Banane Splyt... in old english.

If you are an english major you might want to take a Valium before you read this note..
That said, I do cooking... a lot of cooking... what kind is a highly subjective assessement... mostly I take recipes written hundreds of yrs ago and redact them to modern ingredients.. favorite books include "tayke a thousande eygges" or one nicknamed "al bahaddadi" from the authors last name. it is sorta kinda middle eastern.. actualy it is from Al Andalus, modern souther Spain in any case... I found this tongue in cheek recipe for a banana split on the medieval cookery website yesterday... It is amazing how easy it is to write in old english.

Source [The Boke of Swyllyng, A. Poisson]: 436. Take a rype banane, and boyle yt in fayre water, than take hem and presse hem on a fayre bord, an hew hem longe waies, than take iced creame of vanille other chockolate other strebery an put scoups thereof betwixt the halves of the banane, and sauce it with syrryp of chockolat, and put a grete amount of thikke whipped creame thereon, then take walnottys wel y-chopped an caste hem ther-to, and serue it forth in a dysshe with a cherry on toppe, as men seruyth furmenty wyth venyson.

(posted on April 1, 2009)

http://www.medievalcookery.com/poisson/banana.html

and some peole wonder why I take such liberties with the english language.

[ZonieDiver]

My daughters used to say there was a 'medieval' element to my cooking!

[Peregrino]

"1000 Eggs" is fascinating. I've had my copy for about 15 years. Amazing the differences in what a "modern" palate finds acceptable, especially in the feast department. I'll be helping a friend prepare an SCA feast in three weeks. Ought to be fun, especially since it's a "primitive" site.

Originally Posted by Peregrino

"1000 Eggs" is fascinating. I've had my copy for about 15 years. Amazing the differences in what a "modern" palate finds acceptable, especially in the feast department. I'll be helping a friend prepare an SCA feast in three weeks. Ought to be fun, especially since it's a "primitive" site.

When? Where? Define "primitive"... it is simply amazing what other cultures turn out over open fires or clay ovens.
Dry site?

Ever had sekhanjabin? ME kool-aid?

[Penn]

What is an SCA and what does primative imply...fire pit over a bed of hard wood?

[Red Flag 1]

Originally Posted by ZonieDiver

My daughters used to say there was a 'medieval' element to my cooking!

Before I retired, I would cook only under duress. My kids were not as kind as yours..........they left out the "med" part!

RF 1

[Peregrino]

Originally Posted by armymom1228

When? Where? Define "primitive"... it is simply amazing what other cultures turn out over open fires or clay ovens.
Dry site?

Ever had sekhanjabin? ME kool-aid?

Primitive means preparing a medieval feast for 60-80 people under a picnic shelter with one water spigot. We're talking "improvised field kitchen". Fortunately expectations won't be unreasonable and we've all got experience cooking in worse conditions. I've also got 10 gallons of mead to "get rid of" so that should help to lower expectations even further. The event is http://acorn.atlantia.sca.org/event_...nt_id=a7b34822. Wish us luck.

Originally Posted by Penn

What is an SCA and what does primative imply...fire pit over a bed of hard wood?

Primtive in this case, yes or no real kitchen. I used to play with the blackpowder crowd.. got started with them while living in colorado.
thier operative word is "primitive"... Learned to turn out a right fine meal... actualy a very very good meal from a campfire. Thier time period is 1760 to 1840 when the cartridge was invented. They Heyday of the American Mtn man..

SCA... well, uh... er. Here is the official word from the website www.sca.org

The SCA is an international organization dedicated to researching and re-creating the arts and skills of pre-17th-century Europe. Our "Known World" consists of 19 kingdoms, with over 30,000 members residing in countries around the world. Participants, dressed in clothing of the Middle Ages and Renaissance, attend events which may feature tournaments, arts exhibits, classes, workshops, dancing, feasts, and more. Our "royalty" hold courts at which they recognize and honor members for their contributions to the group.

Officialy they say 30k but the nonregistered members, like me.. brings it up to close 100keasily.

When it comes to cooking. The cooks who volunteer have thier theme and time period to produce a 'feast' from. Generaly there are at least 5 removes. meaning courses. Appetizer, two removes of main dishes with accompanying vegies and then a desert remove. The food is always so ample that if one does not pace one's self one cannot make to the end. Usualy one of the best parts. I had a chance to eat Milk Jelly last event.. looks like white jello, but depending on the flavoring tastes like something else. Of the two I liked the orange water flavored one the best..so much so I kept going back for another square..

Back during that time period, there is this notion that food was bland.. probably was in England. I have never found a recipe that is not that way from there. But in other places.. esp the middle east and turkey.. amazing amounts of spices were used, even by the least. Islamic Spain has a rich history, esp in food. It is my area of focus. The politics of the region of that time period and the cooking is superb. You might try finding a copy of
"Cooking in a Caliph's Kitchen" aka "al baghdaddi" from part of the authors last name..

If you have never tried it.. Sekhanjabin.. pronounced like it is spelled.. it is a vinegar and sugar based flavored with whatever you wish drink. One makes it then dilutes it.. I think, one year I sent a couple of gallons to a god son stationed in Iraq.. His own unit like the blueberry the best.. it is non alcoholic.

Speaking of alchohol.. the sca has some excellent brewers and mead makers.. home brew competition is pretty commin as are cordials and mead. I am in possesssion of a 23 yr old bottle of cardomon mead. I take sips, it is soooooo good.. Depending on what one uses for the base liquid..the flavors are different. This particular mead is apple juice based, a melomel.

