Latest Culinary Symposium Schedule

Patrick Cauldwell — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:36:01 GMT

CULINARY SYMPOSIUM 2009 - CLASS SCHEDULE
	Track 1	Track 2	Track 3	Track 4	Track 5	Track 6
Location	Nature House (OD)	Uncle Toby(OD)	Ginny's Lodge	Raker Lodge 1	Raker Lodge 2	Raker Lodge K
8:00 - 9:00	~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Breakfast ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
9:00 -11:00	Viking Bread, Refr orðlokarr Fiachson	Cast Iron Cookery for Eventing, Robert the Blacksmith	Russian Cookery, Anastasia Andreeva	Foraging, Eulalia Ravenfeld	Introduction to Byzantine Cuisine, Berengaria	Techniques of Food Preperation & Kitchen Safety, Qaratani Oyugen
11:00 -1:00	Cooking Quinces & Medlars, Mathilde	Cast Iron Cookery for Eventing, Robert the Blacksmith	Russian Cookery, Anastasia Andreeva	Old World - New World Foods, Muireann inghean ui Mhuirneachain	Northern European Food Production, Alanus Andrist	Hands-on Feast Preparation, Part 1, Eulalia Ravenfeld
1:00 -2:00	~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Lunch ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
2:00 - 4:00	Cooking in Pottery, Morgaina & Svava	Viking Foods, Jorunn Steinnabrjotr	Roman Cuisine, Julia Sempronia	Keeping Your Knives Sharp, Hugh MacDomhnaill	History of Indian Food, Anastasia Andreeva	Hands-on Feast Preparation, Part 2, Eulalia Ravenfeld
4:00 - 6:00	Beginning Sausage Making, Egan Brauer von Starkberg	Viking Foods, Jorunn Steinnabrjotr	Basic Medieval Pasties, Qaratani Oyugen	Carving Birds & Beasts for Feasts, Aleyn the Younger	Cooking from a Middle English Text, Elaine de Montgris	Hands-on Feast Preparation, Part 3, Eulalia Ravenfeld
6:00 - 7:00	~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Prep for Dinner & Rearange the Dinning Hall ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~					Volunteers to help Reset Dinning Room, Plate & Serve Feast
7:00 - 8:30	~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Dinner ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~					Volunteers to help Reset Dinning Room, Plate & Serve Feast
8:30 - 10:00	~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ Social Time ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Culinary Symposium 2009 - Class Information
Classes	Teacher
Beginning Sausage Making	*Egan Brauer von Starkberg*
Cost $10.00 2 Hours Min ?, Max 6
Learn to grind, season and stuff sausage. Students will season their own meats, stuff them into casings, and take home their own pound of fresh sausage. Includes a sausage funnel as part of the kit.


Carving Birds & Beasts for Feasts	*Aleyn the Younger*
Cost $5.00 2 Hours Min 4, Max 10
Have you even been terrified at thanksgiving? Intimidated by ham? Stood in front of a table with a knife and fork and said "now what?" This class is for you. Learn carving! The position of carver in the middle ages kitchen staff was a respected and honorable position. We will discuss selection, care and feeding of knives and forks, sharpening, as well as the carving of vaired types of meats for the table. Class will include both lecture and practial, fee includes handout and practice fowl. Never be scared to slice chicken again. Carving tools will be provided but students my bring thier own knives and forks, (if they wish). No long sleeves ( we will be working with food), aprons are NOT provided. Please no chisels, gouges, sandpaper or files!







Cast Iron Cookery for Eventing	*Robert the Blacksmith*
Cost $5.00 4 Hours Min 5, Max 25
For this class participants will learn ways to use reproduction ceramics for period cooking over open fires. Several dishes will be prepared in Medieval style clay pots directly over coals. There will be a discussion of how different styles of pottery work for different cooking requirements. There will also be tips of some ways potters can successfully create Medieval reproduction cooking pottery. We will sample the foods cooked during the class. Handout included. Please have your hair covered or tied back. No other requirements.





Cooking from a Middle English Text	*Elaine de Montgris*
Cost $1.00 2 Hours Min 3, Max 15
Cooking Directly From the Middle English Sources will have some basic Middle English grammar and reading skills, some common cooking techniques and terms, and the nuts and bolts of redacting a recipe.



Cooking in Pottery	*Morigaina & Svava*
Cost $ 3.00 2 Hours Min 2, Max 8
For this class participants will learn ways to use reproduction ceramics for period cooking over open fires. Several dishes will be prepared in Medieval style clay pots directly over coals. There will be a discussion of how different styles of pottery work for different cooking requirements. There will also be tips of some ways potters can successfully create Medieval reproduction cooking pottery. We will sample the foods cooked during the class. Handout included. Please have your hair covered or tied back. No other requirements.





