Tudor MercWench Smith

holy crap, I have seen seasoned "viking" reenactors with less impressive kit. Go you! Also the blow poke looks great, but I've watched way too many true crime documentaries to not be sus of it lol . . .

Yeah, my thought is if I can build even just a basic kitchen chest, we can have an east coast/west coast set so we don't have to worry about shclepping every single thing. Also, if I ever get back to my SCA stuff, I am not reliant on the kitchens of others lol the buckle does look pretty great with the aged belt, imho. Thanks again for the recommendation - getting a nice, accurate buckle I feel really makes it look sooo much better - any old basic buckle around the man's leather shop would have still been an improvement, but this buckle actually made it an upgrade. Was tempted by one of the fancy buckles he had that was made off an original casting, but it wouldn't have made sense, at least with this old manky belt and what it gets worn for. Maybe someday I'll go back for the fancy buckle when I have fancier duds. LOL Oh! In projects I forgot to mention that I am also contemplating starting - more embroidery, maybe a foray into flag making, and those cooler covers I never fully finished back in December

Well, I've done nothing project related due to work, life and the universe conspiring against me the past few months, as is typical. Feeling the itch though. . . So here is me trying to organize the breadcrumbs of projects and ideas. Still think some small accessories - coif/cap, an apron, some better kneck scarvesetc need to be next on my agenda . . . I emailed the National Trust Imaging department to see if there were any additional photos of the item who advised that all available images can be found on the website, so that means it's only the one photo, which peeves me greatly. A bit more internet poking has led me to discover that the majority of the Wade Costume Collection has been moved out of Snowshill to another stately home museum, but not finding a lot of details about that, and this is still listed as being at Snowshill. . . next step is to try and find a direct contact for the staff specifically at Snowshill, to see if they can GET more pictures for me of the item, if it's still there. Since, yknow, a trip over to see it is not in the cards right now In other news, the belt buckle I ordered before FKGII finally got here back after Xmas, and it finally got added to my belt. Holes still need to be punched, but I shall no longer look like a renfaire escapee with my generic ye old ring belt (though kept the leather, as I've had that one belt for just shy of 20 years now, so I figured I'd keep it as a sort of talisman) I am very pleased with the quality of the buckle, and that it's the classic historical shape, but isn't one of the over the top huge fancy buckles. I'm honestly not keen on the brass color, but it's more accurate and what it was available to be cast in, so I just told myself to get over myself lol . . . Also, while not generally considered a hot bed of reenactment paraphernalia, with Big Lots closing I decided to check out the clerance prices. Found a passable-ish mug to replace my dearly departed redware mug that died at the even, was resurrected, and died again. Also found some "copper" measuring spoons - not particularly accurate in shape, but the color will help them blend in more. Same for a set off "brass" serving/cooking utensils. If you've got one close by, I recommend vulture-ing over the remains for any mess or galley kit needed - they had a decent selection of wood bowls, some other pottery mugs, and some cast iron I was a bit tempted by, but couldn't cought up the coin for. So project agenda is as follows: - Dig for more cap references to start making - Pattern an apron - Secure the q&d seams of the the alterations that Mistress @Mary Diamond helped me on my mantua back in December (honestly, her on the fly, sewing it while it's still on my body seams will still be better then any offical work I put into it haha) - Stiching down the button holes on my frock coat and hiding the modern interfacing - Women's shift (I like the look of the men's shirt under women's gear, and with some reference paintings I've found, women co-opting items of their probably dead husband's wardrobe as needs may was not unheard of or uncommong, but I'd like to have the option to do a more strictly "correct" set of women's dress. - Better stays needs to be on my radar too, but honestly I am so burnt out on my hubristically attempting projects of a skill level I have no business attempting that I am just ignoring that fact for now (also deluding myself that I will finally get to my "revenge" weight and I shouldn't layout on anything fitted or structured until then.) So, as we can see, my unique blend of hubris and procrastination persists.

