Notes on the Feast:

Hattes. From An Ordinance of Pottage:

Make a past of paryd floure, knodyn with yolkes of eyroun; & make a stuf of vele & porke, sodyn & groundyn, with yolkes of eyron; mary dysed, & datys mynsyd; corauns; sigure, safron & salt & poudyr; & medyll al togedyr. & make youre past on round foyles of the brede of a saucer, as thyn as may be drawn. Turne hem doble, that the brerdys may come to the medyll of the foyle; then turne hem togedyr that the brerdys on the more side mete al aboute, & the lasse brerde turne upward withoutyn in the maner of a hat. & close well the egges that they hold well. Fyll theron thy stuff. Have a bature of yolkes of eyroun & whete floure in the opyn syde that ys toward. Loke theryn the stuf be closyd, & set hit yn hote grece upryght. When the bature ys fryed, thu may ley hym down & fry hym al overe.

Make a pastry dough of prepared (sifted?) flour, kneaded with yolks of eggs; & make a stuffing of veal & pork, boiled & ground, with yolks of eggs; marrow diced, & dates minced; currants; sugar, saffron & salt & spices; & mix all together. And make your pastry into round sheets the size of a saucer, as thin as may be made. Turn it double, that the edges may come to the middle of the pastry; then turn it together that the edges on the bigger side meet all about, & the smaller side turn upward on the outside in the manner of a hat. And close well (with) the egges that they hold well. Fill therein your stuffing. Have a batter of yolks of eggs & wheat flour in the open side that is toward. See that the stufiing be closed, & set it in hot grease upright. When the batter is fried, you may let it down & fry it all over.

This is a pastry shaped like a little "Robin Hood" hat, and stuffed with meat & fruit. A small, round piece of pastry made of eggs & flour is folded in half, then the round ends are turned up just to meet the middle of the fold. A small pouch or pocket is thus formed; this is stuffed with a mixture of ground veal & pork, egg yolks, diced marrow, minced dates, currants, sugar, saffron & salt. The hat is sealed together with beaten egg, and a batter of eggs & flour is used to cover the open end of the stuffing. This is then fried in oil, the bottom first to seal the opening, and then the entire hat.

Master Huen Damebrigge of Wychwood has been cooking feasts for the SCA since 1980; he still cooks for approximately 2-3 official events a year. Master Huen currently resides in the Barony-Marche of the Debatable Lands in AEthelmearc. Lord Cydifor ap Manogan has been Master Huen's primary feast assistant since 1990. Both Lady Glynnis & Lady Illadore are apprenticed to Master Huen.

The Defenders of Sherwood ©1997 James L. Matterer