I've been trying to work out a subterranean culture. This may be abundantly clear from some of my previous posts. Well, you've got to feed those folks somehow. I'm trying to figure out ways for them to exist without too much interaction with the outside world. What do they eat? Well, I've got a couple somewhat creative ideas on that, but a simple addition to that menu is mushrooms. Damn do I love those things. However, having never grown them, I thought it might be a good idea to see if this is feasible, since all of the mushrooms I know do grow above ground. Well, without further ado...
As might be obvious to everyone out there, growing conditions for mushrooms vary from species to species. One of the joys of this is that I can feel free to invent growing conditions for whatever I want to use and go with it as long as I stick within certain parameters. The essential elements you need to manipulate when growing mushrooms are: growing medium, temperature, and humidity.
Most varieties of mushroom require consistent cool temperatures to fruit. Lack of chlorophyll means that they do not require sunlight for growth, but for heat alone. These temperatures can be mimicked in an underground (or indoor) environment fairly simply with either the simple heat of the planet, or a nearby chimney (dwarven forges are always burning, right?). Other mushrooms require changes in temperature for optimal fruiting. White button mushrooms (the most popular in the world) seem to grow best (when cultivated from spawn) when they have a few weeks of 70 degree temperatures to grow in before being cooled to 55 degree temperatures for fruiting. This would seem to mimic autumnal changes. When you aren't dependent upon the weather, you can produce many seasons of fruiting within the calendar year.
Not all mushrooms like to grow in shit, if you hadn't noticed. Some like to grow on (read: eat) sawdust, straw, or wood. Whether you want to make these other mediums available to your subterranean creatures is up to you. I guess it depends partly on how deep your creations live beneath the surface. The trick is that you need to be careful of competing microorganisms. Your carefully regulated moist cool environment is a perfect breeding ground for all sorts of nastiness. Care to recreate the Potato Famine in your fantasy world? Using multiple mediums in your mushroom production is a simple way to demonstrate that you grow multiple varieties, though requires a certain level of sophistication. However, if you have the wherewithal, why limit your diet?
Mushrooms have all kinds of fun properties that you can use in your stories. We all know how good they are for the eating, providing a good food source for the otherwise nutrient-poor subterranean world. Obviously, you could use "magic" mushrooms either for recreational or religious purposes. One man's meat is another man's poison. Maybe your creatures are like poison dart frogs, using the poisons they ingest for self defense. They are also used for their curative properties in some traditions. They're your mushrooms, do what you want with them. Happy growing.
ps: Remember to harvest your mushrooms with a knife. A good straight cut across the base, above the soil, is the best way to protect the underground structures that'll produce more mushrooms.
http://www.wikihow.com/Grow-Mushrooms-Indoors
http://www.garden.org/ediblelandscaping/?page=december_shroom
http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/how-to-grow-mushrooms/
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Is My Sky Blue?
So, part of the fun in creating a Fantasy world is that you can essentially do whatever the fuck you want. Of course this comes with the eternal caveat of maintaining consistency (well, unless you really want to make your readers angry). The other part of the reason for changing things is to remind your readers that the world they are immersing themselves in is not the real world, so they can relax and not worry about the ideas you are exploring that might otherwise be troubling to them (I covered that last idea in the post "Why I Love Fantasy").
There are loads of ways in which you can alter the world to shake up your reader. Multiple moons are a dead giveaway to any space-traveler awakening on a new world. James Cameron's "Avatar" gave us islands floating in the air (not to be confused with Dr. Dolittle's island that floats on water). Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" series features a sickly looking star, providing illumination to his ancient cultures. In Steven Brust's "Dragaera" series, you can't even see the sky through the net of sorcery over a portion of the world. All of these ideas have a similar "We're not in Kansas anymore" effect.
When selecting something to tweak in your world, addition is always easier than subtraction. In the words of Malcolm Reynolds, "You can't miss someplace you never been." Including a new and strange feature is an obvious something. You encounter it. You can describe it when your characters see it for the first time. Removing something from the world is much more difficult. If your characters have only ever lived on Arakis, they can't really miss sailing the ocean. Additionally, there may be significant pieces of culture and language that change (they'd never be "three sheets to the wind," even if they were) with something's absence. Before you take something away from your world it's important to take the time to work out the ramifications.
