Castlemere History

Castlemere Cooks    2001-2002 First Known Cooking Group in Castlemere;  founded by Cristina Dominguez "The Castlemere Cooks" was founded by Cristina Dominguez and Gustav Zizka on August 22, 2001.The meetings were held at their house in the Mandarian area of town.. "Would anyone be interested in a cooking class to be held once a month?  We would like to get together with others who like to cook and share medieval recipes. I know we have some wonderful cooks in this shire as the last social/potluck showed. (No fair saying that you all brought potato chips!)"_ Cristina.  Recipes taught in the classes  * September 12, 2001, Castlemere Cooks – at Cristina and Gustav's house, 2nd Wednesday each month. This month her Excellency Baronessa Ilaria Francesca Aldobrandini has graciously offered give us a sneak peek into some of the recipes she will be presenting at feast for Scriptorum.  Come be a guinea pig-—uh, I mean—-enjoy learning to cook among friends.  All you need to bring is yourself, your taste buds and a willingness to learn. Cooking skill is not required. * October 10th Wednesday ,Castlemere Cooks meeting, This month the Honorable Lady Cara Angiola de Boccaccio will show us how to make her famous Mushroom Stew.  Come and enjoy learning to cook period recipes among friends.  All you need to bring is yourself, your taste buds and a willingness to learn.  * November 1, 2001 , Castlemere Cooks, Lady Kenet taught her SECRET recipe for Stuffed Rolls and Gaest made Norse Soup. * December 12, 2001, Castlemere Cooks , potluck * January 9th, 2002, Castlemere Cooks meeting, Tamara of Castlemere will be teaching chocolate making. April 10th 2002- Castlemere Cooks - Coming soon!  To tastebuds near you...tender, slices of chicken bathing in a decadent lemon parmesan sauce. See...Gustav Zizka wielding various knives and acoutremonts.  He slices, he dices, he makes julienne fries.   (Whoops, wrong commercial.) A fighter who can cook! Or a cook who can fight! Call Ripleys Believe It Or Not! <ahem--note to self--cut back on the caffeine> The next Castlemere Cooks class is Wednesday night (April 10th)  at 7:30 at our house.   Gustav will teaching us how to make Chicken Picata Castlemere Cookies Medieval Dinner Club  2005 -  present;  founded by HL Mćva Eiriksdóttír Recipes Roman Orgy of Food - May 15, 2005 - Hear these our words and know that on the 14th day of may, on the 4th hour after the sun as risen to noon, there will be much cooking and chopping and spicing in the abode of one Mćva Eiriksdóttír and much rejoicing in the many splendid tastes culmunating in a roman orgy.      That's right, Cookies :o)  On saturday, the 14th of may, you're all invited to come to my place at 1323 Silver St. at 4pm to help cook a roman feast based on recipes found in Apicius. We'll then dress in togas and have a feast on the porch.    Eastern  European Feast:  * Jan 14, 2006 - (report by Maeva Eiriksdottir) The breeze you felt was the subtle hint that in the heart of Castlemere the Castlemere Cookies were cooking up a -storm- ! Yesterday 16 medieval cooks stormed the kitchen on Silver St and after much cooking and chopping we were able to enjoy an absolutely delicious eastern  european feast with lamb, burek, longosha, and, and, and. Big thank-yous and hugs go out to Ljiliana who taught us how to make burek and everybody else who made yesterday a great fun *S* (report by Milica od Tuzla) I had a lot of fun. I thoughts almost all the food was wonderful, I didn't care for the Longosha, but there was so much else to choose from that it didn't matter. Socializing with my guild mates with a cup of mead during the meal topped it all off. I can't wait until the next time. ( report by HL Cara)  I liked the filling on the longosha, but I thought the burek pastry we used for the casing was too tough for it. I’d make the filling a little deeper next time, or roll the pastry up like the first part of the burek, cook it that way, and cross-cut it for serving, like a strudel.  Or maybe make single-serve cabbage turnovers/pies. But I liked the flavor. I expected the kolaches to be pastry-danish things rather than a cookie texture, but they were tasty anyway. I loved the way the beets looked, even if I didn’t get to try them. But remind me next time to save the beet juice to dye some eggs – Bill’s fingers were such a gorgeous color. The burek production and assembly was great fun. Now I need to find a suitable sheet for pastry.     