[Sca-cooks] An artisans row experience

[Galefridus Peregrinus]

I attended an event yesterday at which I spent all of my time in the artisans row area. My particular station was "cooking with period heat sources and cookware." I set up several braziers and a bunch of soapstone and earthenware pots, provided a selection of spices, herbs, and other basic ingredients, and invited folks to bring food try their hand at cooking medievally. Sadly, nobody took up the invitation, but I still had a blast. I cooked one my favorite recipes (Cooked Fried Chicken, from the Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook, http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Cookbooks/Andalusian/andalusian1.htm#Heading24), handed out samples, talked with lots of folks, and chatted with a number of the other artisans.

One of the things I like about the recipe I demonstrated is that it's extraordinarily easy. It has become my go-to recipe for showing folks how simple it can be to cook a tasty, historically accurate main course with relatively little specialized equipment. I've cooked this recipe at least six times, every one them at an SCA event using period equipment and ingredients.

-- Galefridus