That enough for you? There is more where that came from..

here is a link to some books that are wonderful to own if one is into such things... originaly posted as articles in Muzzleloader Magazine then made into books..
the national website : http://www.nmlra.org/ (yep still a member)
try amazon for the "the book of buckskinning" series interesting series..7 in the series

as for cooking...
http://jas-townsend.com/index.php?cPath=22

reccomend the "Libations of the 18th century" "the magic of fire"
the list here are all gtg and can be made over an open fire.

Good thing my backside is not commiserate with my cooking... I would need a crane to lift me out of the boat and a shoehorn and grease to get me out the hatch.. I have only managed to gain 30lbs in 24 yrs.. puts me at five three and 130lb.

AM

Originally Posted by Peregrino

also got 10 gallons of mead to "get rid of" so that should help to lower expectations even further. The event is http://acorn.atlantia.sca.org/event_...nt_id=a7b34822. Wish us luck.

Mead? what flavor? this is spring coronation?

That is evil...ply the gentles with mead, make them catatonic and not worry.. what's the feast menu? I might come down. It sounds like fun...

We did whole pig on the outdoor spit for the spring archery event last May.

If Chirhart is cooking try to contain him... he burned the last pig he roasted.. too lazy to get off his overly ample posterior to turn it properly.. I gave up.. it was either give up and ignore him or drop spiders on him.. (he is terrified of them btw) I did consider deboning him with his own scimitar knife,but the time in jail was not worth the crime. It was a delicious thought for most of the afternoon though.
AM

Originally Posted by Red Flag 1

Before I retired, I would cook only under duress. My kids were not as kind as yours..........they left out the "med" part!

RF 1

RF, MY kids hated to go out to meals with me.. I am very picky about good cooking.. I have hit many of the Zagat rated restaurants in DC and only a handful will I return. I don't care about whether or not the wait staff is nice or not. its the food and its cooking I am interested in.

China town express makes its own noodles and dumplings.. 6th and G.
Jimmy's take away down on the SW waterfront definitely get a thumbs up.
Meze in the Adams Morgan district.
there is a middle eastern take away in the food court of the world trade building that is very good.. makes thier stuff from scratch.. baklava to die for.
AM

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by Red Flag 1

Before I retired, I would cook only under duress. My kids were not as kind as yours..........they left out the "med" part!

RF 1

Ever since my wife has had to operate out of her motorized wheel chair, which has been about 2 years now. I've been doing the cooking. It's just her and I(no kids anymore) my cooking skills have somewhat improved. However, she had to put up with my learning skills and in the beginning I had some real disasters.
I don't measure anything,my mom never did either, so I learned from her. For some guys it just comes naturally, for others like me I'd rather "Ruck" 50 miles, than make a full course supper.....................

GB TFS

Originally Posted by greenberetTFS

Ever since my wife has had to operate out of her motorized wheel chair, which has been about 2 years now. I've been doing the cooking. It's just her and I(no kids anymore) my cooking skills have somewhat improved. However, she had to put up with my learning skills and in the beginning I had some real disasters.
I don't measure anything,my mom never did either, so I learned from her. For some guys it just comes naturally, for others like me I'd rather "Ruck" 50 miles, than make a full course supper.....................

GB TFS

My eldest loves to cook.. he snagged his wife that way...I have never had the heart to tell her that the recipes she loves are the ones I taught him when he first moved out on his own.


My middle child, the army guy, lives on ramen and soup apparently. We never discuss his eating habits.. we have far more important topics.. his female fan club being one, his latest deployment another. His sister, the youngerst, took her wee monsters to visit him in Fayetteville last weekend.. she spent her entire weekend cooking and freezing homemade tv dinners for him..
Amazing.. not me, he is 26, I would let him starve.. that what MRE's are for..

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by armymom1228

My eldest loves to cook.. he snagged his wife that way...I have never had the heart to tell her that the recipes she loves are the ones I taught him when he first moved out on his own.


My middle child, the army guy, lives on ramen and soup apparently. We never discuss his eating habits.. we have far more important topics.. his female fan club being one, his latest deployment another. His sister, the youngerst, took her wee monsters to visit him in Fayetteville last weekend.. she spent her entire weekend cooking and freezing homemade tv dinners for him..
Amazing.. not me, he is 26, I would let him starve.. that what MRE's are for..

Absolutely, I've subscribed to the Angel food program which provides Senior frozen meals at $28 for 10 meals. Believe it or not, the food is first rate and it meets all requirements for daily nutritional needs..................Including dessert, However my wife isn't to crazy about them I think they are great, By the way we ate MRE's for 5 weeks right after Katrina hit us. They were better than the C rations I had to eat in the 50's..

GB TFS

[Penn]

Are there any Picture's of from the SCA event with the primitive cooking?

[Peregrino]

Just got home from the event. Unfortunately, the interior shots didn't focus. Everything went well, especially for an inaugural event (first time for the canton, first time at this site, and first "feast" for the friend I was helping out). We doubled the "break-even" attendance (250) and feast sold out with 80 (+ guests of the Canton) reservations. The usual eclectic menu in three removes: scrambled eggs with peas; cornish game hens with yam/pear puree; and roast pork with cabbage. Dessert was fruit and cheese. I've never considered some of the combinations - scrambling the eggs with basil, adding rasins and country ham to the peas (salt/sweet), and a mustard glaze on the game hens but it all came together to everyone's satisfaction. Even the puppy is approving (I haven't changed out of my tunic yet and he's fascinated by the grease/food stains left from cooking). I've left out the "mundane" details but overall it went well enough that we've been invited to do it again.