Title: FC-Fundrasng-art
Subject: "Period Funnel Cake Fundraising at the Lilies War" by HL Alianora de Olmandiers.
Author: Edited by Mark S. Harris
Last saved by: Mark S. Harris
Keywords: fundraising, SCA, funnel, cake, fried, money, Lilies, War

FC-fundrasng-art - 4/29/14

"Period Funnel Cake Fundraising at the Lilies War" by HL Alianora de Olmandiers.

NOTE: See also the files: fundraising-msg, GA-lunch-auct-msg, fried-breads-msg, Funnel-Cakes-art, Ital-Fnl-Caks-art, wafers-msg, pretzels-msg, strawberries-msg.

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NOTICE -

This article was submitted to me by the author for inclusion in this set of files, called Stefan's Florilegium. 

These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org

Copyright to the contents of this file remains with the author or translator.

While the author will likely give permission for this work to be reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first or check for any permissions granted at the end of this file.

Thank you,
Mark S. Harris...AKA:..Stefan li Rous
stefan at florilegium.org
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Period Funnel Cake Fundraising at the Lilies War
by HL Alianora de Olmandiers

The Barony of Forgotten Sea's Funnel Cake Fundraising Stand at Lilies was started in June 2009.

For the past 3-4 years The Barony of Forgotten Sea has held a Funnel Cake fundraiser either on the same evening as our Moonlight Madness shopping evening or the evening follow if the weather was inclement. I have had the honor of being the person in heading up the Funnel Cake Stand and we have been able to make donations to help our kingdom in various ways. We have had a lot of fun passing out lovely piles of fried dough and had the pleasure of seeing the many smiles that it encourages.

In the past we have taken the period recipe and multiplied it by 8 and ended up having to cut the batch in half to mix it in the pitchers. This recipe has been adjusted to be one bag per 1/2 gallon pitcher.

In 2010, we started with 2 gallons of milk and it was just right. With the increase we saw in the sales over 2009 I suggested getting 3 gallons of milk to start with in 2011; in 2012 we used about 3 gallons of milk and made about 150 funnel cakes.

In 2010, we started with about 1 1/2 bags of Frozen Strawberries and ran out. I suggested starting with at least 2 bags in 2011; in 2012 we used 2 bags and could still have used more.

We generally purchase a 25 lb bag of bread flour from Sam's/Costco to make our dry mixes.

It's good to have 2 watering cans & mixing pitchers available in case of emergency. Our first year we had an egg mishap that somehow caused our batter to go funky. The eggs were the only item we could figure out that was different in the mix we threw out and the new one. Having an extra watering can and mixing pitcher made it much easier to switch over to a new batch.

Ingredients needed:

4 cups flour
1 cup egg whites (8 eggs whites)
1 2/3 cups milk + more to thin (see Notes below)
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 Sam's Jug Oil (for the Whole Evening)
2 pounds powdered sugar (for Whole Evening)
1 Lg. Bottle Chocolate Syrup
2 Bags Frozen Strawberries from Sam's/Costco 

Tools needed:

Measuring cups & Measuring Spoons
1/2 Gallon Plastic Pitchers (2 works well)
Plastic Watering Can (best if it holds at least 1 Gallon)
One box Large Ziploc Style Baggies
Whisks for stirring (2 works well)
2 Tongs (another set available in case 1 gets dirty/dropped is nice too)
Cast Iron Pots to Cook in
Heat Source (IE cooking stove)
Heavy Duty Paper Plates (ie: Chinet)
Napkins
Hot Pads to move pans
Towels to wipe up spills and such
Tablecloths for tables
Bowls for Toppings
Spoon for Serving Strawberries
Strainer for Sifting Powdered Sugar
Maybe a Pretty Pitcher for the Chocolate 
Recycled glass jars, to store eggs in
Arrange for Change and a Money Box for that evening

Instructions:
1) Mix the dry ingredients together into Ziploc type bags (flour, sugar, salt) to make it easier for dump and mix at the time of the funnel cake stand.

2) Separate the eggs. If possible separate the eggs before going to Lilies. I stored the egg whites in recycle glass jars and it worked very well. I was also able to save the yolks and store them in glass jars in the freezer for later use.

3) Put wet ingredients into 1/2 gallon pitcher first (eggs & milk), then add dry ingredients from the bag. 

4) Mix until the consistency of pancake batter. We didn't even measure the milk this year, we just added and adjusted. (See notes below on milk usage and suggestions for next years purchase.

5) Using watering can pour batter into hot oil until the underside is browned, flip and remove from oil when batter all is brown.

6) Serve on Heavy Paper Plate & Add toppings. Yum! :)

The recipe above is adapted for the Fritter recipe found in Take a Thousand Eggs Or More: Volume One by Cindy Renfrow. 
It was redacted from the following sources: 
Harleian MS. 270 - Leche Vyayndez 
Harleain MS. 4016 

The recipe above has been quadrupled in order to make mixing and preparation easier for the funnel cake stand at the War of the Lilies. 

The article below was written for the Clarion Newsletter by the author.