It's late - not too late but the inky depth of the night sky and the Erie silence settling over this little corner of the cosmos, makes it feel later. "Who's barkeeping tonight?" I call out as I approach the Kate, hoping to find some other insomnolent preparing for a long night, rather then bedding down for the duration. "And what have you by way of contraband russian vodka? Only the good stuff, if it can be found?"

Looks delightful, but unfortunately, I am a terrible sailor, and only eat fish if its haddock, beer battered, and deep fried (excluding the occasional sea-bug, drenched in butter). Should make long voyages a bit more complicated. Can I offer up some chocolate chip banana bread to make my refusal more gracious? One of my current specialties . . .

Yes, please, thank you! I'd take that in IV bag if I could . . . Should provide a delightful, rustic, addition to my otherwise faux pretentious brekkie . . . poached eggs, a feta & spinach chicken sausage and a slice of sourdough... Just what the Steward ordered for a day for endless zoom meetings.

In my house, we call 'em "Popplers" . . I'll take three please, and whatever coffee that can be rustled up that isn't this weak as water stuff my Keurig spat out at me. . .

T'was far to small, and far too short supply. Not a dessert I have managed to master myself, though I once did a very pleasing Tiramisu cupcake. Next on my agenda to conquer however, will be pain au chocolat. Breakfast of choice round these parts for the powder monkeys. Hopefully the bacon and eggs treated you well!

Walking along old familiar beaches, a light in the distance beckons me back to a a place I hadn't thought to see again. Same, 'Kate Ol' Girl, Same. Much like in lives past, I sneak in and find a quiet corner, and one chair in questionable condition, nodding my regards "Mistress; Sir".. . Strange how things change, yet stay the same. Twenty years ago I was working too much and odd hours, trying to piece life together, finding succor in this place. And here I am again, much the same. Too much work, not enough Tiramisu. "Here's to jobs . . . and cakes . . .one can sink one's teeth into.. . "

Look into flying into CLE and see if that is any better. I could scoop up at least 3-5 people and haul them out with me in the Mom Tank. Would suck to have to do a flight immediately followed by 5 hours in the car, but if it's more cost efficent, it's not like I wouldn't be going that way anyway.

Let me know when you are ready and I can send you some starter!

Oh hey! It's only a five hour drive for me! I'd be in!

People make maintaining a starter sound so much more complicated then it needs to be, I have found. And honestly, I've had better luck with it then conventional yeast, which I find dies and goes inactive in my cupboard pretty quickly. Meanwhile, my starter gets fed maybe once a week right before I bake. I've only had maybe one loaf out of a dozen or so, so far, not rise. Other misc failures abound of course, but rise hasn't been one off them too much. Temp is a big deal, but can be adjusted for with more time to let it rise. That's the other thing I am learning - it's an art, not a science. It may say x hours rise, but that literally depends on the weather. Let it rise til it looks good. Put in as much flour or water til it feels right. Recipes are more like guidelines anyway, to quote a favorite pop culture pirate. I actually had a pretty good discard dough recipe I used back at Thanksgiving, it was nice with the apples, but it would probably lend itself well to a savory pie. If you'd like, I could dig it up and you could play with it for you pigeon purposes.

I am low key obsessed with that site lol. I had intended to do donuts and Shrewsbury cakes from there at the event too, but the donuts didn't cook up well and I wanted to prioritize the wood and the cooktime. Maybe next time I will make them ahead of time.

This is the recipe for the Chocolate. https://rarecooking.com/2016/01/28/chacolet-from-rebeckah-winches-receipt-book-at-the-folger-shakespeare-library/ I recommend reading it there rather then having me transpose it over, because the original creators have so much good insight and provide the recipie in the original text as well as the modern transcription. Sadly, I do not recall which shortbread recipe I used back at FKG1 specifically, but this tends to be my general procedure: Shortbread: 1 c butter 1/2 c powdered sugar 1 3/4 c flour 1/3 c cornstarch Cream together softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the flour and cornstarch into the butter and mix. Scoop into small balls and flatten with your hand or a stamp. Bake at 300 for 20 minutes

