(no subject)

[ornerie]

four more days till my stay-cation. squee!!

yesterday, test drove the new eye doc. the old one just POOF disappeared, leaving no records, or infrastructure. kinda wierd. the new gal is fine, tho a bit happy with the dialation drops. I suppose being thorough is a good thing but dang! on the up side, she says I get another reprieve for bifocals. its hard since I do so much flipping between near and far work, and that "near" isnt neccessarily where the bifocals think it should be. anyway, new glasses should be ready soon...it will be lovely to be able to see again. I've needed a new prescription for a while. went ahead and splurged on the clip on sunglasses even. I did NOT get the lime green frames the cute boy thought I should get. I'm just not that brave :)

also, since its a new eye doc, she doesnt bill insurance. ouch. I'll get reimbursed (for most) but still, it was a big chunk of change. what do folks who dont have insurance do about glasses? I'm pretty sure any health care reform WONT do anything about vision coverage, which is a shame. its something that a majority of the population needs, and it affects productivity. granted, not all frames cost as much as the ones I got, but the exam was still $95, which is a chunk of change if you have to pay for it yourself. and a vision exam is one of those "healthy wellness" things you're supposed to do at least yearly so your eyeballs dont fall out or anything embarassing like that! (or in my case, there's signs of something that might turn into something bad, so they want to keep an eye on it with exams at least every year if not every 6 months)

I feel a diatribe on health care reform coming on but dont have time or focus to get it down just yet. stay tuned.

anyway...

proceeding apace with planning for my cooking class on Sat. hooray! its pretty much full, which is AWESOME. its been a really long time since I've had enough students to even make the class go, much less fill up. maybe I'm not as old news as all that?

the class is "how to cook from medieval recipes". basically taking medieval recipes and making food from them. having a good time going through my favorites and picking out ones with a high chance of success as well as ones that arent too out there so folks with little cooking experience (much less medieval cooking experience) have a chance of amking something tasty. with 15 students and a commercial kitchen, we're gonna have fun :)

so, foodie friends, what are your favorite medieval recipes? what ones do you think the newbie medieval cook would enjoy playing with? so far I've got macrows and yrchons and such for easy and a digby cake if there's someone who wants a bit more of a challenge...

other ideas?

Comments

[margareta87.livejournal.com]

Too bad; I think you'd look awesome in lime-green frames :-)

[madbaker.livejournal.com]

For dead easy? Aquapatys from Curye on Brown Goo. Chicken Dressed Simply (http://www.whirlwind-design.com/ATOC/meats.html#Simply) from Libellus.

[fjorlief.livejournal.com]

Even with insurance, most don't cover eyes, or teeth, or feet. Last time I checked, those parts were all part of the same body!?!

But seriously, those without insurance, like moi, mostly do without. I was able (this year) to get a minimal eye exam at Costco for about $60. Didn't check visual fields, which I should be getting every six months, and since I hadn't had an eye exam in four years at all, that was unfortunate. If I had insurance, I would be getting an exam every six months as I have a neurological oddity that SHOULD be monitored.

As you will recall, my glasses broke earlier this year. Fortunately I was able to get them repaired, after several days without. I plan on ordering some glasses online, so I will have backup, I've never done that, but the cost savings is immense like 600% less expensive, and one of my LJ buddies did and was really satisfied.

Favorite Medieval recipes are pomegranate chicken, and saffron rice.

[gwen-the-potter.livejournal.com]

There was that pasta and cheeze that I tasted at one of you encampments...nom nom nom...

[glasseye.livejournal.com]

"what do folks who dont have insurance do about glasses?"

Live with an ill-fitting prescription for as long as possible, then get an exam somewhere very cheap (like Costco), and order new glasses/contacts online.

[corbaegirl.livejournal.com]

Or max out the credit card getting glasses.

[noxcat.livejournal.com]

A lot of people find out they have diabetes when they go to the dotor for vision problems, but by then they've probably had it for a while. :(

Savory toasted cheese (lovingly referred to as "cheese goo") is very popular down here...

[gwen-the-potter.livejournal.com]

I'm lucky, I have vision coverage here at work. Which is one of the reasons I don't complain *too much* about my job. But even with that, it only pays a portion, so I usually end up paying about 2/3 of the cost of lenses and frames - unless I get the really cheap ones, and no tinting. The bifocal cost more, and the coverage does not cover that extra cost.

I do get my exams done at Naval Hospital, though. And they claim on my insurance - but the insurance only pays $50.

[viking-food-guy.livejournal.com]

Frumenty is a great starter recipe. It's easy to make, but gets better with practice, and you can serve it for dinner with meat or put honey on it for breakfast. It's become one of our camp staples.

[ayeshadream.livejournal.com]

I'm so extremely near sited (20/340) that when I slipped on the ice last winter I was effectively blind until I dug out my mother's old cat eye high school glasses that marginally match my prescription, at least enough that I wasn't walking into things. My problem with places like costco is the wait times, if it's not a replacement for an out of date prescription and I don't have something else while I'm waiting I wouldn't be able to drive safely, and my productivity would be serious hampered.

