Finding a Medieval pot or cauldron

Because of my love for all things Medieval, I recently starting looking into cook wear.  I have been playing around with clay and made a couple of cooking items, bowls, period pie dish and will be working on a pipkin soon but I wanted something more to use for cooking.  I wondered what examples there might be out there for metal cook wear.  Particularly, pots and cauldrons and  I was able to find several examples in manuscripts and woodcuts.  Below are just a few examples of what I found.

Example of a Medieval field kitchen from Il Cuoco Segreto Di Papa Pio V (The Private Chef of Pope Pius V), by Bartolomeo Scappi, Venice, 1570. 

              Confort d'ami (BNF Fr. 1584, fol. 135v), c. 1372-1377.   Off the site http://larsdatter

Küche mit Kachelofen, aus: Kuchenmaistrey, erstmals erschieben 1485 bei Peter Wagner. Abbildung aus der Ausgabe von Johannes Fischauer, Augsburg 1505

After some research, I decided I really wanted a metal cook pot/cauldron.  As I am trying my best to move closer and closer to being more "period" with clothes, furniture, tents etc... I knew that this was just one of many items that would need to be researched and  purchased.  But promised myself before I purchased I would compare each item to pictures and extents.  I happened to find these......

     









                                                                          





 The cauldron in the center looks very similar to the cauldrons directly below it. Although the top is  straighter rather then fluted out like the others.  Below:   I came across the following extents; one from a shipwreck site from Nauvo and the other is from the Museum of London. 

 

Museum of London Acc. No. 7859

From raised from the medieval wreck site in      
Nauvo.  National Board of Antiquities 

www.naba.fi/en/index 
 















In the end, I did search many auction sites, auction houses, tag sales and recreated history cook wear sites, until I finally purchased the two cauldrons below. They were purchased from an auction site for fair prices.  As for size, one holds over a gallon and the other a liter.  And although these are cast iron and many cauldrons are copper alloy or bronze; they are great additions to help recreate a more period cooking experience in the kitchen.  Now, on to find a long handle Medieval frying pan!

    

Medieval open fire cooking

     This past fall we did a couple of outdoor demonstrations at various locations.  I decided that I was going to do some open fire cooking.  From start to finish I was going to make our meal on the open fire.  This gave me a chance to try out one of my new cooking pot.  

     With the lovely view of the lake, my cousin, (in viking) and I started to cut up the vegetables as the chicken breasts were cooking in the pot over the fire.  Once the chicken was cooked we removed it and to the pot we added a little unsalted butter from what the girls had been churning.  Chopped leeks, turnips, parsnips, carrots and garlic.  We then added a little water, salt, nutmeg, mace and ginger.  Once that everything was softened I added a little flour.  Then chicken stock was added.   As it started to thicken up the chicken was added and a little cream from the butter churn itself.  Everyone agreed the stew was very tasty.  Next time, I think I will try thickening the dish with bread crumbs.

New year and new post

Well it is a new year and my New Year's resolution is to post every other week things that I am working on.  I have been very lacked in that respect.  So to catch up I will post some things that I have been doing.  I have attending demos and built a new bread oven as well.  Made more hats and currently working on some hood and clothing.  

Happy New Year Everyone!  

Playing with dough.....playdough that is

As I was passing through the hall I heard Isabelle say, "Elizabeth, look at my clay oven".  I took a peak in the room and saw she was making a clay oven out of playdough.  I told her when she finished to come and get me so I could see it.  A few minutes later she called me and and said "Here is the door mommy it even has a handle".  She made it to look just like our oven door.  To think, my daughter is building a clay oven, something she learned, a piece of history, really something that changed the way people lived and ate for centuries and she is playing with the concept right now.  I just got called for the finished project, she was so excited.  She opened the door and jumped up and down and said, "I even put a little fire in there".  That is really awesome! I will post some pics later.

Butter churning beauties.....

The girls really enjoyed teacher butter making during my bread class.  This was the third time the taught butter making.  Although, they were a little more shy this time.  The butter did get made though and enjoyed with the rolls made during class. 

This picture was actually taken at a demo we were doing in June.  The girls look so cute with there smocked aprons and there head wraps.  They wanted to look just like Mommy.  

A closeup on the churn  You can see one of the little three legged stools in the back ground their Daddy made them.  

  Here is a closer look at the stool.  They are the perfect height and the girls just love them!