The bread is still very much a work in progress, and I am perpetually making adjustments but here's the basic jist of it... Bread flour - 4 cups/450g Water - 1.25 cups/ 275g Starter - 1/3 c/100g Salt - 1.5 tsp/10 grams Feed your starter the night before Mix all ingredients in a bowl until shaggy Kneed for 8-10 minutes (can use a stand mixer) until elastic and smooth and "feels" right Cover and let rise 6-8 hours or til double Tip out onto lightly floured surface, and shape Put on parchment paper and put into Dutch oven and cover for another 2-4 hour rise or until doubled (will vary based on temp). Score the middle with a very sharp knife then bake at 475-500 degrees - if starting from a cold over bake for about 50 minutes, then do 5-10 uncovered. If starting from a preheated oven, do about 20-30 minutes. If baking in a wood fired brick oven, bake at whatever temp the oven gods will allow the thing to get up to for as long as it takes for it to resemble bread. . . For fun a few days ago I ran this through chatGPT to write it as if it were an early modern recipe. It was not disappointing lol . . . Edit to add: while this recipe is entirely appropriate to period in that soughdough starters have been used since at least documented the Egyptians, and this was the only way to get levened bread, from all research I've found, use on board a ship would be highly unlikely due to the conditions being tricky to keep a starter healthy and alive and the difficulties of keeping flour fresh in storage - so this bread would have been a landside treat only, unless I can find some documentation otherwise.

I fear similar for myself - my head itself is strangely large in actual size, but weirdly narrow, so anything big enough to actually fit looks . . . . large and weird. This is the cap in question that I am extrodinarily intrigued by. . . . From the shape it almost looks like it is supposed to kind of sit from the middle to the back of the head (almost like a snood) and not too far forward which is wear I get caught up, but I have never seen any depictions of a cap worn like in art, and of course it's displayed with the intent of showing the quilting and pulled thread designs, not how it was functionally worn, and I haven't been able to find any other photos yet to clarify.

In other news, I haven't even made it to the event yet, and I am already planning on what my next upgrade projects should be - which has lead me to an amazing source aggragate (http://www.larsdatter.com/18c/index.html) and now, in classic me fashion I am swan diving into more then I can chew with research and head-planning. Adding a cap to my gear *should* be easy . . . but it's not. Finding extant non-frilly, non-dangly women's caps is nigh on herculean. I could resort to just doing a men's cap, as my kit, by intent, is a blend of both men and women's (which, the site in question also has a specific section of painting references of "women in men's clothing", so that is fun for me!), so what I'd really like to do is find a working woman's cap that would be functional for the "work" I'd be doing is goal #1. Barring that, goal # 2 would be find a men's work cap that I can actually place to periord (that also won't look dorkly on me lol). From what I am seeing, the most common cap types seen are 2nd half of the 18th c. I did find one extant example of a women's cap that I am highly curious about, cause from the one photo it's shaped nothing like the typical other women's cap (it looks almost like it's shaped like a snood), but I haven't found any further detail photos of it to be able to tell how exactly it was worn. Second major project - QUILT! I wish I fell down this rabbit hole earlier, since having a period quilt for a december event sounds cozy, but maybe for next year, since it will be a large undertaking. But, I am super excited, cause despite all the popular opinion that quilts are Late 18th/Early1 9th cent, there are some GORGEOUS examples of both piecework and whole cloth quilts from period that I want to try my hand at. It of course leads the question of "would a pirate have a long labored over quilt?" and the answer is probably "no", especially at the quick and dirty careening camp style events, but we'll just say it came from some "reallocated" cargo or something and call it good.

progress report: Mantua is finished except for means to bustle up. Might just take the weird flappy bits from the underarm sides that are just dangling on the inside to create a little loop thingy. Or might get ultimately lazy and just tack stitch them up. We shall see. But at any rate, the thing is wearable for the event, defying all odds. Not ecstatic about the fit over all, but at a few paces, it should look fine. Hat has been de-waxed and reshellac'd. Next need to prioritize slops mending, button holing my coat, and putting finished edges on my towel. Mystery mouske-projects might have to wait to be handiwork on site. Also need to gather up ingredients and tools for Nom-Noms. Current plans for that are period accurate coffee and cocoa recipies, as well as maybe making up a round of "donuts" from circa 1697-1723. Oh, and my sourdough starter will probably come with me. And I need to come up with jars and crocks and containers for this all.