So, is it too early to ask if you might be willing to teach for us at the 2010 culinary symposium next November? ;) Also, I was wondering if you might want to give some input on site selection, as it's narrowed down to two choices and you had mentioned having experience with at least one of the sites. We're hoping to do a walk through as soon as possible (which may be after the holidays) and we'll decide after that.

[ayeshadream.livejournal.com]

Oh and I'd suggest toast & cheese, chicken ambrosino, and sauce bob! Easy peasy gate way historical foods.

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

its never to early to ask me to teach :)

what sites were you thinking of?

[ayeshadream.livejournal.com]

Cool, we'll start locking things down after the site is settled and contracted. We'll be starting the website earlier this time too. :)

The two sites currently in the running are another girlscout camp closer in than the last one. The GSA loved us last time and actually called after the event to see if we wanted to do an event with them this year. :)

The other one is the Environmental Research Center at Millersylvania State park. You had mentioned that the cabins were yukky so we'll be checking that out closely and what all cooking spaces are available, especially outside.

We love last year's site but people said it's too far out so we're trying to get it closer in, and several have said they'll definately go if it's at Millersylvania.

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

Millersylvania I remember as being really really pretty, and easy to get to. I remember the "camper cabins" being very "rustic", while the "counselor cabins" were a bit run down but ok (and had bathrooms!). they may have done some remodelling since back then...its been a really long time! I also remember the main lodge being lovely with an adequate large kitchen.

what date(s) are you looking at?

[ayeshadream.livejournal.com]

The date request we heard most was for earlier in November, so we're currently aiming for the first weekend November 5-7 2010. There is currently no conflict with that up on the AnTir Calendar, and the only one I saw out of Kingdom is an investiture in Caid, which some of the Westies have said isn't a personal conflict.

The only thing I'm worried about at Millersylvania is whether there will be enough classroom spaces in and outdoors, and the state of the cabins as I'm really, really sensitive to mold and mildew. Having asthma problems all weekend would suck. It sounds like they have a new caretaker that's on top of things, but I'll be keeping a sharp eye and nose out for any mustiness.

[fjorlief.livejournal.com]

That is why I am going to order some "backup glasses" to have something at home in case my one pair breaks again. It will give me to opportunity to try out ordering from one of the online companies, and even if the glasses aren't super wonderful, it will surely be better than the three days I spent wandering around in a blur... Single vision glasses online are as cheap as $19 for single vision, bifocals are around $50

favorite medieval recipes

[baroness-fiamma.livejournal.com]

My favorite medieval recipe to teach new cooks is Chickpeas from Il libro della cucina [Italy, Tuscan, 14th century]

44 Ceci con ove Take fresh young chickpeas, boiled; and pour off the water, then cook them with spices, saffron, salt and oil and beaten eggs, cheese or meat, as you wish.

The different variations can be adapted to different dietary needs, from Vegan to carnivore. I usually use cumin as the main spice flavor.

Re: favorite medieval recipes

[ayeshadream.livejournal.com]

Oooh, I loved the ones you used for siege cooking at Banner War too, and it really helped teach even the newbees how to use and redact period recipes.

Which one was the novice recipe you used? I remember them all being from Il libro della cucina weren't they?

Re: favorite medieval recipes

[baroness-fiamma.livejournal.com]

Actually I used 2 recipes from your favorite, the Anonimo Veneziano (Libro di cucina/ Libro per cuoco)

Novice was: II. Ambroyno (Chicken in spicy onion and almond sauce)
Advanced was: XVII. Caponi ouer polastri impliti (Capons or hens stuffed)

I chose these recipes because they had several basic period ingredients (spice mixes, verjus) and cooking techniques (making almond milk, tempering a sauce).

[shalmestere.livejournal.com]

so, foodie friends, what are your favorite medieval recipes?

Here's one of mine:

Chykonys in Bruette

(Harleian MS. 279 (Potage Dyvers), .lxxxxvj)
"Take [an]Sethe Chykonys, & smyte hem to gobettys; than take Pepir, Gyngere, and Brede y-grounde, & tempere it vppe wyth the selfe brothe, an with Ale; an coloure it with Safroun, and sethe an serue forth."

Ideally over sourdough bread--ohgodohgodohgodohgod....

[copper-oxide.livejournal.com]

For the Culinary Symposium last weekend I made a over-the-fire custard in a pipkin with dried cherries and a touch of rose water.
I hate to brag, but OMG it was good.

[albionwood.livejournal.com]

what do folks who dont have insurance do about glasses?

Pay for them.

What's vision insurance cost? How many pairs of glasses does that buy every year?

[ornerie.livejournal.com]

my vision is covered as part of my regular medical. its covered at 90% for exams, etc and I get $200 a year for "hardware". This can be applied to glasses or contacts or whatever.

of course, my prescription can easily get to be more than that...my doc wants me to think about contacts with accessory reading glasses (like bifocals but more flexible for focal distance). thats gonna be pricey. I'm choosing to squint for now....

I'm intrigued by these online glasses places...can you really get a pair of glasses for less than $100??