[Sca-cooks] Leftovers, questions and discussion [long]

[Stefan li Rous]

Here's a message that may have some info on period leftovers. 

It's from this list a while back. Since it is the only message I've seen on period "leftovers" it hasn't (yet) made it into a Florilegium file.

I think the use of leftovers in a hand pie is rather unlikely, although like so much else it depends upon the class level and when and where the statement is made. That retained heat oven takes a fair amount of fuel to fire it up and you don't do it just for leftovers. But you might use it if it were left warm from baking something else. However, we also see various, detailed schedules of what went into an oven and when. I seem to remember that village ovens might get heated only once per week.

We do have evidence of leftovers from the night meal before being eaten for "breakfast". But porridge made from leftover meats and vegetables or beer, is not the same as baking a pie from leftovers.

Anyway, Quelquechoses, anyone?

<<<To: sca-cooks at ansteorra.org
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] re: online glossary
From: Kirrily Robert <skud at infotrope.net>
Date: Mon, 16 Jul 2001 09:18:24 -0400

Marian wrote:
>> A dish made of many things, perhaps left-overs, and often including
>> eggs. Quelquechoses may include meat, fish, fruit, vegetables, herbs,
>> spices, and more.
>>
>> A quelquechose as per the recipe below (but minus the pigs petitoes) is
>
>what are pigs petitoes?
>
>can one substitute bacon, ham, pork, or more "normal" pig pieces for
>them?

I believe they're pig's feet, or a part of pig's feet.  If I were
cooking it, I'd substitute ham or bacon, yes. Keep in mind that the
later descriptions say you can use just about anything, and in my
opinion a good choice would be leftover roast lamb/mutton.

>> To make a Quelquechose, which is a mixture of many things together; take
>> the Eggs and break them, and do away one half of the Whites, and after
>> they are beaten, put them to a good quantity of sweet Cream, Currants,
>> Cinnamon, Cloves, Mace, Salt, and a little Ginger, Spinage, Endive, and
>> Mary-gold flowers grosly chopt,
>
>I don't seen Endive or Marygold flowers on the Pepperer's Guild webpage,
>does anyone know where one can get these for the spice cabinet?

You'd want them fresh, not dry.  Marigolds are common garden flowers,
but the modern version is not the same as the period one.  Check the
florilegium.  Endive is a kind of curly lettuce-like thing, IIRC.

>As for spinach, in this recipe, should it be used as one would use a
>herb, or should it be used as an ingredient?

I usually use about 8 eggs and a good double handful of other
ingredients.  You can make it quite thick with chopped spinach, herbs,
currants, etc.  It just makes it bind together less well, but it still
tastes wonderful.

>I would think, from its place in the recipe that it would be a sparsely
>used herb for coloring, but I'm not sure.  Suggestions?

Either way works.  "Quelquechose" literally means "something", so it's
really just a sort of make-it-up-as-you-go-along dish, suitable for
using up leftovers or whatever.

Katherine
--
Lady Katherine Robillard  (mka Kirrily "Skud" Robert)
katherine at infotrope.net  http://infotrope.net/sca/
Caldrithig, Skraeling Althing, Ealdormere >>>

--------
THLord Stefan li Rous    Barony of Bryn Gwlad    Kingdom of Ansteorra
   Mark S. Harris           Austin, Texas          StefanliRous at austin.rr.com
**** See Stefan's Florilegium files at:  http://www.florilegium.org ****