Crown Tourney of King Edward II and Queen Thyra I - Endewearde

Having never been to a crown tourney, this was a wonderful time.  There was pageantry and suspense and everything one hopes for when going to SCA events. 

I submitted my two pieces to the scribal largess.  My second scroll won the intermediate category of the competition, as well as the people's choice award.  The first scroll that is a mishmash of periods and styles was chosen to be the January Pikestaff cover.  Not bad for a beginner.  We even got to meet Queen Thyra who is as lovely and personable as she is graceful.  She humored us with pictures and presented my scroll with a token of her approval.  I was quite honored.

The tournament ended with a series of battles between Eorl Kenric of Warwick and Duke Gregor von Heisler, with Duke Gregor emerging victorious.  Meanwhile, the cooks of Endewearde worked feverishly to ready the hall for feast.  And what a feast it was.

1st Remove
Salad with vinegar and oil dressing
Bread
Butters
Dizony Por z Pasternak i Gier served on... (Stew of Parsnips, Leeks and Alexanders)
Kluski z Bryndza (cheese dumplings)

2nd Remove
Kurczak Pieczony z Suszonymi Sliwkami (Chicken Baked with Prunes)
served with
Zielony Sos z Musztarda (Green mustard sauce)
Kugiel z Rzepki  (Turnip Kurdel, sort of like a turnip casserole)
Komposjtum z Kapusty, Cwikly, Kopru i Grzybow (Compositum of Cabbage, Chard, Dill and Mushroom)
 Zupa Piwna z Bryndza, lub Caseata (Beer Soup with cheese and eggs)

3rd Remove
Zrazy po Cyprjsku (Hashmeat in the Cypriot Style meat loaf of ham and beef)
Soczewica i Kruczmorka z Boczkiem  (Lentils and Skirrets with Bacon) 
Surowka z bialej kapusty  (Polish Cole Slaw)

Pieczone Owoce o Krolewsku  (Court dish of baked fruit, kind of like a cakey bread with apples, pears, raisins, almonds inside)

Of these dishes, all of which were quite good, my favorite was the first soup.  I asked Lady Leofwenn of Wytleseie for the recipe and she happily obliged.  


Dizony Por z Pasternak i Gier (Stew of parsnips, leeks, and alexanders)
4 pounds leek greens (use the leafy part that is normally discarded)
3 pounds small parsnips, trimmed, pared, and sliced on a slant to resemble thick potato chips
2 cups sliced leek, white part only
2 cups white cabbage, shredded as for sauerkraut
1 cup coarsely chopped onion
4 cloves garlic, sliced in half lengthwise
6 tablespoons honey
1/8 teaspoon ground saffron
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground cumin1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons white vinegar
1 cup coarsely chopped alexanders (leaves and small stems only) or celery, if alexanders cannot be found

Boil the leek greens in 1 gallon of water until soft and until the stock is reduced by one-fourth (about 1 hour). Strain and reserve the liquid, discarding the leek greens. Put the stock in a stewing pot with the parsnips, sliced leeks, cabbage, onion and garlic. Cover and stew 45 minutes, or until the parsnips are tender, then add the honey, saffron, cinnamon, salt, and vinegar. Stew 15 minutes, then add the alexanders. Let the alexanders cook for about 5 minutes, then serve immediately over pieces of stale manchet bread or cheese dumplings.

NOTE:  Alexanders and celery are similar in appearance and flavor.  As alexanders are only available in the spring, celery is a  reasonable substitute.

Kluski z Bryndza (Cheese dumplings)
 1 cup bread crumbs
1 cup barley flour
1 teaspoon mace
4 tablespoons salted butter
2 pounds farmers or feta cheese
8 egg yolks

Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Melt the butter and mix into the flour and crumb thoroughly until its a loose mixture. Grate the cheese and combine with the crumb mix. Beat the egg yolks until frothy. Add to mix and work with hands into a soft paste. Form dumplings and place on a baking sheet or plate to dry for 20 minutes. While the dumplings are drying bring 1 gallon of water to a rolling boil in a large kettle. Turn the heat down to a medium low so the water is barely quivering. Add the dumplings. When they rise to the surface in about 15 minutes they are done. Or you can bake them like we did at 350 to 375 for 15 to 20 minutes.