[Sca-cooks] A Feast in the Time of Chaucer

Phil Troy / G. Tacitus Adamantius adamantius1 at verizon.net
Sat Mar 27 08:17:52 PDT 2010


On Mar 27, 2010, at 8:55 AM, Johnna Holloway wrote:

> The gilding? I wonder if it has to do with the early courses 1-5 being roast
> courses that were then gilded.
> Course 6 starts with beef and capons in sauces and sturgeon in water.
> Likewise 7 mentions both meat and fish in lemon sauce.
> 8 are pies; 9 aspic; 10. galantines.
> By the time you get to the roasted kids and garfish in course 11 -who notices
> the gilding when you are getting 6 coursers with gilded saddles?
> 12 is back to being sauced or possibly pickled.
> Course 13 seems to indicate fancier preparations with venison and beef in molds
> and fish turned inside out. 14 indicates red and green sauces and fish turned out.
> 15 is peacocks. 16 back to roasts.
> 17-18 junkets, cheese, cherries, fruits, etc.

It may also be a logistical issue. I like to do feasts with a sideboard, because I can put a course of cold dishes or ones that will keep warm (such as big pots of pottages) on the side board in the hour before the first course, prepare the first course and serve it immediately, fresh and hot, with the amount of time it takes to eat both the first _and_ second courses to prepare the third course, which might otherwise have to be less labor-intensive. 

Is is possible these roasts were prepared in another kitchen and/or somewhat in advance, leaving the main kitchen and crew available for more "a la minute" preparations in the later courses? "Gilding" covers a fair amount of ground, especially in translation...

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




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