Pertaining to Food

Issues of refrigeration and drying

Fish drying

- Gut and bone the fish.

- Discard the heads, but leave the skins and tails on.

- Place the fish in a saltwater brine for three weeks, then remove them from the brine and stack for several days to drain.

- Place on drying racks, or "flakes" and let the sun do the rest. The fish is fully dried when it's as stiff as a board.

- A properly cured fish, when stored correctly, will keep for many years.

Meat Drying

- Trim off any fat or connective tissue from the meat and debone.

- Cut the meat into strips no more than one-half inch thick.

- Soak the meat in a seasoned brine for at least 1 day and then rinse and dry. You could also try rubbing the seasoning in by hand, waiting a few hours and then drying. Either way, it is important to keep the meat cool while it is absorbing the seasoning.

- After food is prepared, spread it in a single layer (pieces not touching) on drying trays and place in a sunny spot which permits good air circulation. Ensure that the meat is turned daily. Any foods that are strong-flavored should be dried by themselves.

- Drying trays can be made by simply using a frame and covering it with cheesecloth. Stretch this facric until taught and then fasten on the back of the frame.

- For general drying, hang the strips on racks in an area with good air flow that receives full sunlight.To speed drying time, a fire can be built nearby. This will give the meat a somewhat smokier taste.

How to keep things cool/cold/from spoiling

Areas situated in mountainous areas often have lots of underground springs and tunnels and caves beneath the hold/hall proper. There could easily be a coldroom/buttery/ off the kitchen....cold cold underground spring...from the higher mountains which keep everything at half decent controlled temps.

Otherwise.. Ice could be brought in a’dragonback and placed in deep caverns to regulate the temperature and keep things fresh.

Dried Foods

Dry halved apricots, peaches, and plums on their flat rooftops between window screening. Shave apples into long coils to dry. Corn, beans, rice and other grains, dried fruit, vegetables, and seeds for fresh sprouted grains and planting should constitute the bulk of food storage, with herbs, oils, sweeteners, spices, vitamin supplements, dried milk or eggs, and other regularly enjoyed items rounding out the program.

Herbs & their Harvesting

The harvesting stage of the herb depends on the part for which the plant is grown. Herbs, such as mint and basil, for which only the leaves are valuable, harvesting should commence before they begin to flower. Herbs, such as dill, which are valued both for leaves and seeds, may be allowed to set seeds. As a general rule, for all herbs with strong aroma and flavour, the best time to harvest is around midday. Herbs with succulent leaves should be harvested early in the day.

Herbs for the fresh market can be placed in a bucket with water immediately after harvesting. Herbs for preservation may be packed neatly in baskets or boxes.

Storage Rooms and how to organise them.

Stores - How to RP what’s in there and who gets stuff out of them.

A good headwoman must be able to determine exactly what is on hand, as well as the rate at which it is being used, in order, to make informative decisions. She must maintain stock levels and replace any stock lost due to either being used up, or worn due to general use in order to fully satisfy the needs and wants of the hall.weyr/hold. The only accurate way to know what you have on hand is to complete a physical inventory.

Problems in how to RP common storage areas.

An example of a working storeroom.

"This huge cavern lies below the kitchen and is part of an extensive system of caverns, which are used as Hall storage space. Three walls - east north and west - have shelves that rise from floor to ceiling and are stacked with everything from bolts of fabric to linens to Master Seahold's fine silver and crystal. There are baskets at the bottom - rows of them - with boots and rolls of leather and blocks of wood for heels with wool and yarn for sweaters with bolts of towelling. The west wall holds wooden boxes of soaps and cleaners and a large basket of sweetsand sits on the floor a large scoop handle protruding from the powder.

In the center of the room are two refectory tables with benches. At one end of one of them a low stack of hide-bound logs holds patterns and sizes. Nearby a long wooden box holds spool after spool of multi-colored thread and all the accouterment needed for sewing. A narrow pedestal near the doorway in the south wall also holds an open logbook but this you will find is the headwoman's record of what goes in and comes out of this room." (Storage Rooms at the Seacraft Hall - PernMUSH)