Thanks everyone for the encouragement and kind words. I *am* rather proud that I managed to dig down and get it "done", and am pleased that I will have an upgrade to wear. I am not 1000% pleased with the results, but I am 1000% percent pleased with the effort, so I guess that is something. And it did earn a few "Holy shit, holy shit, I actually have a mantua" comments when I first tried it on, so I'm not even *too* disappointed with the results. I think I owe most of the success to the magical fabric, though. Today's projects include finishing the cuffs, which are weird, then getting a jump on the front pleats and finishes (though I half wonder if I should hem the bottom first?). The back pleats have been stabilized at the neckline, but I might want to do more or add/change it, cause I'm not sure if it is sturdy enough, but that might also hang til after the event. We shall see. Other activities include getting candle wax out of my hat before I re-shellac it and maybe busting out the spray adhesive to start gluing down the canvas onto the coolers I am attempting to turn into "cargo bales", reorganizing and starting to pack up my sea chest, and cutting linen scraps for a mystery mousketool . .. . erm, I mean a mystery project. Oh yeah, also, should probably do my day job. all this on 3 hours sleep. . . wheeeeeeeeehhh, ADHD powers activate!

That's what I thought! Even more exciting is the fact that whipped cream is entirely period appropriate (perchance not in a spray can, though) so we could make the drink even more festive!!

Finally (!!) got around to testing a recipe. Whipped up some "Chacolet" today on a break from work. (https://rarecooking.com/2016/01/28/chacolet-from-rebeckah-winches-receipt-book-at-the-folger-shakespeare-library/) I did the cocoa powder version of the modernized recipe (trying to price shop/online for nibs was proving a weird sticking point for me). I, much to my historical shame, cheated and ground up the red pepper flake in my handy dandy bullet blender. What's the old, much maligned bad reenactor catch-phrase "If they had it they would have used it!!" lol. . . Notes and observations. Mixing up the powder would be a stupidly easy display for events. Actually goes together quick - though obviously would be slower having to hand grind nibs and chili. Flavorwise - I was worried about the cinnamon overpowering the chocolate flavor, but it doesn't at least not too badly, so maybe key it back just a tiny little bit. The spice level is higher then I expected, but definitely not unpleasant (at least to me who's idea of a good curry is a Vindalooo spice blend referred to as "Thermonuclear".) I understand from the recipe notes that the the spice mellows as the flavors meld if the powder is stored for a few months. I meant to start this process in September, so I won't be able to really test that theory. It drinks best after it cools just a touch, at which time it becomes delightfully warming and decadently chocolatey. Will have to figure out best way to prevent/remove the film that forms when heating milk. At any rate, a large jar of this will be coming to Fort King George in December for all the hot beverage needs of those un-enamored of coffee or tea.

Well ladies and gents . . . We have a more or less functional mantua. It's got some flaws, the pleating and the fit isn't the greatest, considering I was doing it on myself and a not particularly accurate duct tape dress form. I've still got to do up the cuffs, then tailor/finish the front, then hem everything up. But it certainly kicks my girly duds up a few dozen notches. Please excuse the absolutely awful selfies (and the fact that the front is still way too drapey/baggy/unfinished), but I absolutely had to see how it looked over everything, and well .. . I ain't mad about it. Next up (after the final finishes on this sucker) will probably be some mending pile stuff, getting the ring on my belt swapped out for a buckle, cleaning and reshaping my hat, and button holes on my frock. Down to weeks now, not months!