Author: loreena

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Newsflash – October 2016

Greetings Gentle Readers,

St Ives has come and gone and October has arrived. Our heartfelt thanks to everyone who visited the shop and attended our lectures at St Ives. We hope you all had a wonderful a time; we certainly enjoyed the event, and look forward very much to going back next year.

With Christmas and the summer heat around the corner, its time to store those woollen finerys for another season. One of our non-period products is a boon for this time of year called Fresh Again, a spray designed for Sports mascots and delicate costumes that cannot be washed.

It?s also heading into the time of year where plans for new projects and research are being settled. In the coming weeks we will be adding a variety of new and classic products to help you in your endeavours along with snippets of useful information as we find them.

This year for Christmas keep your eye out for our new range of sample packs beautifully presented and likely contenders as useful and unusual gifts to loved ones.

Until next time, we bid you good reading!

Loreena, Roxy, Paul and Elden

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Fresh Again – Product Review

Product Review by Dr Loreena Johnson

 

Feeling the heat? Getting ready to store the re-enactment clothes

until Autumn rolls around once more? Wondering how on earth

you can wash away the accumulated fragrance from a dozen or

more events out of your woollens, silks and linens?

 

With a little research and testing, modern detergents and

whiteners are actually pretty good at removing dirt, food and drink

stains, particularly for the more robust textiles. However, for the

more fragile, unwashable or highly decorated gear, washing is not

always easy or desirable.

 

At the request of a customer we brought in Fresh Again Uniform

and Costume Deodorant spray ? and now we?re addicted. This

stuff neutralizes perspiration ? which means it does NOT remove

stains. It does however, kill and breakdown the bacteria left on

clothes after wearing. Seriously ? I?ve checked…

 

The spray works on natural and synthetic fibres, foam padding,

fabrics, stitching, foams, and leather. In the everyday world we sell

it to team mascots and equestrians for the inside of their helmets

and gloves. In the re-enactor community the fans are those with

the highly decorated fabrics, brocades, velvets and silks, fighter?s

armour padding and gambisons etc.

 

So far not yet found a fabric that it stains (including voiles, silks,

velvets, leather etc). It does have a very odd smell that evaporates

almost immediately. For the best results we found that spraying

areas like the underarms before wearing a garment for the first

time, and then spray when your nose tells you. Otherwise follow

the instructions and let it take the stress out of wearing your finest.

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Cooking Apicius: Roman Recipes for Today – Review

Cooking Apicius: Roman Recipes for Today

By Sally Grainger

Reviewed by Loreena Johnson

 

This handy little book is a stroke of genius on the publishers part. A collection

of recipes from Apicius as researched and trialled by the author ? who just

happens to be the same as co-authored Apicius ? A Critical Review. No

wading through pages of discourse, reviews and examinations of potential

influences ? just straight to the recipes.

 

To me, it?s not a stand-a- lone because the recipes are not accompanied by

the original text or even a translation of the original. I personally enjoy

knowing about the context a dish was created and enjoyed in. I was also a

little disappointed in the recipes selected (a solid 64 in total). They are either

totally unreproducible (due to extinction of main ingredient, ethical or safety

reasons) or what I would term ?safe? ? they will work and be very tasty (and

very accurate) but actually not very different from the flavour combinations we

are used to today.

 

This is a totally personal perspective ? and as a primer for someone starting

out presenting Roman style food, it is hard to go past.

[tabs] [tab title=”Publishers Content”] Sally Grainger has gathered, in one convenient volume, her modern interpretations of 64 of the recipes in the original text. This is not recipes inspired by the old Romans but rather a serious effort to convert the extremely gnomic instructions in the Latin into something that can be reproduced in the modern kitchen which actually gives some idea of what the Romans might have eaten. Sally Grainger, therefore, has taken great pains to suggest means of replicating the particular Roman taste for fermented fish sauce. It may sound unpleasant, but actually is not too far removed from the fish sauces of the Far East and any reproduction of Roman cookery must depend on getting this particular aspect right.” [/tab] [/tabs]

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Roman Cookery – Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchen

Roman Cookery; Ancient Recipes for Modern Kitchen

By Mark Grant

Reviewed by Loreena Johnson

 

Want to make the snacks for your average roman barfly at the local Taverna?

Or impress the neighbours with a bang up dinner on a week night but you?re

not really into the larks tongues and dormice? Well neither was the average

Roman citizen ? even if they could afford it.

 

From the information and recipes presented by the author, I?m happy to report

I could reliably re-create dishes and even entire meals, pretty much only

shopping at the local grocery store. So for a change, I could surprise people

with a meal that didn?t require a second mortgage; yet the flavours and

textures were still different enough to be a bit of a challenge for some.

 

You might remember this title with a different cover from a decade or so ago

(possibly longer ? whose counting?); same title, same author, new (second)

edition. I remembered the first edition with affection; so was pleasantly

surprised to find enough extra recipes and updated research in the second

edition to buy it as well.

