Cooking
So, what is there to eat around here?
Food has always been a big part of life, but the ways in which it is prepared and enjoyed have varied widely from region to region and century to century. The SCA is an ideal place to experience and explore the changes in cooking over time, encompassing as it does so many different places such a long stretch of time.
One of the most common types of SCA event is the Feast - lots of dishes and lots of food, but that also means lots of cooking!
Many recipes have survived the ages in old manuscripts and cookbooks. Modern cookbooks on Medieval and Renaissance cookery often include the original recipe (in the original language), a translation into English, and a 'redaction' - which is a full-blown modern-style recipe with measurements, cooking times and unambiguous instructions. Two books of this type that are quite popular in the SCA are: Pleyn Delit, medieval cokery for modern cooks and Take a thousand eggs or more, a colection of 15th century recipes.A very good collection of on-line cooking sources can be found at Medieval and Renaissance Food. This is maintained by Gregory Blount of Isenfir, as part of the SCA Arts and Sciences page.