AROUND THE CAULDRON

This is a short list of what goes on around Castle Duncan. Research!!!! Metal work of different types including forge/anvil and fabrication Weaving and Spinning, Lace work, Knitting and crochet, Different Fibers and Silk preparations, Tanning hides, Natural dyes, Growing our own fibers including wool, silk, cashmere, cotton and several more including spider silk harvesting, Cheese making, Soap making the old ways of course, not glycerin, Dabbling in spirits, {?} we make our own vinegars, some are also a by product of the spirits, Making Kefir, Butter Milk, kombucha, Herman, {sour dough starters}, Making our own Leavening Agents, Baking…

:bbfft: Frances and Joseph Gies, in Life in a Medieval Village, summed up their study with the following words: When I first started investigating medieval life, I like most people, thought: “Wow, I’m glad I’m a modern day peasant instead of a medieval peasant!” However, a closer look at this life of old revealed things about their daily life that I wish was present in our modern world. Oh, sure, death by dysentery at the age of thirty-five isn’t all that attractive, but, in a particular way, their communal spirit that they took for granted in social interactions, and their refreshing simplicity regarding daily labors, securities and amusements, casts a bad light …

Oven baked candied corn 5 qts popcorn keep warm in 250* oven (can be used at room temp with no problems noted) 1 cup butter 1/2 cup corn syrup 2 cups brown sugar 1 tsp salt Combine all in 2 qt. sauce pan over medium heat until the sugar disolves. Boil until the mixture reaches firm ball stage (248 F.) about 5 mins. Remove mixture from heat and stir in 1/2 tsp of baking soda. Mixing well. Will cause mixture to bubble. Pour over popcorn stirring well to coat all. And bake at 250* for 45 minutes stirring every 15 mins. Store in airtight container in a cool location. Buttermilk pancakes 1 - 1 1/4 cup flour 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baki…

This is our recipe and is the traditional method of making Devonshire Clotted Cream. Since we have our own cattle unpasteurized milk is not hard to come by. Simmer fresh cream to about 82 degrees Centigrade, hold the temperature for approximately an hour. A very thick, yellow layer of clots or coagulated clumps of cream forms on the top. Let cool and remove the cream. Here is an alternate way of making it since most people in the US don't have access to unpasteurized milk and this recipe comes very close to the real thing. 2 cups of store bought heavy cream, simmer cream in top of double boiler until reduced by about half. It should be the consistency of butter…

HOT CHOCOLATE 10 1/2 Cups of Instant Milk ( about 8 qt. ) 1 1/3 Cups of Carnation Coffee Mate ( about 6 oz. ) 4 Cups of Powdered Sugar ( about 16 oz. ) 3 Cups of NesQuik Instant Chocolate ( about 16 oz. ) Mix altogether really good. Put 1/3 cup ( or to taste ) and fill cup with hot water. Makes 60 Cups

Herbed Cream Cheese 8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened at room temperature 1 tablespoon fresh garlic, chopped fine 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped 1 teaspoon fresh oregano leaves, chopped 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper In a glass bowl, blend the cream cheese with the garlic, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper to taste. Refrigerate until ready to use.

A Federal Blight for Cherry Farmers By David E. Gumpert Tue Jun 27, 10:41 AM ET It has been just about eight months since the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) sent certified letters to 29 cherry farmers and distributors, most of them in Michigan, warning them they were overdoing their online claims about the health benefits of tart cherries. Using data provided by their industry trade association to help position tart cherries as less of a pie filling and more of a health food, the farmers and distributors had posted on their Web sites studies and customer testimonials that the fruit in concentrated form helps counter gout, arthritis, and diabetes, and…

looking for lots of info on all aspects of cooking and dining during the "dark ages". I guess that's too broad-perhaps from 1300-1700 or so. Specifically, how large and small groups of people were fed, what kind of fare was popular for the middle and upper classes, preservation of food, styles of dining and service, tablewares, cutlery and anything else of this nature that is actually known-not just speculated upon, although it would be cool to have some forum discussions about these things just using common sense and then go actually find out what was really done to keep the posts interesting and fun! I am going to be actually putting this info to practical use in a…

River Thames "Mudlarks" Dig Up Medieval Toys James Owen in London, England for National Geographic News May 3, 2004 Members of the London-based Society of Thames Mudlarks look very different today from the Victorian street children the group takes its name from. Where ragged waifs once searched for bits of bone and coal to sell, men in overalls, gloves, and rubber boots now comb the River Thames foreshore with metal detectors. And though these amateur treasure hunters seldom find silver or gold, historians say what they do dig from the mud is transforming our understanding of childhood during the Middle Ages. Many Mudlark finds will soon go on display as part …

OK. Finally time to share some of the cool stuff I learned in my cool new book. The Butcher: That guy who cuts up meat to sell to the general public in a town market from a counter or stall, etc. as opposed to the kitchen position which has been around for much longer. Damn, I left the book in the car, so I don't have places and dates to hand. Well, here's a tidbit, though, even if its generalized. You folks can correct the mistakes and/or add to it after you read it. When the first Medieval towns became established enough to have thier own central market, one of the first things that became of interest to those in charge was the regulation of goods, because the…