pectin content and  
the tendency to oxidize in cooking, which changes the required  
technique to some extent. Of course, these are the things you'd learn  
if you made them.

> <<< Candied roses
> Candied violets
> Candied orange peel
> Candied lemon peel >>>
>
> These are all pretty similar, although I guess there is a bit more  
> difference between the candied flowers and the candied peels.

Possibly, possibly not. The only way to know is by doing them, which  
is perhaps the whole idea.

> <<<White bisket bread (see Fettiplace; basically anise meringues)
> Bizcochos (several types; do some or all)
> Carrot "fudge" (Brighid could presumably help with this one) >>>
>
> Carrot "fudge"?

It was a reference to a Spanish recipe Brighid had translated and  
cooked several times. Maybe Granado? I expect it's in the Florilegium.

> <<< That's 21 or more right there off the top of my head, >>>
>
> I think anyone on this list should be capable of coming up with 50  
> more disparate items that will stretch their abilities more.

I agree, at least some should, but my list was off-the-cuff, in  
response to a suggestion that it would be hard to come up with 50  
spices to candy, or words to that effect. It was also a challenge to  
come up with more. So, where's your list?

Adamantius




"Most men worry about their own bellies, and other people's souls,  
when we all ought to worry about our own souls, and other people's  
bellies."
			-- Rabbi Israel Salanter