Research and rabbit holes

As I begin to embark further into the text that is the Neapolitan Cookbook, which until now I had only given a glance to in the context of reading it through and picking at it, making no notes other than mental and a few marked pages of immediate interest, I feel both excitement and trepidation. Excitement to learn and discover new things, to make connections with the things I already know having worked with sources that come before and come after this text. Trepidation in that it feels overwhelming with all that is buzzing in my head. I am going to need to focus to stay on task and not dive down too many rabbit holes.

I have only but begun and already I have in my notebook 2 rabbit holes to pursue at another time. Like Scappi it contains a bit of advice for the reader. Though nowhere near the comprehensive book (chapter) that is a dissertation from Master to apprentice on the teaching of how to be a master cook found in Scappi. It is nice to have something to think on from this time. An eye into the mind of a cook that was there.

' The professional cook  must be devoted wholly to the service of his master; he has one capital rule and that must be always to work to satisfy his master's taste. His profession must exist solely to serve that taste.'

'Let the cook be a gourmand, not for his own sake but for that of his master.'

When cooking for certain personages I have already had this in mind but had not the words to express it. When cooking in a more general sense I cook to please my own tastes.

At it again

An opportunity has arisen to cook for an event closer to home this time. I will be cooking for an event that I have long missed. A return to a Fortuna's Champion type event. I have no name for the event yet but I look forward to cooking near Munich on the weekend of Feb 28 to March 1. I have only 2 requests from the event staff and that is I not do lentils and that I serve pear pudding at some point. Other than that it is free reign to make what I like. Lunch will be kept simple but period as usual, likely recipes from varied sources, and Dinner / Feast will let me explore better the Neapolitan Cookbook. While I have read through the source I have yet to fully explore it or do any redacting from it. I look forward to seeing what will develop.

We are expecting a smaller type event of about 30-50 people. I am hoping that we will have a good draw. An event focused on games is rare and this had been one of the best. I am excited to see where it leads especially at the chance to expand our southern groop again and maybe jolt them to some extra action. I would love to see a large turnout to show them that they have not been forsaken or forgotten. That the expansion into the Barony is a positive thing that will bring with it renewed vigor and energy for this hobby we love so much.

I look forward to this opportunity in so many ways!!! I am so excited!

Tackling a Facebook question

Excerpt from Facebook:

This is one of those things that I don't think has a right or wrong answer, I'm just curious about other people's thoughts on the topic ...

Most (but not all) of the historical culinary manuscripts we use were written by or for the person who managed the kitchen of a great household ... for a king, a prince, a duke, a bishop, a pope, etc. The kitchens of such establishments provided meals for vast numbers of people every day. Sometimes simple, everyday fare, and sometimes grand meals meant to impress.

If these "master chefs" of history are the people we emulate in our attempts at period cooking, should the ability to manage a kitchen to provide good period food to a large number of people, served at the proper temperature and with proper timing be a requirement for our own "master chefs" in the SCA? More simply, must a cooking Laurel be able to manage a feast well, or just cook individual dishes well?

I look for responses from those who are not Laurels and those who are Laurels. I think that voices outside the Laurel council are just as, if not more valuable, in growing our art. If you are a Laurel, please indicate if your accolade was all or in part for your culinary abilities. I expect there may be regional variations as well, so please indicate your kingdom too.

I'm from the West and next March I will have been a Laurel for cooking and various other things for 40 years.

Duquesa Juana Isabella de Montoya y Ramirez

My opinion on the matter (for what it may be worth). I do believe there is more than just being able to reproduce individual dishes. Being able to create a whole feast involves many skills including the ability to work under pressure, juggle recipes, timing and flavours. Making several individual pieces a whole.

It also includes the management of time, money and more importantly people. To be able to have a cohesive kitchen that is producing good (if not better) food that is filling, tasty and rooted in period example, is a skill and I feel an important one to being considered for a cooking laurel.

I think a person who does excellent individual dishes and an amazing amount of research can still be a laurel, and even still considered a cooking laurel, but I think then the emphasis is on the research and the excellence of reproduction is the same as a Textile laurel's creation of a gown or outfit from the 'bottom up'.

I'm not sure I have ever heard of a textile laurel that was elevated for just doing underwear (for example). And to me a complete feast is equal to a complete outfit. Now the feast or feasts do not have to be huge. They could be 30 - 50 people. I think less is not a large enough group to really test but I suppose I am used to cooking for large numbers as my grandmother and great grandmother began me on this path and they each fed families of around 10 people at a time.

Not everything is able to be evaluated across the board when it comes to judging someone's arts or talents but I do believe we can deconstruct cooking the same way we look at textile arts. Research, individual assembly and the picture as a whole. For me, the picture as a whole can only be seen in the context of a feast. 

The successes of 'that Saturday'

Due to the screen on my laptop turning pink I was unable to make updates and so I am doing it now.

