I now market, in addition to my retail wares, Information, and Presentations!
Any gentles in need of accurate research, or presentation of either
research or a review of a book (such as Take a thousand eggs or more ) are invited to contact me for further details:
catalan_athens@yahoo.com
My other wares will be on display soon.
I am a shopkeeper, like my father before me, may he rest in peace, who passed his business interests here, in Barcelona, as well as concerns in Athens, down to me. Meager though it was, it keeps a roof over my head, and I continue the business, weaving trims and belts and favors.
When I have a little extra, I give money to help the learning establishments of my local area.
To tell a bit about myself, I am a 31 year old merchant woman,
here in Barcelona, in this year 1263 CE. I listened
with great interest to news of the recent disputation, but more
on that later.
I sometimes need to travel to Athens, to
check on my concerns there. When there, I dress as they do.
[20th Century comments to be prefaced in braces. This site will attempt to provide, in character, my impressions of what life in 13th century Catalunia was like for a woman of middle class standing. These impressions and opinions will grow and become more refined as I continue to do research, so please feel free to offer contributions, opinions, sources, and ideas. I am first attempting to set down all of the information I have gleaned over the past couple of years, which is more general than specific. I then plan to organize and format it more nicely. Please offer suggestions for both topics and formats. Welcome, and enjoy.] A Catalan in Athens
Items in my shops and where I get them
I have access to wool, cotton, linen, and silk, as well as the
fustians manufactured here in Catalunia.
My favorite foods
I am quite fond of fruit and meat combinations, and other typically Mediterranean combinations, many of which derive from our Moorish neighbors. We Catalans take and send much of our cooking style from our Provencal neighbors to the north, as our language also does.[A wonderful link to a Catalan feast...] -------- "Espinacas a la Catalana," or Spinach, Catalan Style 3 tsps raisins 4 lib fresh spinach 1/2 cup olive oil, plus more for frying 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped 3 tbsp pine nuts salt and black pepper 2 slices white bread, crusts removed, cut into triangles 1. Soak raisins in hot water while preparing the spinach. Wash and cook the spinach for 3 minutes, drain in cold water, and drain again. 2. Chop spinach roughly. Put oil in a heat proof pot and warm over very low heat. Add the garlic, pine nuts, drained raisins, adn spinach. Season well and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occassionally. Let stand for 15 minutes. (As you can see, this recipe is not for the impatient -I hurried!) 3. Warm oil in skillet over medium heat, fry bread until golden on both sides. Serve spinach garnished with the bread triangles. (Page 80.)
[20th Century Visitor Comments:
The recipe comes from "The Classic Mediterranean Cookbook," by Sarah Woodward. There are many non-period
dishes in the book, although she often notes items that are from the New World, like peppers, potatoes, and
tomotoes. I believe that this recipe is completely period, but more research is neccessary. I was surprised to find
distinct differences noted between Catalan and Provencial cooking, as I had assumed they would be the same, since
they are sister languages, and Catalan culture was closely associated with Provence. It would seem that Catalan
cooking was heavily influenced by Arab cooking as well as by Provence -no surprise, but interesting considering
the amount of fighting and 'official' disdain for the Mudejars.
Another pleasant surprise I found in Catalan cooking; The Italians aren't the only ones who love to eat pasta. More
about that soon...
I have found many more Catalan recipies, some of which are traced back as far as the Thirteenth Century by the
author, in Mirimar Torres' "The Catalan Country Kitchen." ]
----
From: "James L. Matterer" ,Date: Tue, 29 Apr
1997
21:45:42 -0700,Subject: SC - Cameline Meat Brewet,Greetings, In
response to Derdriu's & Willem's request for a posting of
A,Cameline
Meat Brewet, here it is., Looking over the recipe, I think it
might be
fun to substitute red,wine for the water in the Cameline Sauce.
I've
never tried it, but I,think I'll have to now that I've thought of
it. If
anyone makes this,dish, please let me know what you think!,Master
Ian,,Cameline Sauce,"Pound ginger, plenty
of
cinnamon, cardamon, mace, long pepper if you,wish, then squeeze
out
bread soaked in vinegar and strain it all,together and salt it
just
right." - Le Viandier de Taillevent, from,Food in History, p.