Setting off this thought was a post I read the other day (see below) about why the sky is blue (no, it's not the reflection of sun off the ocean). It additionally addressed the question as to why the sun is yellow. This all brought me back to the image of the guttering Sun of Vance's "Dying Earth" (I need to go back and reread them to see how he used it, also because they're great). The changing of the Sun leads to interesting questions for the writer. How would this lower energy Sun effect the environment? If the sun itself is red, would that then alter the color of the sky? What would it do to the appearance of other colors? When you start messing with something so essential, it can have significant implications.
This inspired today - http://io9.com/the-sky-is-not-blue-so-why-does-it-look-blue-1649379309/all
There are loads of ways in which you can alter the world to shake up your reader. Multiple moons are a dead giveaway to any space-traveler awakening on a new world. James Cameron's "Avatar" gave us islands floating in the air (not to be confused with Dr. Dolittle's island that floats on water). Jack Vance's "Dying Earth" series features a sickly looking star, providing illumination to his ancient cultures. In Steven Brust's "Dragaera" series, you can't even see the sky through the net of sorcery over a portion of the world. All of these ideas have a similar "We're not in Kansas anymore" effect.
When selecting something to tweak in your world, addition is always easier than subtraction. In the words of Malcolm Reynolds, "You can't miss someplace you never been." Including a new and strange feature is an obvious something. You encounter it. You can describe it when your characters see it for the first time. Removing something from the world is much more difficult. If your characters have only ever lived on Arakis, they can't really miss sailing the ocean. Additionally, there may be significant pieces of culture and language that change (they'd never be "three sheets to the wind," even if they were) with something's absence. Before you take something away from your world it's important to take the time to work out the ramifications.
Setting off this thought was a post I read the other day (see below) about why the sky is blue (no, it's not the reflection of sun off the ocean). It additionally addressed the question as to why the sun is yellow. This all brought me back to the image of the guttering Sun of Vance's "Dying Earth" (I need to go back and reread them to see how he used it, also because they're great). The changing of the Sun leads to interesting questions for the writer. How would this lower energy Sun effect the environment? If the sun itself is red, would that then alter the color of the sky? What would it do to the appearance of other colors? When you start messing with something so essential, it can have significant implications.
This inspired today - http://io9.com/the-sky-is-not-blue-so-why-does-it-look-blue-1649379309/all
Tuesday, October 21, 2014
Hospitals
Ah, another post inspired by a visit to the Franklin Institute, but more specifically by the man himself. One of his many accomplishments was cofounding Pennsylvania Hospital (1751), the first chartered hospital in what would become the United States (Cortez founded one in Mexico, in 1524. Canada got one in 1639). Philadelphia was established by William Penn in 1682. Ben's old hometown of Boston (estd 1630) didn't get their first hospital until 1811. To be fair, between 1700 and 1790, Boston merely doubled in size (to 18,000), while Philly grew by a factor of ten (to 42,000). These young cities were just finding their feet and trying to meet the needs of their burgeoning population, but hospitals seem like a no-brainer. People get sick, hurt. They need care. So, recognizing that the presence of hospitals was not as ubiquitous as I'd once imagined, I thought it best to do some digging.
The word 'hospital' derives from the Latin root hospes, or guest. A hospital, in its original use, is a guest-house. Hospitals in the medieval world might be multipurpose or serve one specific group: the sick, foundlings, orphans, the poor who were unable to work, the old, and poor or infirm pilgrims. All of these early institutions in Europe were staffed and organized by the Church (Catholic and Eastern Orthodox), with care provided by monks and nuns. Some of these institutions were connected to monasteries, but others were established independently and endowed with lands to support their operations (such donations were generally thought by rich Christians at the time to be 'get out of hell free' cards).
The general recognition of the importance of these institutions is clear, thanks to Charlemagne. During his reign, he decreed that all hospitals which had fallen into disrepair should be restored, and that there should be a hospital attached to each cathedral and monastery. It isn't until the 14th Century that the secular government directly supports any of these institutions (and only when forced to, since the protestants didn't believe you could buy your way into heaven, and later the king dissolved all the monasteries of England). In these institutions, all services were free to the poor (no self-respecting noble would go to one). The workers not only provided 24-hour care, but went into the community to seek out those in need. Financial support came not only from amongst the faithful, but from the clergy themselves, who were often required to give a portion of their incomes. Others took it upon themselves to donate food, wood, or other goods to support the hospitals.
It is the duty of housing and protecting pilgrims that allowed the evolution of some of these philanthropic Christian organizations into military orders. The Teutonic Order evolved under the walls of Acre. The Hospitallars were founded in Jerusalem, as were the Templars. The initial aim of these orders was to protect pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land, but we all know how that worked out. Like the Church itself, these organizations were richly endowed by the nobility. Individual members, being bound by vows of poverty (like all monks), couldn't do much with the donated wealth, so it fell to the control of the leadership. The military and financial power wielded by these organizations changed the face of European politics.
