Mellon Park Herb Garden

I recently received a flyer from the Point Breeze Organization about the Mellon Park Herb Garden:

The Elizabethan Herb Garden beds include culinary and medicinal herbs, a fragrance garden, a dye garden, a knot garden, a tea herb garden, a Shakespeare garden, and a rose garden. The Pittsburgh 250 Garden celebrates the 250th birthday of the city of Pittsburgh, and includes vegetables, fruits, and herbs that were grown at Fort Pitt (now Point State Park) at that time. This summer, a section with edible herbs and herbs native to Africa has been added.

Wikipedia lists the Mellon Park Shakespeare Garden/Elizabethan Herb Garden as one of only 34 such gardens in the world!

This garden is definitely worth a visit if you have the chance. Mellon Park is right along 5th Avenue, and quite near the practice site. On Sundays, you can park right on 5th Avenue!

Cooking and Socializing at Odriana’s

On Friday, 26 April 2019 at 6:00 p.m., there will be cooking and socializing at Odriana’s. We will do this every fourth Friday of the month. With the weather getting nicer, we’re going to aim for cooking outdoors, but will cook indoors if it’s rainy and/or cold.

This first meeting will be cooking something out of Scappi, talking about food safety in non-traditional kitchen environments, and reviewing basic knife skills. More social than traditional teaching, don’t feel like you need to have some level of cooking skills. I’m still a novice at over the fire cooking, so we’ll all be learning together – or, if you’re a more experienced outdoor cook and want to guide us, that would be deeply appreciated.

If the weather is nice, bring camp chairs. I have a few, but not enough to cover more than a couple of people. There is limited parking at the house, however, there is a parking lot adjacent to my property for people to park and walk over. If you need to drop someone off and go park, that is perfectly fine. To get location information and add it to your personal calendar click here. You can also contact me at jenn.strobel(at)gmail.com.

Looking forward to seeing y’all there!

Cooking and Socializing at Odriana’s

Starting Friday, 26 April 2019 at 6:00 p.m., there will be cooking and socializing at Odriana’s every fourth Friday of the month. With the weather getting nicer, we’re going to aim for cooking outdoors, but will cook indoors if it’s rainy and/or cold.

This first meeting will be cooking something out of Scappi, talking about food safety in non-traditional kitchen environments, and reviewing basic knife skills. More social than traditional teaching, don’t feel like you need to have some level of cooking skills. I’m still a novice at over the fire cooking, so we’ll all be learning together – or, if you’re a more experienced outdoor cook and want to guide us, that would be deeply appreciated.

If the weather is nice, bring camp chairs. I have a few, but not enough to cover more than a couple of people. There is limited parking at the house, however, there is a parking lot adjacent to my property for people to park and walk over. If you need to drop someone off and go park, that is perfectly fine. To get location information and add it to your personal calendar click here. You can also contact me at jenn.strobel(at)gmail.com.

Looking forward to seeing y’all there!

Larder Re-Org Day – Saturday, Aug 25

Next Saturday, August 25, is Fix the Larder Day!!!

If you have enjoyed the delicious food served at events, then please come and help organize our massive collection of cooking gear.

Any person can do this, of any age or ability — we will be carrying, sorting, organizing, putting things in boxes, counting, listing, photographing, and otherwise taking stock. (See what I did there?) If you are a new cook or wannabe cook or experienced cook, this is a great way to learn what equipment is available for your use.

Work will start at 9:30 am at the home of THLady Michelina Cenomani da Trento, whose address is in the Dark Pages (https://sites.google.com/site/ariannaofwynthrope/). We will be working in the garage, so wear your grubbies. Bring a chair if you need one.

If you have questions or concerns or need the address sent to you privately, email me at elss.of.augsburg at gmail dot com, find me on FB as Elss Augsburg, or call/text to 724-759-3333.

As always, many hands make light work. Any amount of time you can help will be deeply appreciated.

It's the Art-Signal! Quick, to the Science-Mobile!
Arts & Sciences Meeting

Elss Augsburg

A and S — Christmas in July with A and S!

This Sunday, July 1st, is the Christmas in July martial practice at 14 Quail Run, Allison Park PA 15101. (It’s about 15 minutes from Washington Blvd up Route 28 to the Harmar exit, then west on Route 910). Your host is Jasmine of Tarn Clan, our Barony Youth Combat Marshal.