Cooking Quinces & Medlars	*Mathilde*
Cost $1.00 2 Hours Min 1, Max 12
XXXX

Feast Preperation, Hand-On, Parts 1, 2, 3	*Eulalia Ravenfeld*
No Cost 2 Hours each Min, Max 15
This class provides hands-on instruction in cooking authentic food from documented sources as well as general food preparation and feast management experience. Students of all levels and backgrounds are encouraged -- Eulalia will find a way to put you to work even if you've never been in a kitchen before! The food we will be preparing is meant to be representative of the food eaten in England during the 13th and 14th centuries by town dwellers (for lunch) and the gentry (for the evening feast), and students will be provided with some notes from the instructor's research into this topic. Please wear garb suitable for cooking -- no trailing sleeves, hair tied back, easily-washable clothing, aprons recommended.






Foraging	*Eulalia Ravenfeld*
Cost $1.00 2 Hours Min 3, Max 15
This class seeks to answer the two most fundamental questions that have plagued mankind since the dawn of time: "What's that? Can I eat it?" In this introduction to wild food foraging, we will discuss some of the finer points of eating from the wild, go over recommended resources on the topic, and go for a walk around the site identifying edible plants (and mushrooms if we are so lucky). Instructor is a veteran forager and outdoor enthusiast, and has only poisoned herself once. Please wear garb suitable for tramping about in the bush, including warm layers and sturdy shoes. Note-taking materials, including a pocket notebook, are required. A digital camera is recommended but not required.







Introduction to Byzantine Cuisine	*Berengaria*
Cost $5.00 2 Hours Min 2, Max 6
No actual extant Byzantine cookbook has yet been discovered; but we know a great deal about influences, agriculture and trade that influenced Byzantium during its history. Come and be introduced to what we do know and some thoughts on logical possibilities, with a few tasty samples to light the way.



Keeping your Knives Sharp	*Hugh MacDomhnaill*
Cost $1.50 2 Hours Min 1, Max 12
Discuss a short history of sharpening followed by learning about the components of a good cutting edge, how to establish it and how to maintain it. From axes (we need firewood, too) to fillet knives. Bring your favorite knife (or your biggest challenge) to sharpen.



NORTHERN EUROPEAN FOOD PRODUCTION -- So What's in Your Quern?	*Alanus of Bunghea*

Cost $2.00 2 Hours Min 2, Max 20
Class Focus: The class presents a survey of agricultural practices from the early middle ages through the Renaissance. The food sources and farming practices determined what the people ate in each region. Includes a discussion of how the economic balance changed from the 10th through the 17th centuries in northwestern Europe due to changes in climate, rainfall, temperature, disease and the impact of the Plague. Archaeological evidence and photos from a dig in Sweden during this past summer will be included. The exact time period will depend upon the interests of the students.





Old World - New World Foods	*Muireann inghean ui Mhuirneachain*
Cost $2.00 2 Hours Min 2, Max 12
This is a lecture class covering the origins of foods from both old and new worlds. We will look at when each food first appears in a cuisine and it's progress through history.

Basic Medieval Pasties	*Qaratani Oyugen*
Cost $5.00 2 Hours Min 2, Max 12
In this class we will learn what pasties are and how to pronounce them. The whole class will be hands on making a variety of pasties for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We will cover what types of dough can be used, both sweet and savory fillings, how to cook them at home or at an event and how to store them.



Roman Cuisine	*Julie Sempronia*
Cost $4.00 2 Hours Min 4, Max 15
The bounty of the ancient Roman empire is reflected in the variety of foods and spices to be found in Roman kitchens. Tour an ancient Roman market, learn about common tools, table manners, recipe sources, and prepare tasty appetizers.


Russian Cookery	*Anastasia Alexandrovna Andreeva*
Cost $3.00 4 Hours Min 3, Max 8
This is a hand-on cooking class on Russian foods. History will be covered as we cook. We will make several dishes and then eat them for lunch. Please bring an apron.

Survey of Indian Food	*Anastasia Alexandrovna Andreeva*
Cost $ 3.00 2 Hours Min 3, Max 15
This is a lecture class on the history of Indian food. We will cover different periods and areas of Indian. The influences of other conquering nations played a big part in making Indian cuisine the fascinating subject that it is.


