Alysten’s Blog

Blackwork

Posted by: alysten on: January 22, 2010

I have been working on artwork for a black work cuff for a set of linen gloves. The artwork is wider than a cuff for my hand size should be. I have instead turned them into black work cuffs for a shift.

Cooks Collegium- Sugar Work

Posted by: alysten on: January 22, 2010

Description: This class is a part demonstration, part lecture about sugar work/techniques.

Class outline for: Sugar Work

Cook’s Collegium- Knife Skills

Posted by: alysten on: January 21, 2010

Class outline for Knife Skills. This class is a part demonstration, part lecture about knife identification, proper knife care, knife handling and cutting techniques.

Class outline: Knife Skills

River War- How to run a happy kitchen

Posted by: alysten on: January 19, 2010

Here is the documentation for the class How to run a happy kitchen. Lessons from a restaurant chef and how it applies to the SCA, time management, pre-prep, using your staff effectively and menu design

Full class outline located here.

Cooks Collegium- Preparing poultry for Galantines

Posted by: alysten on: January 19, 2010

This class is a part demonstration, part lecture about how to prepare poultry for galantines.  Topics include, what is a galantine, food safety/sanitation, tools needed, poultry anatomy and instructions for de-boning a bird for galantine (including pictures).

Full class outline located here.

Glove updates

Posted by: alysten on: January 11, 2010

Here is a picture of the glove in progress:

I am using a combination of stitches: standard fill, running and stem. I am using DMC black cotton tatting thread and DMC light effects light gold. Here is a close up of the embroidery:

Elizabethan Gloves

Posted by: alysten on: January 11, 2010

I am working on a pair of linen blackwork gloves for my late period kit. Glove making is an art form. I have drafted the hand pattern not less than 6 times. I finally have a working pattern that fits well. The finger gussets are still a work in progress. The thumb pattern was the only thing I got on the first go. Once you figure out the W gusset for the thumb (which is remarkably like the W gusset of the soldiers coat), it goes in pretty easily.

I am finding that I am enjoying the hand stitching part of this project. It is definitely something I would not try via machine. The Elizabethan glove is very narrow in the fingers. So far it takes me about 5-6 hours to hand stitch one glove. I should be able to have a pair done by Birka. That is the goal. The blackwork will probably not be done, but it is in progress.

Here is the art work for the blackwork cuff.

Organization is the key

Posted by: alysten on: December 1, 2009

I have a schedule for the prep and food for Yule. Many people have done a ton of prep work to get us to the point where we are now. If not for freezers, and doing stuff ahead of time, this list would be a lot more labor intensive. We should have a nice day up to about 4 pm. It will get crazy for a few hours, and then it will be all over.

Dinner Prep
9 AM
Brine pork
10 AM
Cut salad: radishes, leeks, endive, carrots, cabbage
Make butter beer
Make Clarree
11 AM
Cut sprouts and par boil
Slice and parboil turnips
12 PM
Layer turnips
Peel and cut pears
Slice oranges
Slice apples
1 PM
Braise venison
Make stuffing
Slice and portion cheese
Soften and portion butter
Soften and portion goat cheese
2 PM
Lard and stuff pork
Lard turkies
Lard venison
Portion chicken
Cut/portion ham
3 PM
Grind ham and chicken livers
Grind toast
Stuff pork
Dinner Service
4 PM
Cook soup
Make sekanjabin
4:30 PM
Roast pork (60 + 15 minutes rest)
4:45 PM
Roast turkie (75 minutes +15 minutes rest)
Bake and slice bread
5:00 PM
Roast rack (35-40 minutes)
Plate beverages
5:15
Bake pasties (30-40 minutes)
Tenderloins (30 minutes)
Plate salad, lobster, pomegranate, dressing
Plate cheese, bread, cold meats
5:30
Sauté Brussels sprouts
Bake turnips (40 minutes)
Make pork and venison sauce
5:45
Bake salt fish (30 minutes)
Plate foods: pork w/sauce, sprouts, venison, pasties
5:50
Start oil Fish pieces bake (15 minutes)
6:00
Fry dough (40 minutes)
Make sauce turkie and fish
Boil poaching for pears
6:15
Poach pears (30 minutes)
Plate foods: turkie, soup, turnips, fish
6:30
Heat Spice royal sauce
6:45
Plate: pears, oranges, profiteroles

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Sugar Swans

Posted by: alysten on: November 23, 2009

During the medieval era, the English court feasted with four courses. Between each course, a subtlety was presented to the guests. These subtleties, also called sotelties, were sculptural centerpieces made using sugar, marzipan, wax, or some other more orthodox material. [1] Subtleties were not always edible, as they might be composed of wax or plaster. Subtleties were elaborate sugar sculptures. They may have been constructed by molded or poured sugar, formed sugar around a base using sugar paste or carved from blocks of sugar.[2] The theme for these subtleties offered entertainment and conversation between the four courses.

Full documentation located here.

Yule feast documentation

Posted by: alysten on: November 10, 2009

This documentation covers the Event Steward’s Challenge, course descriptions, and menu design for each dish. Deviations due to ingredients or preparation have been documented with each dish. Not all dishes have a “period recipe/redaction”, as many dishes that use common techniques (broiling,baking, boiling) and ingredients would not have been written down.12 Recipes have been scaled down to a standard portion (serves 4-6) rather than feast sized. This will allow people to recreate recipes at home on a non-commercial scale.

Documentation here for Bhakail Yule.

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    • alysten: I do not think this is just a Scadian term, as I heard it long before I even joined the SCA a year ago. I am not sure of the origin of the word, but
    • mittenmank: If SCAdians could just stop using that "K"-term ... *sigh* Or show me a source where this word comes from. Definitely not from Germany. ;)

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