A & S will be occurring throughout the day:

1 PM — Lady Alicia de Berwic will be teaching us how to cook over a fire. So useful for Pennsic!

4 PM — Mistress Gwendolyn the Graceful will led a bardic circle around the campfire. You’ll be ready for bardic night at Pennsic.

All day — Master Urho Waltterinen will bring his jigs and other gear and *finally* teach his fletching class. Don’t miss it!

You should bring a chair, bug spray, sunscreen, hat, and stuff. There will be plenty of food and beverages to help Fox celebrate his birthday and Christmas in July!

If you need assistance or have questions, please call or text me at 724-759-3333.

See you there!
Elss Augsburg

A and S — It’s Christmas in July! — Sunday, July 1

This Sunday, July 1st, is the Christmas in July martial practice at 14 Quail Run, Allison Park PA 15101. (It’s about 15 minutes from Washington Blvd up Route 28 to the Harmar exit, then west on Route 910). Your host is Jasmine of Tarn Clan, our Barony Youth Combat Marshal.

A & S will be occurring throughout the day:

1 PM — Lady Alicia de Berwic will be teaching us how to cook over a fire. So useful for Pennsic!

4 PM — Mistress Gwendolyn the Graceful will led a bardic circle around the campfire. You’ll be ready for bardic night at Pennsic.

All day — Master Urho Waltterinen will bring his jigs and other gear and *finally* teach his fletching class. Don’t miss it!

You should bring a chair, bug spray, sunscreen, hat, and stuff. There will be plenty of food and beverages to help Fox celebrate his birthday and Christmas in July!

If you need assistance or have questions, please call or text me at 724-759-3333.

See you there!
Elss Augsburg

Cooking event at War Practice

Edelvrouw Lijsbet de Keukere writes about an event at Aethelmearc War Practice in our canton of Steltonwald in May.

If you are a baker, join us!
If you are a baker, a butcher, a saucier,
A fry-er, A boil-er, a sugar paste sculptor…
If you love to cook, come add fuel to our fire,
For your passion and skills we want you to show us.
Join us!
Join us!
Join us!

Introducing The Scarlet Apron – a new cooking competition to be held at AEthelmearc War Practice (May 19-22, 2016)!

This competition is open to any and all comers who have a penchant for the medieval culinary arts. No matter if you are new to period cooking, or if it is old hat to you, you are welcome at our table!

The theme for our inaugural year is sure to be a feast for the eyes as well as the belly – Illusion Food! Anyone wishing to participate must create an example of such a food from anywhere in SCA-period. This could be an interpretation of a subtlety that has been described in a cooking text, or an original creation that can be considered “period-plausible” based on its design, construction and the materials used to create it.

All contestants should follow these guidelines:

1. The entry should be made and assembled prior to judging – this is not a competition at which contestants must cook their final product on site.

2. The finished product should be constructed from at least 50% edible
material.

3. The use of period construction techniques, including internal shaping structures and edible ingredients is preferred and encouraged.

4. The final product should be registered, signed in, and ready for judging by 11:00 AM on Saturday, May 21. The judging will take place in the Great Hall alongside the A&S competition. [ed.note: There is no A&S competition]
Registration/sign-in will open Saturday at 10:00 AM. The final judging will occur between 11:00 AM and 1:00 PM, with the winner announced during court that evening.

5. Contestants should provide a brief written overview (one page, maximum) of their entry, including their inspiration (if it was based on a specific subtlety, the original text of its description; if it was based on something else, then those details), a complete list of the materials used, and a description of how they created the structure.

6. Contestants can choose to sit with their entry during the judging period in order to answer questions from the judges and the populace, however it is not required.

7. Plating and presentation are integral to this competition. Each contestant will get no less than half of a six- or eight-foot table, which should be adorned as befits the entry.

Entries have three potential categories to win: Youth (for contestants age 5-12), Populace Choice, and Overall Winner. Cooks of all skill levels are encouraged to enter!

Any questions should be directed to the competition coordinator, Edelvrouw Lijsbet de Keukere (lijsbet(dot)vandelfthout(at)gmail(dot)com, “Keirin Lazauskas-Ralff” on Facebook). We are so excited about this competition, and are looking forward to seeing the beautiful and delicious pieces of art you create!