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Period Culinary Uses for Squids


Red_Dawn

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Squids ain't my cup of tea, but they get mentioned as food in my stories. Not the big submarine-attacking type, but something more like the Caribbean Reef Squid. I haven't heard much about squid-eating in the Golden Age other than the possible use of squids in a chowder.

How were squids used as food back then? How'd they get the squids? What class of people would eat them? Anything else I should know on the subject? If it helps, the ethnic groups involved would be mostly British and French colonials.

Thanks!

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It's one of my favourites from the period, for the offhand language, not the flavour!

To prepare squids

Cook and dress your squid as you will, they are of little worth.... I'll see about hooking out the ref/date for you.

Lambourne! Lambourne! Stop that man pissin' on the hedge, it's imported.

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Apologies, the recipe was for cuttlefish.....well they are a bit squiddy

To dresse a Cuttle fish.

This fish is of no account, & therfore dresse it as you will.

It's from Epulario which was originally late 15thC but gets recycled and reprinted right up to the early 18thC.

Lambourne! Lambourne! Stop that man pissin' on the hedge, it's imported.

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Good question, Red Dawn. I quite enjoy squid depending upon how it's prepared. Some squid is just out of this world fantasticly delicious, while others taste like rot and manure.

Hopefully someone has some info on squid and other seafood for the GAoP time frame.

~Lady B

Tempt Fate! an' toss 't all t' Hell!"

"I'm completely innocent of whatever crime I've committed."

The one, the only,... the infamous!

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Apologies, the recipe was for cuttlefish.....well they are a bit squiddy

Indeed! Cuttlefish have shorter tentacles, but if the chef doesn't know that...

It's from Epulario which was originally late 15thC but gets recycled and reprinted right up to the early 18thC.

Good to know I'm not having my characters eat cephalopods before it was done. B)

I quite enjoy squid depending upon how it's prepared. Some squid is just out of this world fantasticly delicious, while others taste like rot and manure.

Rot and manure; I love that description! B) I'll have to keep that in mind for characters who hate squid, especially if you meant it literally.

Hopefully someone has some info on squid and other seafood for the GAoP time frame.

Heck, I don't even need an exact recipe; just an idea of how squid might've been cooked back then.

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Kind of like the recipe for roast duck:

1 duck, 1 bottle of wine, two potatoes, four carrots, six large mushrooms, two stalks of celery and an onion.

Cut up the potatoes, carrots, mushrooms, celery and onion into a roasting pan and cover with water. Add some salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a boil, then simmer for an hour.

Throw the nasty duck in the garbage, drink the wine and enjoy the veggie soup. B)

Bo

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Throw the nasty duck in the garbage, drink the wine and enjoy the veggie soup. B)

Bo

:(

Of course, the difference is that I'll eat a duck sooner than I'll eat a squid. Seriously, I was at a buffet once and heard they were serving squids. I toyed with the idea of trying one for research until I saw those little curled-up tentacles. :o

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The big squid have a lot of ammonia in their system, a freind who is a marine biologist said that a fresh(ish) washed up Humboldt Squid (one of the big buggers) smelt like a cross between burning car tyres and a hot gents urinal!

Edited by Grymm

Lambourne! Lambourne! Stop that man pissin' on the hedge, it's imported.

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The big squid have a lot of ammonia in their system, a freind who is a marine biologist said that a fresh(ish) washed up Humboldt Squid (one of the big buggers) smelt like a cross between burning car tyres and a hot gents urinal!

And since smell is an important part of taste, "rot and manure" is almost literal! :D Makes you wonder why people eat the big ones.

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