[Sca-cooks] Disagreeing Politely: Was: SCA 50th Anniversary Challenge

Elise Fleming alysk at ix.netcom.com
Mon Jul 21 05:46:41 PDT 2008


Stefan quoted:

> 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.
 
And Adamantius replied:

>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.

As far as the anise and caraway comfits, they work exactly the same.  (Yes,
I've done them).  Ginger would work differently since it isn't a seed. 
Cinnamon might need to be treated slightly differently from seeds and
ginger.  Sometimes the harder things (cubebs, peppercorns) needed to be
soaked in (vinegar? wine?) for a while before comfiting.  Almonds and
hazelnut dragees should work the same.  I've done almonds and can't see how
treating a hazelnut would be any different.  So, there could be four
different treatments, above, but still all would be sugar-coated which
would be basically the same process.  The temperature and concentration of
the sugar syrup between seeds and nuts might vary.  I found that I had to
be more careful with coating the nuts than with the seeds and when I erred,
the sugar coating melted off the nuts, thus negating all the work I'd
already put in!

Alys Katharine

Elise Fleming
alysk at ix.netcom.com
http://home.netcom.com/~alysk/




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