As trade increased and the medieval world began to open up again, hospitals began to be established in the revitalized cities (which had been on the decline since the Romans left). These new hospitals gave the best care they could afford, and were often established near running water or in close proximity to the poorer neighborhoods. It was not uncommon for them to be located outside of the city wall, so those suffering from illness could get away from 'evil vapors' and also decrease the risk of passing contagions along to others. Many of these hospitals accepted only small numbers of patients (7-25), but the Grand Hospital of Milan (opened 1445) often cared for 2,000 patients at a time. Multiple hospitals might be founded in a given city (Cologne had 16).
The Church in general has a pretty nasty reputation in the Medieval period, and for good reason, but it's important to remember that it did some good work as well. Certainly there were improprieties connected to some hospitals, they did fleece the rich to support themselves, plus that whole warrior/monk thing, but hospitals did provide valuable services to those in need, that we today view as essential. They took care of the orphans and the foundlings. They healed the sick. They protected people upon the road. While they certainly did not embody the entirety of the Christian ethos, they did plenty more for the common person than any other political organization of e day was willing to. The interesting question is, in your fantasy world, what group do you have that believes in mercy? Who will wash the feet of the unclean? What happens to the lepers?
Wiki - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_hospitals
Catholic Encyclopedia - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07480a.htm
Population data - http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/244/250688/Appendix/12.pdf
The word 'hospital' derives from the Latin root hospes, or guest. A hospital, in its original use, is a guest-house. Hospitals in the medieval world might be multipurpose or serve one specific group: the sick, foundlings, orphans, the poor who were unable to work, the old, and poor or infirm pilgrims. All of these early institutions in Europe were staffed and organized by the Church (Catholic and Eastern Orthodox), with care provided by monks and nuns. Some of these institutions were connected to monasteries, but others were established independently and endowed with lands to support their operations (such donations were generally thought by rich Christians at the time to be 'get out of hell free' cards).
The general recognition of the importance of these institutions is clear, thanks to Charlemagne. During his reign, he decreed that all hospitals which had fallen into disrepair should be restored, and that there should be a hospital attached to each cathedral and monastery. It isn't until the 14th Century that the secular government directly supports any of these institutions (and only when forced to, since the protestants didn't believe you could buy your way into heaven, and later the king dissolved all the monasteries of England). In these institutions, all services were free to the poor (no self-respecting noble would go to one). The workers not only provided 24-hour care, but went into the community to seek out those in need. Financial support came not only from amongst the faithful, but from the clergy themselves, who were often required to give a portion of their incomes. Others took it upon themselves to donate food, wood, or other goods to support the hospitals.
It is the duty of housing and protecting pilgrims that allowed the evolution of some of these philanthropic Christian organizations into military orders. The Teutonic Order evolved under the walls of Acre. The Hospitallars were founded in Jerusalem, as were the Templars. The initial aim of these orders was to protect pilgrims on their way to the Holy Land, but we all know how that worked out. Like the Church itself, these organizations were richly endowed by the nobility. Individual members, being bound by vows of poverty (like all monks), couldn't do much with the donated wealth, so it fell to the control of the leadership. The military and financial power wielded by these organizations changed the face of European politics.
As trade increased and the medieval world began to open up again, hospitals began to be established in the revitalized cities (which had been on the decline since the Romans left). These new hospitals gave the best care they could afford, and were often established near running water or in close proximity to the poorer neighborhoods. It was not uncommon for them to be located outside of the city wall, so those suffering from illness could get away from 'evil vapors' and also decrease the risk of passing contagions along to others. Many of these hospitals accepted only small numbers of patients (7-25), but the Grand Hospital of Milan (opened 1445) often cared for 2,000 patients at a time. Multiple hospitals might be founded in a given city (Cologne had 16).
The Church in general has a pretty nasty reputation in the Medieval period, and for good reason, but it's important to remember that it did some good work as well. Certainly there were improprieties connected to some hospitals, they did fleece the rich to support themselves, plus that whole warrior/monk thing, but hospitals did provide valuable services to those in need, that we today view as essential. They took care of the orphans and the foundlings. They healed the sick. They protected people upon the road. While they certainly did not embody the entirety of the Christian ethos, they did plenty more for the common person than any other political organization of e day was willing to. The interesting question is, in your fantasy world, what group do you have that believes in mercy? Who will wash the feet of the unclean? What happens to the lepers?