Techniques of Food Prep. & Kitchen Safety	*Qaratani Oyugen*
Cost $2.00 2 Hours Min 2, Max 15
Kitchen basics 101 - In this class we will learn basic kitchen safety and help with preparation for today’s feast. We will cover, cooking with grease, cutting safety, cooking with open flame and go over the Food Handlers Manual.


Viking Bread	*Refr orðlokarr Fiachson*
Cost $1.00 2 Hours Min 3, Max 12
A look at what we know about Viking bread and how we know it, followed by some hands on bread making over the fire. We'll try several different sets of ingredients and techniques.

Viking Foods	*Jorunn Steinnabrjotr*
Cost $15.00 4 Hours Min , Max 20
The class will prepare a complete meal. Make barley flatbread using long-handled pans copied from period artifacts, cook a stew in a cauldron over the fire, make a barley porridge dessert, and make a quick vinegar-cheese spread. The class will then dig in to a classic Viking dinner fit for any farmer or warrior. An extensively researched handout will be supplied at the end of the class.

The "Law Breakfast"

Patrick Cauldwell — Tue, 27 Sep 2005 23:02:23 GMT

The week before last my wife and I were at a private camping event with a bunch of our SCA friends. Every year, one of our friends rents a forest service cabin up on the NE side of Mt. Ranier, out of Natches, WA for a week, and many people come to hang out. This year Vikki (my wife) and I got to stay the whole week, which was very relaxing.

One of the things we do every year is try out new and different cooking techniques, preferable things that would have been done “in period”, or as would have been done in the past, for you non-SCA wonks. A couple of years ago we rendered lard for the first time over a fire, and this year I made beef tallow. Vikki often makes cheese over the open fire, etc.

Many years ago one of our friends got the idea for what we’ve come to call the “Law Breakfast”. In old Irish (brehon) law, there were laws about what different people were entitled to at meal time according to their status. Since the woman who rents the cabin in nominally the clan chieftan, we make breakfast according to what would be entitled to a chief. This includes things like milk, beer, butter, and “condiments”.

Our interpretation has become:

Cold roast chicken (easy to prepare ahead and freese, and really good for breakfast)
Smoked fish (also easy to prepare ahead, although this year we didn’t so there wasn’t any)
barley cakes (barley flour, eggs and milk, cooked like crepes) with butter and honey. We usually try for a whole honey comb, but this year just honey.
Milk
Beer (it’s what’s for breakfast)
Sometimes oatmeal

It makes a great breakfast. The barley cakes are particularly popular.

Historic cooking demo this weekend

Patrick Cauldwell — Tue, 07 Sep 2004 17:39:54 GMT

This Saturday (9/11), there's going to be an historic cooking demo/exposition at the Beaverton Farmer's Market. There are a whole series of 1/2 hour demos planned on various styles/periods/etc. I'll be playing the part of "Viking Chef" at around 9:30 I think. Come on down. There will be foods to try, cooking to watch, plus all the benefits of what I've heard is a pretty great Farmer's Market.

Viking food resources

Sun, 25 Jan 2004 15:35:51 GMT

There are a few sites around that have some good info on Viking food and cooking:

The BBC has an interesting set of pages on Viking food in everyday life, told as a narative
Thora Sharptooth (Carolyn Priest-Dorman) has a great list of ingredients from archeological sites and a couple more articles on food related things
Some good, simple recipes from Trine Theut
The Viking Answer Lady has a good summary, with some nice pictures of cooking and eating equipment

Food history classes

Mon, 19 Jan 2004 22:24:07 GMT

I've got PDF versions of a couple of food history classes I've taught at SCA events.

The first is on “Cooking for Cultures with No Extant Recipes”. Many cultures throughout history haven't used written recipes, but I don't think that should stop us from being able to recreate their cooking. For example, we don't have an Viking “recipes”, but we do know from the archeological record what ingredients they used, and what equipment they had for cooking. We can also refer to literature to get a feel for their tastes.

The second is on the “Evolution of Food Processing Techniques”. I looked at how food processing techniques have evolved over time, and what impact they have had on daily life.

Enjoy.

Food and oral history

Mon, 19 Jan 2004 20:39:05 GMT

Thanks to an article in the New York Times (reg. req.) I just found Centropa. It's a project dedicated to gathering and preserving oral histories of Jews living in Central- and Eastern Europe. One of their main focuses is food, and they've gathered some pretty interesting recipes and oral histories to go with them.

Well worth checking out if you're interested in culinary history.

Patrick's Food Ramblings - Food history|Europe