 

Only point to consider ? If you are still learning to cook, don?t be deceived by

the apparent simplicity of some of the recipes. You need to know your

ingredients.

 

[tabs] [tab title=”Publishers Blurb”] More than 100 everyday recipes from Ancient Rome enjoyably recreated from the work of writers and poets of the time and adapted for the modern kitchen: healthy and delicious soups, stews, breads and salads that gave birth to the modern Mediterranean diet. [/tab] [/tabs]

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Apicius: A critical edition with an introduction and English translation – Review

Apicius: A critical edition with an introduction and English translation

Sally Grainger and Christopher Grocock

Reviewed By Loreena Johnson

 

Of all the many translations of Apicius, this is the one I?d save if a fire broke

out. The kernel of this book was Sally?s PhD thesis with judicial editing and

input from Christopher Grogock to make it more readable. It is a beautiful ? if

hardcore academic ? consolidated translation of the various fragments of

Apicius de re Coquinaria around the world.

 

Scared? There is a ton of other cool stuff within the covers regarding the

social and environmental influences, glossaries, facsimilles of original bits and

a fabulous cross referencing index and bibliography. There are even

appendices reviewing the current arguments in academia about Garum

recipes and production.

 

As to recipes; along with the original and the translation, a select number of

the dishes also have Sally Grainger?s notes and further instructions on how a

modern cook can reproduce a Roman flavour profile. Finally, these recipes

have been trialled by a great cook as well as scholar (Sally is also the author

of ?The Classical Cookbook? with Andrew Dalby) ? they work, they are tasty,

and they won?t kill you or your guests.

 

[tabs] [tab title=”Publishers Blurb”] Apicius is the sole remaining cookery book from the days of the Roman Empire. Though there were many ancient Greek and Latin works concerning food, this collection of recipes is unique. The editors suggest that it is a survival from many such collections maintained by working cooks and that the attribution to Apicius the man (a real-life Roman noble of the 2nd century AD), is a mere literary convention. There have been many English translations of this work (and, abroad, some important academic editions) but none reliable since 1958 (Flower and Rosenbaum). In any case, this edition and translation has revisited all surviving manuscripts in Europe and the USA and proposes many new readings and interpretations. The great quality of this editorial team is while the Latin scholarship is supplied by Chris Grocock, Sally Grainger contributes a lifetime’s experience in the practical cookery of adaptations of the recipes in this text. This supplies a wholly new angle from which to verify the textual and editorial suggestions. [/tab] [/tabs]

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August Newsflash

Greetings Gentle readers,

Just a brief letter this month; The move into the new warehouse is finally complete and the great unpack has begun. While we are continuing to operate, sadly it is a little slower until the unpacking is finished and we apologise for any inconvenience.

During the interim, why not look through posts on the blog? This is where we have our latest reviews, post interesting and amusing snippets from the past, and links to useful resources and information on the maintenance of gear.

Until next time, we bid you all ? good reading!

Paul, Elden, Loreena and Roxy.

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How to care for your high carbon steel blade

High carbon steel blades are still the choice of modern professional chefs and those who appreciate their strength, lasting edge and ease of sharpening. Very little work with a steel will hone an edge that a stainless knife can rarely achieve. Weighted correctly, with a comfortable handle and blade shape appropriate for the task, the high-carbon steel knife will outperform an equivalent stainless steel knife.
However like any quality tool, a little maintenance is required.

Basic maintenance:

– Wash knife with hot, soapy water after use;

– Dry immediately with a towel;

– Use a steel angled at 20 to 25 degrees regularly to keep the blade sharp;

– Use of a stone at intervals, will remove the microgrooves created by the steel and reset the razor sharp edge;

Storage:

– Pass a lightly oiled cloth (such as olive oil or vegetable oil) over the length of the blade and exposed metal;

– A leather scabbard will protect the edge from damage but not always from rust. A period technique involved a second inner scabbard of oil soaked textile, loosely tacked to the edges of the leather outer scabbard.

Do Not:

– leave the blade unwashed after use; food residues will mark and pit the blade;

– wash your knife in the dishwasher; The corrosive agents used in the dishwasher powders and liquids will pit and mark both the blade and the handle, and reduce the life and appearance of the knife.

– use the knife tip as a can opener; It will break the point off.

Repairs:

– A good quality silver polish and soft cloth will remove most discolouration’s and store as above;

– an abrasive pad such as a green scourer will remove most light surface rust;

– Where there is severe rust and or discoloration, a buffing wheel will remove the stains and return the edge;

– Store as above;

 

The knife pictured in the feature image was hand-carved by Adam McKay in Australia. Carved in the round, it portrays a young lady with a tame bird of prey. The form is modelled from a popular theme found across Europe and Scandinavia from c. 1200-1400 of young women with birds, dogs and musical instruments. Because extant examples are invariably from ivory, this reproduction is olive wood;?a fine carving wood and fitting substitute. This knife is for sale on our shop, and similar knives can be commissioned via? our Shop.