Wiki - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_hospitals
Catholic Encyclopedia - http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/07480a.htm
Population data - http://wps.ablongman.com/wps/media/objects/244/250688/Appendix/12.pdf
Thursday, October 16, 2014
A Quick Thank You
I knew it was coming up, but looking back to my original post, it seems that tomorrow is the one year anniversary of this very blog. I'm honestly astonished that I've kept at it so long, and with relative consistency. When I started, I told myself that this would be a place I could unpack my brain a bit, keep all of my research in one place (well, some of it at least), and keep filling up blank spaces on a computer screen to constantly work on finding my voice and improving my writing (not sure if that last bit has happened, but you gotta have goals).
Along the way I found that one of the joys of blogging come from being discovered by someone new. My audience is small enough that I can usually tell from the statistics when someone new finds my work (my assumption is that it is they who delve into my back catalogue). I treasure my regular readers, but you can't tell who reads a whole post, or takes their time mulling over my musings. Each hit could simply be someone clicking over by mistake... What? My self image is fine.
Currently, I'm ramping up to start work on my next novel. I know, I know, you all want to know where you can send money to get the first one. Patience, my lovelies. We all must have patience. I'm told by myriad reputable sources that many early attempts either take time to be recognized, or may remain locked in a trunk for eternity. My creative aspect doesn't really care, I'll just keep writing, so I'll have a bunch ready for publication whenever I'm discovered (see? I told you my self image was fine). The point is, I should have loads of new fodder for posting starting to flow very soon, but I would still like to know what you, my audience, is interested in. Do you like History? Science? Musings on the industry? Perhaps you'd like updates on my Ultimate Frisbee pickup sessions. While this is my space to work in, I'd like you to feel at home here too.
You know, it's funny, I set out to create this blog on the advice of other writers, to get my name out into the world, but then set out to routinely undercut this end. I only ever posted about it once on FB. I tell my friends about it sometimes, but only send them links to it when they specifically ask. What I'm trying to say is that it's a small miracle that I've achieved having even ten visitors a day for the past year, but I really want to thank those of you who take the time out of your day to read my thoughts. You don't know how much your support means to me.
Now go out there and tell all of your friends. ; ).
Along the way I found that one of the joys of blogging come from being discovered by someone new. My audience is small enough that I can usually tell from the statistics when someone new finds my work (my assumption is that it is they who delve into my back catalogue). I treasure my regular readers, but you can't tell who reads a whole post, or takes their time mulling over my musings. Each hit could simply be someone clicking over by mistake... What? My self image is fine.
Currently, I'm ramping up to start work on my next novel. I know, I know, you all want to know where you can send money to get the first one. Patience, my lovelies. We all must have patience. I'm told by myriad reputable sources that many early attempts either take time to be recognized, or may remain locked in a trunk for eternity. My creative aspect doesn't really care, I'll just keep writing, so I'll have a bunch ready for publication whenever I'm discovered (see? I told you my self image was fine). The point is, I should have loads of new fodder for posting starting to flow very soon, but I would still like to know what you, my audience, is interested in. Do you like History? Science? Musings on the industry? Perhaps you'd like updates on my Ultimate Frisbee pickup sessions. While this is my space to work in, I'd like you to feel at home here too.
You know, it's funny, I set out to create this blog on the advice of other writers, to get my name out into the world, but then set out to routinely undercut this end. I only ever posted about it once on FB. I tell my friends about it sometimes, but only send them links to it when they specifically ask. What I'm trying to say is that it's a small miracle that I've achieved having even ten visitors a day for the past year, but I really want to thank those of you who take the time out of your day to read my thoughts. You don't know how much your support means to me.
Now go out there and tell all of your friends. ; ).
Tuesday, October 14, 2014
Intelligent Design
No, this isn't an article about Creation versus Evolution, but about drawing inspiration from the world around you to help build your world. You can believe what you will about how these things came about, but learning about how various species cope with their natural environment is an endless source of wonder. Yesterday I went to the Franklin Institute with my nieces and nephew, and got a quick reminder of that fact.
I've spent some time in my "creature culture" and "subterranean creatures" posts talking about how to design working non-human denizens for your world. Most of this discussion has been focused on intelligent (and potentially hostile) organisms. Being in a Fantasy world, it's a luxury to have someone able to "speak for the trees" or be a simple metaphor for accepting the "other." However, it is entirely unnecessary (and rather cumbersome) to have this true of every species you design. Humans have had relationships with our fellow creatures since time immemorial, and we didn't always have to have conversations with them. Working animals, foodstuffs, pack animals, and best friends can be designed too.
