[Artemisia] Judging Cordials

[El Hermoso Dormiendo]

On Monday 26 February 2007, machay at xmission.com wrote:
> So where's the evidence/documentation on what doctors in period believed?
>
> Luveday de Saleford
[...]
> Quoting rcfaevans at comcast.net:
> > Most doctors in Period were fully aware that most of their powders,
> > tinctures, cordials and such did nothing.  But, these same doctors
> > did understand what is now refered to as the 'Placebo Effect'.  If a
> > patient believed that they were getting a medicine, then they might
> > get better thinking so.  Doctors understood that if you gave a
> > patient some sweet-tasting, muddy colored draught, the patient
> > wouldn't believe in it.  But, if you gave the patient something that
> > tasted horrible but was clear and clean, the patient would believe in
> > it.  Thus, clarity is a judging factor.
> >
> > (There must be an artisan out there somewhere with an opinion!!!!!)
> >
> > Ryryd

Finally getting a few minutes before my next batch of microbiological work to 
reply ("I ain't dead yet...")

I don't know if I count as an "artisan" (I've not - yet - done any period 
brewing or distilling[1]) but:

First, on the immediate subject of this part of the thread, I'd be 
particularly interested in sources for the "Most doctors in Period were fully 
aware that most of their powders, tinctures, cordials and such did nothing." 
part of that...

And on to the 
SCA "cordials" give me fits.  To me, SCA cordials SEEM about as "period" as 
mayonnaise.  That is, all of the ingredients certainly seem to have existed 
in one form or another, but I've not yet seen any convincing documentation 
that they were mixed together in the manner and for the purposes that always 
seems to be done for SCA presentation. (I'm posting in the hopes that 
SOMEBODY actually has some primary documentation that says one way or 
another...)

SCA cordials are just booze-candy.  They're "highly rectified" ethanol with 
refined white sugar[2] and fruit, and nothing else (at least, in my 
experience).  No attempt to make them "medicinal" in any medieval sense.  It 
seems the choice of vodka (or "white brandy" which is, really, the same final 
product) is nearly always explained away as being to avoid flavor(!), which 
strikes me as odd given the high esteem given to definitely-flavored products 
such as cognac.  

Now, don't misunderstand - I'm not actually averse to "adult beverages" and 
indeed still have a rather child-like sweet-tooth - I LIKE most SCA cordials.  
I'll generally happily partake if offered, provided I'm not the one driving.   
There's nothing inherently wrong with booze-candy, other than the fact that 
I'd like to see better primary documentation that booze-candy with 
SCA-cordial-qualities actually represents a common quality "period" cordials, 
if any is available.

Although vodka apparently (according to a reference from one piece of 
documentation I saw at an A&S even some years back) showed up in 
late "period" (early-mid 1500's), the notion that, say, English nobles would 
pay the no doubt mind-bogglingly high fees to have it shipped and THEN 
contaminate and obscure its purity with fruit seems odd.  It'd be like using 
saffron in a darkly-colored, heavily flavored dish in such a way that you 
can't see or taste it.  (I have less trouble believing that a noble might 
show off the pure stuff in a standard Ostentatious Display...)

I'm also not entirely convinced that "period" distilled liquors were a full 
40% ethanol - those alembics shown in the illustrations look like they'd be 
amazingly inefficient.  Sure, many repeat distillations could be done, but 
you'd lose a huge amount in the process.  Did "period" distillers really 
bother?  (The gunpowder test for "proof" is post-period, isn't it?)

I AM pretty sure I recall that cordials were definitely made with (presumably 
unfortified) wines at least (in addition to, for example, brandy), but I 
don't recall ever seeing such a cordial at an SCA event.

I'm ALSO not convinced that a medicinal cordial would be expected to taste 
bad, any more than the propensity to spice foods meant medieval food would be 
covered with unpalatable amounts of unbalanced spice flavors.  Anyone who 
likes tea or beer knows that it's possible to make a palatable drink out of 
bitter ingredients.  That being the case, not making medievally-medicinal 
cordials instead because they'd be icky doesn't seem justified to me.

Of course, I'm the guy that keeps grumbling about everybody just using hops
instead of experimenting with period gruits[3] in their beer, so take from my
rant whatever seems appropriate to you...

(Sigh) you'd think an intense microbiology student would find time to do some 
brewing/vinting...

Corrections encouraged and welcome...

signed,
El Hermoso Dormiendo, going back to being buried in culture media...

[1] But one of these days I may try it - theoretically, it's possible to get 
a "variance" from the BATF, and I suspect that given a goal to 
recreate "period" distillation [glass alembics and all] for scholarly 
purposes, it might be possible to get permission to distill a small but 
reasonable amount.

[2] White sugar being another "ostentatious display" thing, I actually don't 
have any trouble believing it'd be used for cordials, given that it seemed to 
be reasonably easily available for anyone that had enough money to afford it.

[3] Yes, hops IS period - the Rheinheitsgebot that mandated it in Germany was, 
what, early 1300's?  But for at least the earlier half of "period" and 
possibly beyond, other ingredients were used to bitter beer in various places 
around Europe.