For anyone who is planning to try out the Mushroom Stew recipe: the bacon that Kenet bought was very lean, and did not generate a great deal of bacon grease, so we just left it in rather than pour it off. The original recipe says to leave it in, but I’ve found that to be too greasy for my palate and my stomach. This tasted fine to me, so use your own judgement based on how it tasted to you and how much fat your bacon has. 14th Century English Hunting Party Picnic  July 9, 2006 - (report by Maeva Eiriksdottir)  Amidst beautiful old houses in a small courtyard shaded by tall old trees and under a bright blue skies the Castlemere Cookies Dinner Club came together today in St Augustine's Historical Village to celebrate yet another journey into the edible delights of the Middle Ages. Food and good company were aplenty and delightful and recipes for all kinds of delicious tarts, pickled vegetables, savory roast pork, homemade cheese, meads and cordials :o) Attending: Lady Mćva Eiriksdóttír, Suibhne MacBurke and son Finley, Milica od Soli and her daughter Kate, Ljiljiana, HL Cara Angiola Boccacio, Lady Darlene of Richmond and her friend Diana, HL Kenet of Ravenscourt, Lord Gaest, Maria, William of Castlemere, Luther, Svana Steinerdottir, Lady Tamara of Castlemere, and HL Iain Qwhewyl. Kenet created a menu booklet for everyone to keep. Menu: * Pommedorry/Meatballs [Svana and Luther] * Cormarye/Roast Pork in a Wine Sauce [Maeva and Darlene] * Compost/Pickled Root Vegetables [Milica] * Fresh, homemade cheese and bread [Milica] * Tartys in Applis/Apple and Pear Tart [Kenet and Cara] * Daryols /Cream Tarts [Tamara and Iain] * Tourteletes in Fryture/Ground Figs in Pastry [Tamara and Iain] * Cryppys/Crisps [Maria and Bill] * Additional items not on orginial medeival menu:  Moussaka [Ljiljianna]; * Scotch Eggs [Cara]; * Assorted cordials, teas, mead, etc. Menu: * Pommedorry/Meatballs [Svana and Luther] Diursa Servicia from Curye on Inglysch * Cormarye/Roast Pork in a Wine Sauce [Maeva and Darlene] Forme of Cury from Curye on Inglysch * Compost/Pickled Root Vegetables [Milica] Forme of Cury from Curye on Inglysch * Fresh, homemade cheese and bread [Milica] * Tartys in Applis/Apple and Pear Tart [Kenet and Cara] Curye on Inglish * Tart de Bry/Cheese Tart [not made - Gianetta couldn't come] Forme of Cury * Daryols /Cream Tarts [Tamara and Iain] Pleyn Delit, #118 * Tourteletes in Fryture/Ground Figs in Pastry [Tamara and Iain] Forme of Curye from Curye on Inglysch * Cryppys/Crisps [Maria and Bill] Ancient Cookery * Additional: Moussaka [Ljiljianna] Scotch Eggs [Cara] Assorted cordials, teas, mead, etc. Castlemere 12th Night  January 7, 2007 Cookie Challenge June 10, 2007, Castlemere Cookies "Cookie Challenge"; to create the best tasting sugar-free cookie that HL Cara Angiola de Boccaccio can eat on her sugarfree diet due to her diabetes. This fun filled day was held at the home of Lady Milica do Soli. (report by Lady Milica do Soli) In attendance were (in order of appearance to the best of my memory): Lady Milica do Soli; HL Mćva Eiriksdóttír; Nenad; Lady Darlene of Richmond; Lady Tamara of Castlemere HL Iain Qwhewyl; HL Cara Angiola de Boccaccio; HL Kenet of Ravenscourt; Lord Luther Lady Svana Steinerdottir; Ljilia; Josip; Neville - neighbor who popped over to see what the awesome smell emanating from the backyard was; Suibhne MacBurke; Finn; not in attendance were William and Maria who sent their regrets -  About 4:00 we began an enormous and most tasty feast with tons of food and warm companionship. After feasting to our hearts content we turned to the desserts (which was, after all, our reason for meeting this day). Cara began with a Lent Egg (almond creme filled egg shell) submitted for her approval by Maeva and Milica, then the Nibbles created by Darlene, bran cookies made by Kenet and last but not least the Oatmeal cookies made by Svanna and taste tested by Luther. Each sweets history was told during the tasting process. After much consideration, and gift giving for all participants,Kenet was crowned the Cookie Queen for the day. Tamara did not have an opportunity to make her creation but has promised her recipes for the Cookie Challenge Cook Book. Coffee and socializing followed.  Photos of Cookie Challenge