Beasts of burden are an incredible resource for a culture. Obviously, they can aid us it traveling great distances or carrying heavy loads. We hook them to plows and fertilize those same fields with their droppings. They change the way we fight wars by being ridden, pulling chariots, or dragging cannons and baggage trains. They are a power supply when there is no moving water around. Their byproducts become an essential part of our way of life. Finally, they are a food source when all other options have run out (or they pass on). Any culture that can harness the energy of these great beasts has a significant leg up on the competition. To create one of your own, it is a simple matter of taking the most useful elements of some of these creatures and applying them to a new shape (similarly, it's a good idea to look at large creatures we haven't domesticated and dwell on why not).
Horses have been quickly incorporated into every culture to which they have been introduced (see: Native Americans). Their mixture of speed and endurance makes them suitable for most any laborious task. Hooves allow them to traverse surfaces that would be difficult for creatures with paws or bare feet (though they should be shod). Food can at times be shared with humans, but they forage well, allowing for easier travel over great distances. Their ears are incredibly mobile, improving their hearing and shooing away insects. Tails and manes were used throughout history for decorative crests (and bows for instruments, no?). Often we breed horses to be more suitable for one task or another, like any domesticated species, but even a racing horse would be better at pulling a cart than a human.
Camels are an excellent example of a creature suited to its terrain. Those odd humps of theirs actually store fat, allowing them to survive for long periods without eating (and not insulating them, which would cause them to overheat). They are so water efficient that their dung comes out dry enough to burn, which is good on those freezing desert nights. A third eyelid helps clear any grit that might get on the old eyeballs. Hooves (being a pretty standard feature for beasts of burden) make sure no tender toes are touching the sand. Additionally, they have a thick layer of tissue over the sternum, called the pedestal, which keeps the bulk of the buddy off of the sand while at rest. Their coats reflect the sun as an additional cooling measure. Yeah, these things are pretty amazing, and that's just what's on the surface.
Oxen (feel free to include water buffaloes here) are another beautiful and useful beast of burden. These are adult male (generally) cattle that have been castrated. While not as agile as the horse, they certainly make up the difference in power. They are also felt to be more even of temper than horses, so easier to handle. While they have cloven hooves, working oxen are often shod to protect their hooves against damage. Usually these animals are worked in teams to haul freight, but could be utilized to draw water or break sod with their steady pace. In some areas, after a few years of work, oxen were sold off for their meat, helping to defray the cost of a new team. As we have discussed in other posts, the horns, skins, and hooves of these animals were all widely used materials. Unfortunately, cows do require lots of room and feed to be kept properly. Consequently, beef cattle was not an efficient use of space for the medieval man.
Before the invention of the internal combustion engine, the beast of burden was the backbone of human progress. Not only did they help us to break sod, and to collect the harvest, but also get our goods to market. They were essential to trade over forest track or desert wasteland. However, not all large animals are suited to these tasks. Good luck training a big cat, or keeping it fed. A small dinosaur might be lethargic in the morning (though I seem to remember the whole cold-blooded thing being in question), and a desert variety might be nocturnal. Those banthas, with the long dragging coats, also seem like a bad idea. Do a little research, take a closer look, and have a little fun designing your own helpers.
Time for me to get back to it as well. Thanks for visiting.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ox
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel
I've spent some time in my "creature culture" and "subterranean creatures" posts talking about how to design working non-human denizens for your world. Most of this discussion has been focused on intelligent (and potentially hostile) organisms. Being in a Fantasy world, it's a luxury to have someone able to "speak for the trees" or be a simple metaphor for accepting the "other." However, it is entirely unnecessary (and rather cumbersome) to have this true of every species you design. Humans have had relationships with our fellow creatures since time immemorial, and we didn't always have to have conversations with them. Working animals, foodstuffs, pack animals, and best friends can be designed too.
Beasts of burden are an incredible resource for a culture. Obviously, they can aid us it traveling great distances or carrying heavy loads. We hook them to plows and fertilize those same fields with their droppings. They change the way we fight wars by being ridden, pulling chariots, or dragging cannons and baggage trains. They are a power supply when there is no moving water around. Their byproducts become an essential part of our way of life. Finally, they are a food source when all other options have run out (or they pass on). Any culture that can harness the energy of these great beasts has a significant leg up on the competition. To create one of your own, it is a simple matter of taking the most useful elements of some of these creatures and applying them to a new shape (similarly, it's a good idea to look at large creatures we haven't domesticated and dwell on why not).