219.,Unlike many sauces, this one is unboiled as per the
description in
Le,Viandier de Taillevent, p. 219: "Cameline sauce has cinnamon as
its,predominant ingredient and is unboiled." Le Viandier also
advises
us,that not all sauces contained binding agents (p. 23-24).
Bearing that
in,mind, the bread crumbs have been left out of this version of
the
recipe.,1 c. each cider vinegar and water ,1/2 tsp. cinnamon,1/4
tsp.
each of ginger, cloves, mace, cardamon, pepper, and salt,Combine
liquids, add spices and mix thoroughly with a wire whisk.
Taste,for
seasonings and adjust accordingly. Use immediately or
refrigerate,for
later use.,From: Stephen Bloch ,Date:
Thu, 8
May 1997 21:45:26 -0400 (EDT),Subject: Re: SC - Cameline Meat
Brewet,Ian
writes:,> Unlike many sauces, this one is unboiled as per the
description in Le,> Viandier de Taillevent, p. 219: "Cameline
sauce has
cinnamon as its,> predominant ingredient and is unboiled." Le
Viandier
also advises us,> that not all sauces contained binding agents (p.
23-24). Bearing that in,> mind, the bread crumbs have been left
out of
this version of the recipe.,Perhaps in Viandier, but for the
Catalan
feast we served three months,ago we used a cooked,
breadcrumb-thickened
"salsa camelina" based on a,mixture of beef broth and pomegranate
juice! It was
deliciously,different.,
mar-Joshua ibn-Eleazar
ha-Shalib, Stephen
Bloch,
sbloch@panther.adelphi.edu,
http://www.adelphi.edu/~sbloch/,
Math/CS Dept, Adelphi University,From: Stephen Bloch
,Date: Fri, 9 May 1997 19:43:13 -0400
(EDT),Subject: Re: SC - Cameline Sauce,Lasairfhiona writes:,>
Could I
possibly beg that recipe from you? I have a couple quarts of,>
pomegranate juice, and no idea what to make of it (aside from
wine, but
that,> would be too easy...),The recipe is #109 in _Libre del
Coch_.
Here's our translation:,109 Cameline Sauce,Take two or three
pomegranates and strain them all through a piece of,clean linen.
And
when they are strained, press them well in such,manner that the
juice
[hisca] well. And afterwards take a bit of,toasted bread and soak
it in
the aforementioned juice. And afterwards,take a good quantity of
ground
cinnamon and put it with the bread. And,afterwards grind it well
in a
morter. And when it is ground up, temper,it up with good broth
and the
juice of the aforementioned pomegranates,and vinegar which isn't
too
strong . And after that it goes on the,fire to boil, stirring all
the
time, until it is thick, but put in the,pot before it boils a lump
of
fine sugar. And it's done.,Our first redaction turned into
Cameline
Glue; the following has fewer,breadcrumbs, and works well in both
flavor
and texture.,1/4 cup breadcrumbs (from toasted whole wheat
bread),3/4
cup pomegranate juice,1/4 cup beef broth,2 T wine vinegar,1 T
cinnamon,1
tsp white sugar,As I recall, we did this redaction, scaled up by a
factor of ten or,so, alongside the roast beef in the feast. We
also
served a "salsa,allipebrada", or garlic-and-pepper sauce, which
actually
I think had,been redacted years earlier from a French recipe
entitled
"sauce,aliper"., mar-Joshua
ibn-Eleazar ha-Shalib,
Stephen Bloch,
sbloch@panther.adelphi.edu,
http://www.adelphi.edu/~sbloch/,
Math/CS Dept, Adelphi University
Back to My List of Wares
Books I have read
[(Tirant Lo Blanc-out of period:1490)]
Learning Establishments in the Confederation of Aragon
Catalan
Aragonese
Valencian
current events
-The Disputation
History
(or: Why Barcelona is really a French Town), Heracles, our first King, Hamilcar Barca, founder of Barcino
Politics
(or: Why does the king cowtow to Simon duMontfort!)
