[Sca-cooks] Documenting balsamic? & food & fertility in Renaissance Italy

[Raphaella DiContini]

If Eduardo gets the barrels and lets me tag along to help I'm sure we'll be 
posting lots, and lots of pictures. :) The hardest part does currently seem to 
be tracking down barrels in the correct sizes- and woods. Oak seems to be the 
most common with the others being much more rare. 


I'm currently in the process of writing up my first paper (of many hopefully) 
on all the information I've gathered about reproduction & medical theory in the 
Italian Renaissance (as well as putting together the Culinary Symposium in AnTir 
in April). I'm hoping to publish if I can so I'll have to check with my mentor 
and see if he feels it would be a good idea for me to release the paper on the 
Internet as well.  However, I'm always happy to share the resources I've tracked 
down and could organize my bibliography and pass that on to you when I have a 
free moment. In my search I've found lots of terrific information on historical 
medical practices, midwifery, etc. but felt that not all of it was specifically 
applicable to the focus of my research, but they may be of great interest to 
others. I've got reviews I've written up on some of the academic papers I've 
read for this, and I'd also be happy to pass on those reviews as well. 


In joyous service, 
Raffaella 




________________________________
From: Stefan li Rous <StefanliRous at austin.rr.com>
To: Cooks within the SCA <sca-cooks at lists.ansteorra.org>
Sent: Wed, February 2, 2011 7:48:52 PM
Subject: Re: [Sca-cooks] Documenting balsamic? Slow progress

Raffaella talked about her balsamic vinegar research.

Please keep us informed as your research proceeds.

<<< It would require finding barrels out of at least 5 of the following woods, 
in
decreasing sizes - acacia, ash, cherry, chestnut, juniper, mulberry, oak and
walnut. >>>

Getting barrels at all seems to be a hit and miss hunt, especially out of 
different woods.

coopering-msg (57K) 7/13/10 Making and maintaining barrels and kegs.
http://www.florilegium.org/files/CRAFTS/coopering-msg.html

Here is a source I just recently got. They seem to make standard barrels in a 
variety of standard sizes and they also say they make custom barrels. While this 
mainly seems to be different hoops or decorations, different woods might well be 
possible, provided the wood can be found. Barrel staves are usually made from 
radially split logs, not sawn, and this will impact the wood availability as 
well.

http://www.1000oaksbarrel.com/

<<< If I can prove the part about it being recommended to ease labor pains that
would be an amazing cross over into my research on child birth and food
recommendations during pregnancy in Renaissance Italy! >>>

Have you written any articles or A&S documentation on this? I'd be interested in 
some information on period childbirth and pregnancy, whether specific to Italy 
or for our period in general. I'm afraid what I have in the Florilegium is 
rather minimal.

Stefan

--------
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 ****


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