Fleming, Elise. Confections and the English Banquet.
[Series: The Compleat Anachronist. #163 2014:3]
[This is a pamphlet produced by the Society for Creative Anachronism. ***]
The author is a retired teacher and longtime SCA member.
This booklet is a labor of love based upon her long time interests in cake
decorating, sugar paste items, research, and attending numerous lectures and
courses in the US and in England. These include a number of Leeds Symposiums plus confectionery courses at food historian Ivan Day’s home. The work is compiled in part from the author’s many previous
papers and talks. See her website at:
The Table of Contents reveals that
the work covers the banquet ranging from its evolution through the development
of the banqueting house, a brief history sugar and confections, table layouts,
common banquet items, spice dishes, trenchers, and forks, leading into a
conclusion on page 22. The rest of the pamphlet is comprised of Appendices
covering lists of banqueting items, recipes, a section on recreating a banquet,
and lastly sugar stages. The bibliography appears on pages 55-58. Notes appear
on pages 59-64. As one can see, lots of interesting material in 64 pages!
I do have a few quibbles. Appendix
F on sugar stages is extremely hard to follow. Beginners who are unfamiliar
with the terms and techniques may find themselves lost! This material on sugar
temperatures and notes is not well served by being crammed into just three and
one third pages. Additional space and breaks between paragraphs would have been
of immense help in making the material more understandable. There are some
problems with the bibliography. The dates of original publication are often omitted.
Sir Hugh Plat did not write A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen. Susan J. Evans
transcribed the Epulario. She did not translate this English work. W.M. is not
HRM Henrietta Maria. Rather minor errors, given the complexity and length.
Despite these quibbles, this is a
very good and very readable introduction to an appealing topic of great
interest to many Society members. Highly recommended.
***Copies available by ordering through https://members.sca.org/apps/#Store
The cost is $4.50 usd.
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