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Review – In Service to the Duke

In Service of the Duke

by?Christian Henry Tobler

 

To state the obvious, this is a magnificent facsimile of a German 15th Century fighting treatise (with translation). It?s visually and texturally stunning. For anyone with an interest in understanding the fighting techniques of this period, I?m assured it?s a must have. But – I?m definitely not a fighter and not qualified to discuss its finer points regards technique; others far better qualified will handle that later.

So why am I doing a review? – because this tome also contains a wealth of information on other aspects of medieval life. Everything from clothing to horse accessories, head wear, different ways hose and purpoints can be joined together, seam lines for the middle layers of clothes, men?s and ladies underwear? Wait, Ladies? Yes, the tome also contains a section on legal resolutions for common problems such as domestic disputes.

Seriously, this book has a wider audience than the original author could ever have imagined. Plain and simple, this is a beautiful book with a great deal of information for all aspects of 15th Century living history.

 

Buy from Mainly Medieval

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Cleaning your linens

Taking care of your beautiful household linens – Table cloths:

With the best will in the world ? stuff gets spilled, and some things are more difficult to remove than others.

For a general wash;

  • Treat any normal stains with an oxygen-based or colour safe bleach, following the directions regards pre-soaking etc. We advise not using chlorine bleach as this can damage the textile.
  • A hot wash with a regular detergent on the delicate cycle should wash clean the table cloth, and help to keep the fringe from getting tangled.
  • To minimize or avoid ironing, lay the table cloth out wet from the wash on a counter or table, smooth out the wrinkles, and then hang so it falls straight. Otherwise, a short tumble dry – again, this is to keep the fringe maintenance down to a minimum.
  • Once dry, fold carefully and store under other linens so that the folds will set as seen in period art.
  • Alternatively, you can iron the patterns in as desired with a hot iron and steam.

 

To remove candle wax –

There are a number of ways to achieve this but our preferred method (and one used in period) is as follows;

  • simply scrape off the excess candle wax;
  • lay several sheets of CLEAN (non-waxed) paper underneath the candlewax spill and another sheet of paper on top of the area;
  • with the iron on a low heat, gently iron over the spot to allow the brown paper to draw out the oily residue left behind (yes, they did have irons ? though it took considerably more technique and experience to use them);
  • IMPORTANT!! Keep the Iron moving so that you don?t burn the fabric!
  • Move the affected area onto fresh sections of the paper so that they can draw the oils more efficiently.

 

To aid with the removal of Red wine stains;

  • Mop as much as you can but do NOT rub at the red wine ? it will just grind into the fibers;
  • If you can (depending on the state of the diners), dilute the stain with water ( or soda water) and mop with a clean towel;
  • Then (and this would have been an expensive fix in period), pour a generous amount of salt onto the freshly mopped red wine spill and allow it to dry;

Wash as usual, but before drying, check to see if the stain is still there ? some stain may require stronger solutions to deal with any residual stain.

 

Don’t have linens yet? Why not buy some of the beautiful ones at Mainly Medieval? The featured image on this post is our?

Household Linens – Napkins, towels and tablecloths

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Review – Detector Finds Series by Greenlight Press

Detector Find Reviews by Gordon Bailey

Published by Greenlight Press

The Detector Find books are a series of 7 really solidly researched, handy reference manuals (though number 4 is named Finds Identified ? no one quite knows why).

They are actually published as identification aids for objects found by amateur metal detectorists in the United Kingdom, but they have plenty of useful information for the living historian.

Each book covers a wide period of time and an enormous variety of small non-precious metal artifacts; everything from harness pieces and weapon parts, to cutlery, tools of every description, dress accessories, pilgrim tokens and bells. The sheer breadth of metal object categories is truly stunning.

Understand however, that these books are not how- to manuals. Unlike the superb Museum of London artifact series, they don?t discuss or have in depth analysis of what a particular item was used for, how it was constructed or by whom. Personally, I like to use them as catalogues. I particularly appreciate that each category in a book has colour photographs (with scale bars!) of extant pieces, includes detailed line drawings of different perspectives, and a concise summary of materials, decorations, manufacture and context of the piece.

I think these books provide a great insight for anyone interested in the metal tools, fashion and accessories used by, and for, the average persons? day to day living. If you already have a working knowledge of metal craft, and enjoy re-creating the many types and forms of the metal smiths art, then these are definitely a resource worth their weight in gold.

These Titles are also in stock on the Mainly Medieval site.

Volume 1


Volume 2

 

Volume 3

 

Volume 4

 

Volume 5

 

Volume 6

 

Volume 7