Class Question

[bunnyjadwiga]

So, if you were going to attend a class (at Pennsic) on "10 Simple Medieval Herbs"
what herbs would you like to see covered?

What other information would you like to see covered?

Thanks.

Comments

[cbpotts.livejournal.com]

I'd love to see a class on what to do with all this mother-loving comfrey that is taking over my life and can not be killed by children with bicycles or men with lawn mowers or GOATS.

But perhaps that won't be interesting to anyone else *grin*

[beccalynnlaw]

I was going to say Comfrey (I used to buy this Comfrey based sun burn lotion here...I wonder if I can find a recipe).

I would say Medieval Herbs not often included in modern herb books (Cause I have 11 million uses for rosemary).

[madrun.livejournal.com]

I would like to see a class on Humoral Theory that is accessible to the layperson and also maybe takes a stab at Doctrine of Signatures as a part of persona development/general Persona Knowledge.

Most people don't seem to know anything about the medical culture of medieval Europe AT ALL, even though it impacts almost every aspect of their persona's lives. Not to mention anywhere other than Europe.

[lady-guenievre.livejournal.com]

Is this meant to be a class from a culinary standpoint or from a medical standpoint (and yes, I recognize that the two are intertwined, but it's a starting point…)

[bunnyjadwiga.livejournal.com]

It's basically meant to be a general herb class-- neither specifically medical or culinary per se

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

Alehoof; right here and right now it's a noxious weed, but it used to have value.

Rue; it's got problems, but used to turn up in all kinds of recipes. How, why, and with what to substitute.

[amaebi.livejournal.com]

I was also going to say rue-- not so much substitutes, but medieval views of it, and perhaps some thoughts on its curious centrality.

[beckishadow.livejournal.com]

Count me in for rue. I use it. :)

[stitchwhich.livejournal.com]

Bananas.

I just had to say that. :)

Honestly, to choose 10 herbs would require being familiar with them in the first place so I'm afraid I wouldn't be much help.

I would love to learn about how widespread a single herb type was in use "This is native to all of the Eastern European continent and the British Isles but was not used in Arabic or Icelandic cooking (or to protect fabric, or clean, or whatever). It is dormant during these months 'X-Z' so doesn't find much use in these holy-day periods, yet was savved, dried to be used by [insert culture here] as it had a specific religious connotation..."

That vague enough for you? (Sorry!)

[lauradi7.livejournal.com]

That sounds perfect to me (choosing the most ones with the broadest (time range or geographical range) coverage.