[Sca-cooks] Arts and Sciences; bread

[Terry Decker]

The recipe states "every bushell of meale may be made five and twentie caste 
of bread, and every loaf to way a pound besyde the chesill."  A caste is two 
or three loaves, in this case two loaves, which is four manchets or 100 
manchets to be made from the flour "besyde the chesill."  The assumption you 
appear to have made is that the full bushel of flour is usable, but the 
recipe is actually calling for the removal of the bran (chesill) before use. 
The chesill was commonly one peck per bushel, or in the case of a 56 pound 
bushel, 14 pounds.  Based on your bushel size, the actual weight of the 
flour is between 41.25 pounds and 45 pounds or between 160 and 180 cups, 
given a 4 ounce cup.

Based on the recipe and a 56 pound bushel, 100 manchets will require 42 
pounds of flour, 2 gallons of water (256 fl. ozs. based on the Elizabethan 
wine gallon) and 1 quart of ale barm (32 fl. ozs.) and perhaps 4 ounces of 
salt depending on the size of your fist.

Rather than try to figure out the sponge requirements, I'd use a couple 
teaspoons of dry active yeast to a quarter cup of warm water to approximate 
the ale barm.

You got me interested in playing with the recipe again, so maybe I'll make 
up a batch for SCA hospitality tent at the Medieval Fair this coming 
weekend.

Bear


>
> had to wait to respond until I had the actual documentation in hand.  I 
> used "The Good Huswife's Handmaid for the Kitchen".  The conversion of 
> flour was from an Almanac.  A bushel of flour weighs between 55 and 60 
> pounds, equivelent to  255 - 265 cups.  With that kind of variance ... I 
> was concerned about how that would translate down.  I made a few 
> test-drives before I made the competition batch.
>
> Oh
>
> And ... the flour was carefully measured the first time I made it.  The 
> second and third ... not so much.  The last batch (Sunday) I was less 
> careful about measuring (scoop and dump).  The total liquid was slightly 
> more than 2.5 cups.  I used yeast starter or sponge ... and I keep mine 
> quite liquid so I was at odds on how much liquid to actually USE and still 
> get enough yeastie beasties to grow the dough.  On the tests runs I played 
> with the amound of liquid.    I used one cup of the starter and one cup of 
> warm water and then added more as it needed. On the second test run I paid 
> close attention to how much yeast starter and how much water.  On the 
> competition batch I measured very carefully.  I also reported the 
> test-runs, lessons learned and the actual competition batch in the 
> documentation submitted with the entry.
>
> The coolest thing about the Manchet is ... no sugar.  Tastes sweet ..... 
> but not a bit of added sweetner in it.  That worried me a little at first 
> but it is a GREAT bread.
>
> Judging sheet included (I believe ... I don't have the sheets in hand 
> right now) 1-10 points for presentation, 1-10 for period style, 1-10 for 
> the product and (1-5) for documentation.
>
> cheers
>
> Malkin