This was a most amazing event. I met so many wonderful gentles. Even though the air temperatur was frigid, the emotional temperatur was so warm and kind. (Being surrounded by so much bardic talent, I felt the need to write a small piece of my own about the experience. If you are daring enough to want to read a first attempt at poetry click here )
For feedback, comments or questions Gwen Cat may be reached at grasse@mscd.edu
Aibhilin kennari fra Skye vey ably ran the Cooking side of the collegium.
I am not sure if Aibhilin ever slept, she was up organizing breakfasts
and fieldtrips when I got up, and she was still up long after supper was
cleaned up and tidied away. She was often accompanied by Alex and Randall
who were two very loving and energetic helpers.
In the kitchens Aibhilin was very ably assisted by Aneas Oakhammer (oh,
those amazing sausages!) and these two gentles (with willing contributions
from others) kept everyone well fed throughout the entire weekend.
On the bardic side of things Garraed Galbraith had organized a veritable
smorgasbord of classes, though I only got to one of them, being less of
a poet and more of a cook.
Perhaps my favorite memory is of the first night, when we had found the
site, been shown our bunks, gotten appropriately dressed, and wandered
down to the kitchens. Aneas was getting ready to make the sausages. True
to the motto "Have Knife Will Travel" Mistress Katherine Holford
and I pressed our services on him. We minced garlic while he seasoned
the moose-deer-and-bacon sausages. fried up a bit, tasted, seasoned some
more, fried and tasted again. As work on the sausages progressed, the
kitchen began to fill, and we were given our first taste of Ealdomere-an
hospitality... The history of Ealdomere in song and story soon filled
the room. I dont know who all joined in, but I do know Garraed, Justinian,
MM(B) Hector, Aneas and many others lifted their voices in song, thereby
making the work go quickly, and giving this Outlander an amazing impression
of Ealdomere.
<-At
ohgodhundredearly on Saturday morning Aibhilin very kindly led a field-tip
(and supply run) to an open market. Now I am NOT a morning person, but
THIS was worth it, the market was so very much like the open markets of
my childhood, in Germany, and they had many varieteies of vegitables and
fruits, wonderful smoked meats, sausages and cold cuts, delicious baked
goods, preserves... and much much more. I wish I could have availed myself
of some of the Matjes herring or the smoked eel, but I didnt think the
border guards would have apreciated it ;-(
PS - note the color of the sky... it is definetely PRE DAWN as the sky
matches the lavender of the coat and cloak quite well.
Later on Saturday I was finally able to meet (and attend a class by)
Mistress Alys Katherine, who is a wonderful wealth of information on period
sweets! Another of the unexpected highlights of my trip was the warm and
enthusiastic welcome I received from Hauviette whose name I knew from
cooks-list and whom it was delightful to meet in person!
Saturday
evenings court brought another pleasant surprise. Master Master Hector
was made a Baron of the court. Additional photos may be added here or
linked in. Overall it seemed well deserved, and well received, even in
this small shot you can see the joy all around. ->
<-On
Sunday Mistress Katherine Holford taught a class on cheesemaking. Using
a period recipe for a quick or green cheese. (Cheesemaking
class recipe, notes, and links here)
>Following and interwoven with the cheese class I (Gwen Catrin von Berlin) taught a class on Recreating 16th Century German Cooking using the chapter on Turten from Marxen Rumpolt's 1582 Ein New Kochbuch. The class started calmly enough, but pretty soon there were groups of people all around the kitchen, some pitting plums (fresh from the market - see above,) some experimenting with the best composition for the dough... In all the class created 6 tarts, all somewhat different. click here (when its finished) for a link to the page with all the variations and some comentary. On the whole the tarts with the crushed plums went over better with the feasters than the ones with halved plums.
This is but a start on this web page.. I had such a wonderful time... thanks to all for making it such a blast!