Sweet as a Nut

"As sweete as a nutt, a good naturd girle I tell thee."

--John Cleaveland, Club Law, c. 1600

Threediculous at Southern 2013

         Luckily, I have always had family and friends who have been willing to be dragged along to Renaissance faires all across the state of California.  My usual crew is my mother Tammy and my sister Veronica, and together we refer to ourselves as "Threediculous" for visits to faire and trips to Disneyland.  I went to my first Renaissance faire, at Blackpoint, while still in the womb and developed my love of early modern historical reenactment through some kind of osmosis.  I was then born with an addiction to the Elizabethan era that has manifested itself in multiple costumed trips to faires throughout the year, plans to start a renfaire business for 2014, and an ongoing master's thesis on the Elizabethan kitchen.

     I am not alone in my quest to become a Renaissance merchant, fortunately, as I have found a comrade-in-arms in my longtime close friend Becky, aka Goody McMannis.



Goody McMannis at Bombay Lounge discussing business

She has joined me as my associate in our prospective business (top secret--to be revealed hopefully soon!!!), and so together we are trying to build appropriate wardrobes for the working 1590's woman.  Our first major clothing item we're making together is a waistcoat/jacket from the Tudor Tailor, pages 84-85.  Since we are portraying merchants of the middling sort, our version will land somewhere between this:


Lady Dorothy Cary, 1615, by William Larkin

 and this:


Woman spinning outdoors in the Pepys Ballads

Yesterday, we scaled up the pattern from the book by eyeballing it onto 1" grid Christmas wrapping paper.  By a stroke of luck, I currently happen to be the same measurements as the book, and so a mockup should reveal if my laissez faire method works.

Pattern pieces all done!

       Becky and I also tested out a recipe for candied walnuts from Sarah Longe's 1610 receipt book, transcribed in Folger Shakespeare Library's Fooles and Fricassees.  Though delicious, the recipe still needs a little adjustment.  If we're successful, we will be offering them in our booth next year!

CANDY!!

Goody McMannis doing her part

Consulting Mrs. Longe, my fav receipt book author!

     With my thesis nearly done and plans heavily underway for our booth and my Elizabethan wardrobe, things are starting to sweeten up around here!