[Sca-cooks] spoiled meat
Terry Decker
t.d.decker at att.net
Tue Jul 21 03:52:57 PDT 2009
>I received the latest issue of Renaissance Magazine. In the past few issues
> they have added "the Castle Kitchen" by Alice the Cook. So far, the
> recipes
> don't seem to have documentation but being in the magazine seems to imply
> some sort of documentation.
>
"Renaissance" is the general magazine for the RenFaire crowd. The articles
are generally written in broad strokes, so nuances and conflicting
information often are overlooked. It can be a fun read, but I wouldn't
trust it as accurate. Being published in "Renaissance" doesn't imply
documentation, merely that the editor liked what he read and didn't spot any
glaring errors. Peer reviewed, no.
> Her recent recipe is Apricot Brandy Stuffed Pork.
> Here are my questions.
> 1. I had come to understand brandy was post 1630s, am I incorrect in this
> understanding?
>
Roughly 1300, attributed to Arnaldus Villanova at Monpellier. Brandy in
cooking, who knows.
> 2. She states: "In renaissance dishes from many cultures, meats and fruits
> were often combined. Originally, the sweetness of the fruits was used to
> hide the acrid smells of spoiled meat and/or to remove the saltiness of
> preserved (salted) meat. The fruits...."
> Now I know that the use of spices to cover rancid meat is a myth but what
> of
> her statement of fruit to cover spoiled meat?
>
Opinion, bull. Fruit would likely be used to offset sour and salt, meld
flavors, and provide some mild acidity, but it won't handle rancid.
> She has written 2 cookbooks "Renaissance cooking" and "Renaissance Cooking
> II: Visiting the Silk Road". Her bio says that she recreates recipes that
> have been in the family since 1400s as well as exploring French, Spanish,
> Italian, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisine. Plus she specializes in
> British, Irish, Scottish and Welsh cuisine. This does not help me figure
> out
> whether I should just enjoy the recipes and take her statement with a cup
> of
> salt or a bucket of salt.
>
>
> Thank you,
> De
Enjoy it, but unless you can verfiy a source, don't trust the historical
claims. Think Aresty, probably without the scholarly background.
Bear
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