Clothing: Styles, fabrics, accessories, techniques
[As best I can currently tell, Catalan clothes were similar to those of the rest of Europe, with perhaps a bit more trim. Based on fashion through the ages, and on Medieval Miscellany Patterns.]
Money
(France is constantly devaluing their money! How does
this affect us, to the south, and commerce in the Med?)
What do I use to purchase everyday items, like food?
How do I pay for large-scale or wholesale items(like wool)?
How does the Catalan commercial domination of the Mediterranean
affect me?
Does the Consulate del Mar?
Was it cheaper
to travel from Barcelona to Athens by sea, or overland?
The Cortes:
Litigation and My Inheritance/Will
(or: I got sued by a fellow merchant!)
Religion
: King Jiame's "Mild" Inquisition, The Schism
How does this tie in with my everyday life?
Daily Life:
Peasants I see on the streets, Me, and Upper Classes, My visit to smelly Avignon, My home town of Barcelona
How do I get around town?
Technology: Clocks, Jewish Jewelers, and water wheels
Jews and Muslims: The Disputation, and how I relate to them (and, why do they have those odd things on their clothes?)
There are reputed to be schools in Valencia, and near Barcelona
in which men learn the ways of the Jews and Saracens, in
order to better persuade them to join the Christian faith.
References:
www.xarxasite.com/hotel/infobarc.htm
www.spaintour.com/barcelona.html
Catalonia -Victor Alba
Barcelona and its Rulers, 1096-1291 -Stephen P. Bensch
Minstrels 2: More medieval music to sing and play by" -Brian Sargent
Western Europe in the Middle ages 300-1475 -Brian Tierney & S. Painter
Medieval People -Eileen Power
Europe: Hierarchy and Revolt 1320-1450 -George Holmes
A Distant Mirror: The calamitous 14th century -Barbara Tuchman
The Jews of Spain -Jane Gerber
The Chronicle of San Juan dela Pena: A 14th century official history of
the Crown of Aragon -Lyna Nelson
The medieval crown of Aragon: A short history -T. N. Bison
The classic Mediterranean cookbook -Sarah Woodward
The apostolic hero and community in Ramon Llul's Blanquerna: A Literary
Study of a medieval utopia -Robert J. Gonzalez-Casasnovas
Dream and Fantasy in 14th and 15th century Catalan prose -Patricia Boehne
Medieval Women -Eileen Power
Clocks and Culture 1300-1700 -Carlo M. Cipolla
The Usatges of Barcelona: The Fundamental Laws of Catalonia -Donald Kagay
Medieval Costume in England and France the 13th, 14th, and 15th Centuries
-Mary G. Houston
Medieval Cities -Henri Pirenne
Barcelona -Robert Hughes
To see:
Men and Women of Toulouse in the age of the Cathars -John H. Mundy
Medieval households -Herlihy
The development of the family and marriage in Europe -Jack Goody
The Zincali: or an account of the gypsies of Spain -George Borrow
Libre de Loch -Rupert de Nola (pub. Barcelona before 1500)
Llibre de Sent Sovi (early 14th century Catalan cookbook)
The Montcadas: A 12th century Catalan noble family
http://kuhttp.cc.ukans.edu/kansas/aarhms/mainpage.html
http://pages.ripco.net/~clevin/list.html
http://www.uca.edu/divisions/academic/history/
http://rococo.ele.cie.uva.es/ismael/linkcas.html
http://www.uv.es/~lemir/Tirant/Tirant.html
http://libro.uca.edu/
http://libro.uca.edu/montcada/mcnf4.htm
http://libro.uca.edu/chaytor/hac18.htm
http://libro.uca.edu/ck/bibliog.htm
http://libro.uca.edu/ics/ics3.htm
http://www.wmich.edu/medieval/board/archive/31congress/31congcatol.html
and Iberia research from the 90's
Back to My List of Wares
A Catalan in Athens
catalan_athens@yahoo.com