Cooking

[eldan]

I've been doing a lot of cooking lately, and getting more ambitious and more confident with it. I think I finally understand ingredients and techniques well enough to have a reasonably good idea of what substitutions will work the first time I try a new recipe, and I'm getting better at throwing something together with whatever's around. The

Comments

[dymaxion]

The SCA has, unsurprisingly, done a ton of research into the topic of pre-contact foods, and it's all documented online.

[eldan]

Thanks for the pointer. I hadn't thought of them, but it is just the kind of project SCA people would get their teeth into.

who are SCA?

[ext_126035]

Yes! I've also thought it interesting e.g. that "italian" food often has tomatoes as a primary ingredient. that's only "italian" since columbus! Not very long really. :)

Diane Rehm had a show about a similar topic where they mentioned a cookbook "The Philosopher's Kitchen: Recipes from Ancient Greece and Rome for the Modern Cook". Apparently they made a lasagna like thing with cherries (probably not Bing Cherries) instead of tomatoes. That is some substitution.

I was trying to figure who the SCA are. Was there a link?
Here's an interesting webpage. Has the approximate time some food was discovered and recipes:
http://www.foodtimeline.org/

Hope you're doing well!
Chad.

Re: who are SCA?

[eldan]

Ooh, the food timeline site is fascinating. Will probably help a lot with this project, and at some point with hours of my life disappearing into random walks through interesting trivia.

The SCA is the Society for Creative Anachronism - i.e. the biggest of the organisations involved in mediæval reenactment. There's a huge range of members' attitudes, from those who just want something escapist and vaguely themed, to those who spend a lot of time researching authentic period stuff rather rigourously.

I'm doing well, and enjoying your Lydia photos. When I get back from this trip, at the end of June, I'll try and catch up with you properly.

[eldan]

hrm, that's a good point about Mexican food. In my head there's a very simple narrative of "Mexican food is Aztec + Spanish", but you're right - an awful lot of it is exclusively new-world ingredients.

And that book sounds fascinating. I'd never heard of it before, so thanks for the recommendation.

[chilimuffin]

let me know if you plan to grill a guinea pig, because that might make me need to fly out there.

[eldan]

so all it would take to get you out here is a trip to PETCO? Score!