[Sca-cooks] The truth about Green Beans Savory in Meridies

[rene chaisson]

Savory Toasted Cheese..mmmmm! This has always been my period dish that mundanes always ask for. I've made it a many times at house parties for non-sca friends. Toast points are my favorite(especially if you add bacon to the cheese!). But asparagus, broccoli, baked potatoes, any fresh veg tray....it's always wonderful(even if not period any longer!). Thank goodness, we dont have parties often, dont think my arteries could handle it....but its worth it!!!!

--- On Thu, 9/3/09, Kingstaste <kingstaste at comcast.net> wrote:

From: Kingstaste <kingstaste at comcast.net>
Subject: [Sca-cooks] The truth about Green Beans Savory in Meridies
To: "'Cooks within the SCA'" <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Date: Thursday, September 3, 2009, 12:12 PM

I posted this several years ago, but figured it fit in with my cheesy theme
for today. 

Christianna

 

The truth about Green Beans Savory

 

For many years, there has been a dish served at Meridian events that has

delighted many, called Green Beans Savory.  A lady from our southern

shores, Countess Gilrean Derrilyn, served this first at one of her

feasts, and made it with brie, butter, cream cheese, and green beans. 

The non-bean ingredients are squooshed together in ziploc bags,

typically, and then added to just-heated green beans.  Very tasty. 

Another lady from the southern part of our kingdom, Countess Rhiannon of

the Isle, disliked brie, and so she started making this with cheddar

instead. (Producing a much greasier version, but loved by the populace

nonetheless.)  The cheddar version survives to this day as an

always-seen-item at any covered trencher occasion.  (I have been known to

make it at home, its that pervasive.)  

The dish Savory Toasted Cheese was unknown to me or to feasts in this

area until I started reading about it on this list some years ago. 

 

 

In teaching about period foods, we had been trying to get across the idea
that green beans

were not, and that Green Beans Savory notwithstanding, they were a New

World Food. (TM)  Once, on our Baronial list, the subject of GBS came

up (someone saw it at a covered trencher event and asked for the recipe) and

Gilrean had the opportunity to comment on the fellow's version of the

recipe with the cheddar, as the change had always griped her.  I made use

of the occasion to bring up the green bean issue, including a copy of the

original recipe from Digby, asking if this was the version she had first

used.  When her answer came back, I was astounded to read:

 

And just so you know, the green beans we're using aren't period, they're

 New World.  In fact, if it is from the recipe below, the original calls

 for asparagus.  Is this the original you used, Gil?

 Christianna

  >>

 

    Actually, the version I used came from Cariadoc's mouth, rather than

from the book.  While in Axemoor visiting his then-fiancee, Elizabeth, we
were

discussing cooking during a private dinner.  He was the one who suggested

green beans, due to the high cost of asparagus, and the fact that more

people seem to like green beans than asparagus.  

 

    Gilraen

 

OH MY GOD!! GREEN BEANS SAVORY CAME FROM CARIADOC!!!

I have to admit, I was a little shaken.  He has feet of clay, I said to
myself.  It was a long time ago, I added.   Tara emailed me privately and
said "Can you believe it?".   Well, we eventually got over the shock, and we
have tried to encourage asparagus and toast and meats as alternatives to
green beans.  

 

I have contemplated how casual comments made by myself and others can have
far-reaching ripples of influence.  (I recently heard from a 3rd party how I
had introduced a great period gambling game, when in fact I had cobbled it
together from various period sources, but never claimed it to be a period
game.  And here I was being cited as a credible source - eeps!)

 

So here on National Savory Toasted Cheese Day and Green Beans Savory Day, I
raise a Savory Cheese-covered toast to those of us that can change the shape
of history with our casual musings!

 

Christianna

 

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