In preparation for the Barony of Forgotten Sea's Funnel Cake Fundraiser at Lilies this past June I did a little research into Funnel Cake recipe and redactions. Funnel Cakes are indeed period. I located recipes in the following locations:

*Two 15th century Cookbooks Harleian MS.279 
*Le Menagier de Paris 
*An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th century

We had a taste test at our local fighter practice and found that the modern day recipe and the period recipe redaction from Cindy Renfrow's book "Take a 1000 Eggs or More" really were that different. There was no shortage of folks ready to help out with the little experiment and populace in attendance were about split in half on which recipe they liked better. Both versions were tasty and smelled wonderful when frying in the oil. The only real difference that was noted in the populace that evening was that of texture. The period redaction offered in Ms. Renfrow's book was a bit chewier. I'm assuming the difference in texture occurred due to the different methods used for leavening. The redaction used egg whites and the Country Fair Style Funnel Cakes utilized baking powder for leavening

It was decided to utilize a version of Ms. Renfrow's redaction. The reason I say a version of it is because I found the batter a bit thick and added more milk to it to create a smoother running batter. I added milk until I could pour the batter easily with about a #2 pencil size stream. I didn't measure the difference I just added it until it looked right. I was about the consistency of a thin pancake batter. 

The Funnel Cakes at the War of the Lilies were a hit! It was so much fun making them I'm thinking I might have to experiment a little more and try other some of the other versions of Funnel Cakes that I have found so far. The Le Menagier de Paris version is different in that it includes whole eggs and wine.

The information found in An Anonymous Andalusian Cookbook of the 13th century appears to be a variation of another bread utilizing sourdough yeast starter, fried in sesame oil, and finished off by coating it in a syrup or honey. 

Funnel Cakes and similar fried breads are found in several cultures throughout history. I seem to remember reading a possible Norse version somewhere and now I can't remember where, sigh. With this in mind, and with the knowledge of similar recipes such as Finnish tippaleipa, Indian jabeli, and Chinese you bing and you tiao floating around in cyberspace, I would love to hear more about funnel cakes and funnel cake type breads information that folks could steer me towards. As well as possible translations or redactions that they may be aware of. I'm sure I'd find some taste testers somewhere.

In the meantime, try out one of the recipes listed below and enjoy the fun that is simply...Funnel Cakes. 

Period Funnel Cakes from "Take 1000 Eggs or More" by Cindy Renfrow ISBN 0-9628598-1-8

Redaction from Two 15th century Cookbooks Harleian MS.279 – Leche Vyaundes and Harleian MS. 4016

Translation in book: 115 Cryspes- Fritters. Take white of eggs, milk and fine flour, and beat it together, and draw it through a strainer, so that it is running, and not too stiff; and cast thereto sugar and salt. And then take a chauffer full of fresh grease boiling; and then put thy hand in the batter and let the batter run through thy fingers into the chauffer; and when it is run together in the chauffer, and is enough, take a skimmer, and take it out of the chauffer, and put out all; the grease, and let run; and put it in a fair dish, and cast sugar thereon enough, and serve it forth. 

Variation 1: 
1 cup flour 
2 egg whites plus enough milk to make 2/3 cup liquid (when Alianora utilizes this recipe I add more milk by sight to create a smoother running batter. I add milk until I can pour the batter easily with about a #2 pencil size stream.) 
2 Tablespoons sugar 
dash salt 
oil 
powdered sugar 

Beat together flour, egg whites, milk, sugar and salt. Heat oil to 37r degrees F. in a large frying pan or deep fryer. Using your fingers or a funnel, drizzle the batter very quickly into the hot oil. Cook for 30 seconds. Flip the fritter and cook 30 second more, or until golden. Remove from oil and drain. Top with powdered sugar and serve warm. 

Variation 2: 
Use egg whites and enough milk and ale to make 2/3 cup liquid. 

County Fair Style Funnel Cake (http://www.momswhothink.com/cake-recipes/funnel-cake-recipe.html)

Ingredients: 
1 egg
2/3 cup milk
2 tbsp. sugar
1 1/4 cup flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking powder 

Directions: 
1. In a deep skillet, heat about two cups of oil over medium-high heat until hot. Test the temperature by dropping a pinch of flour into the hot oil. If it sizzles right away without smoking, it's perfect. 
2. Beat egg and milk. Mix all other ingredients in a separate bowl and slowly add to the egg mixture, beating until smooth. 
3. Using a funnel, drop into hot oil working from center outwards in a web pattern. (You can use a gallon sized freezer bag instead of a funnel by pouring the batter into the bag, snipping off a small corner of it, and squeezing the batter into the oil.) 
4. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, remove from the oil when golden brown and crispy. 
5. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve.
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Copyright 2012 by Terri Nelson. <ldy_alianora at yahoo.com>. Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited.  Addresses change, but a reasonable attempt should be made to ensure that the author is notified of the publication and if possible receives a copy.

If this article is reprinted in a publication, please place a notice in the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.

<the end>

Edited by Mark S. Harris	FC-Fundrasng-art	 of