One saturday in October Brindis came up to help me with my project. To check my redactions and see where things can be improved in order to put them into a book. This is an ongoing project and one that is not going to be done in a short amount of time. I also asked if she wanted a formalized student relationship to give us structure to work under and also so I can help her discover and achieve her goals as well.

My goal was 7 recipes, we accomplished 5! Considering they arrived (she brought her hubby with as a taste tester) 4 hours late than planned this to me was a huge success! We ate as we went and made notes as well. We had a fantastic time even if we were just the 2 of us in my tiny kitchen. We even had to start putting things on the couch for lack of room!

For the most part only minor changes were made to the recipes. We did however experiment with 2 types of rice for the rice dishes as well as substituting broth for milk in one of them as well (it was an alternative in the original.

We accomplished:
To Make a Tart of Rice (Good Housewife's Jewel, p73)
Various ways to saute' a capon (Scappi p199)
To Prepare Rice Fritters (Scappi, p498 )
To Braise Eggplant (Scappi, p360)
To Prepare Pumpkin Tourte without a Shell (Scappi, p484)

Everything tasted fantastic and there is one more thing to try with the chicken and that it to grill it over wood and/or charcoal. We did fry it in oil and we grilled it on an electric grill. Both had distinct flavors. The fried of course carried the flavor of the oil with it as well, seeming to dull the flavor of the chicken some.

The rice tart is oddly better with the parboiled rice as opposed to milk rice.

The rice fritters were fantastic no matter what they were made with but really the milk rice helps them stick together best and to boil them in milk helps too, though the savoriness of those cooked in broth was also quite good.

I didn't take the time to puree the pumpkin only to mash it and the texture was still good. This is a recipe I would make for modern potlucks. Though we followed the weights exact to the medieval recipe (in proportion) It could do with less cinnamon or with a bit more ginger.

We could have used more eggplant for the amount of herbs we had but it was still a lovely flavor and I need to serve this again. It is not a pretty dish but it is quite tasty.

I had started some of the things on the day before. The chicken especially needs to be started ahead of time. I had prepped the filling for a 6th dish but we didn't get to it and that was ok. In total the cost of the experiment was a day and a half of work on my part and Brindis putting in about 6 hours helping as well and an actual cost of 50€ including ingredients for the 2 unmade dishes. Each dish could have served 6 at least except the chicken. The chicken was only 4 whole legs that were split, so 8 pieces.

We are looking for a good time to move on to the next set of recipes as well as Dominik is trying to recover my files from my brick of an old laptop!!! I hope he is successful!

Home from Kingdom University

Some people think I am crazy but I describe myself as passionate!

I was asked to come be a helper for the feast cooking at Kingdom University in Sweden, and that is exactly what I did. The trip there was an adventure of cancelled flights and screw ups, none of them my fault! But I finally arrived on site about quarter to 10 or so Friday night. I had missed the excitement of Alydis and Isabetta being sent to their vigils, Laurel and Pelican respectively. As soon as I checked in though I went straight to the kitchen to see those I would be working with, Erik, Ermingard, Eskill, and Dag. Things were already well under way in the kitchen so I popped out to change and put my stuff away. Once changed I headed back in a bee line back to the kitchen where I started in at once. They went over the menu and the recipes with me and where we were at and what we were doing. I'm not sure about the little things that were done but Friday night we rolled the Dolma. Something it seems I am pretty quick with. We were out around 1 am and most toddled off to the vigils. I spent a bit of time saying Hi to people in the hall and slowly making my way there. It was lovely to have surprised people and to have people waiting for me. So many hugs and so much love!

I ended up heading to bed about quarter to 5 in the morning... having been talking to William! again! (at AiA it was 530 am). I poured myself in bed and sleep came quick. My roommates were mostly quiet and that was quite pleasant. When someone's alarm went off in the morning I peeked at my phone and just rolled over, never even heard them leave. I woke on my own about 9:30 ish and got ready for my day, I was in the kitchen by 10... and off I went.... I was quite good to myself. I remembered liquids and even took a proper break to eat lunch and not just snack my way through as per usual. I sat when needed, and kept a pretty steady pace. It was an early feats, set to start at 1630 but asked that it be pushed to 1700 by the royals. I was asked to sit at high table by the crown Princes, a delight! I love sitting with her.

After getting home I began to wonder if my presence really did any good, I mean did I really help out that much. After listing it all... yes. If nothing else my extra body allowed the pace to be lighter and for people to step out when needed to eat, get a break, see the 'merchants', and whatever else they may have needed. Could they have done it without me, Yes! was it better that I was there, Yes.

Just for my own reference, what I did...

Friday night:
Rolled Dolma

Saturday:
Cut mushrooms
Cut onions and apples
Prepped the beef
Salted the chicken
Spiced the carrots and parsnips
Mixed honey into the cooked cabbage
Wrapped the veal in bacon
Rolled and prepped Plum pies (1/2 of them)
Started the water for the peas
Prepped the dolma for the oven

Along with much fun, conversation and tasting along the way.