Horses have been quickly incorporated into every culture to which they have been introduced (see: Native Americans). Their mixture of speed and endurance makes them suitable for most any laborious task. Hooves allow them to traverse surfaces that would be difficult for creatures with paws or bare feet (though they should be shod). Food can at times be shared with humans, but they forage well, allowing for easier travel over great distances. Their ears are incredibly mobile, improving their hearing and shooing away insects. Tails and manes were used throughout history for decorative crests (and bows for instruments, no?). Often we breed horses to be more suitable for one task or another, like any domesticated species, but even a racing horse would be better at pulling a cart than a human.
Camels are an excellent example of a creature suited to its terrain. Those odd humps of theirs actually store fat, allowing them to survive for long periods without eating (and not insulating them, which would cause them to overheat). They are so water efficient that their dung comes out dry enough to burn, which is good on those freezing desert nights. A third eyelid helps clear any grit that might get on the old eyeballs. Hooves (being a pretty standard feature for beasts of burden) make sure no tender toes are touching the sand. Additionally, they have a thick layer of tissue over the sternum, called the pedestal, which keeps the bulk of the buddy off of the sand while at rest. Their coats reflect the sun as an additional cooling measure. Yeah, these things are pretty amazing, and that's just what's on the surface.
Oxen (feel free to include water buffaloes here) are another beautiful and useful beast of burden. These are adult male (generally) cattle that have been castrated. While not as agile as the horse, they certainly make up the difference in power. They are also felt to be more even of temper than horses, so easier to handle. While they have cloven hooves, working oxen are often shod to protect their hooves against damage. Usually these animals are worked in teams to haul freight, but could be utilized to draw water or break sod with their steady pace. In some areas, after a few years of work, oxen were sold off for their meat, helping to defray the cost of a new team. As we have discussed in other posts, the horns, skins, and hooves of these animals were all widely used materials. Unfortunately, cows do require lots of room and feed to be kept properly. Consequently, beef cattle was not an efficient use of space for the medieval man.
Before the invention of the internal combustion engine, the beast of burden was the backbone of human progress. Not only did they help us to break sod, and to collect the harvest, but also get our goods to market. They were essential to trade over forest track or desert wasteland. However, not all large animals are suited to these tasks. Good luck training a big cat, or keeping it fed. A small dinosaur might be lethargic in the morning (though I seem to remember the whole cold-blooded thing being in question), and a desert variety might be nocturnal. Those banthas, with the long dragging coats, also seem like a bad idea. Do a little research, take a closer look, and have a little fun designing your own helpers.
Time for me to get back to it as well. Thanks for visiting.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ox
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Camel
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
Vinegar
It's not always easy to come up with new ideas to do research on, since some of the time I'm editing, or on some
kind of writers' block hiatus. One thing I can always come back to is food. Hell, there are so many culinary
creations out there; I'll never run out. Not that I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here (I'm getting back into the
creative part now), but sometimes I know what I'm talking about and don't need to do as much research. Crazy, I
know. So, anyway, sometimes when I'm at a loss for a topic I just take a look in the kitchen cabinet.
Vinegar has been a part of various traditions across the planet for about as long as we've been recording history.
It consists primarily of acetic acid and vinegar. The acetic acid is produced by the fermentation of ethanol (like
when you leave your wine open) by certain bacteria. It all works off of the sugars, once they figured out how to
ferment it, they could then make vinegar from it (date wine, brandy, sake, etc). However, vinegar is much more
than that. It's used to clean and disinfect. It was employed as a medicine and a cooling agent. Oh yeah, we
make pickles with the stuff too.
Good vinegar takes time. Traditional balsamic sold today is aged for 12 to 25 years before it's ready for sale.
Granted, most of the stuff on shelves today is not that. Vinegar used to be aged in barrels or crocks for three
or four years in a cool dark place. Sealed bottles can be stored indefinitely, though exposure to light can change
the flavor. Even though they'd been at it for thousands of years, the quality of the product was not reliable until
the development of the Orleans Method, which used vinegar starter from a previous desirable batch (called mother),
to add to the diluted wine or beer, and aged for the first few months with access to the open air (well, screened).
Like many industries, methods of production were closely guarded secrets throughout the Medieval period. Apart
from the basic recipes, herb can be infused in the mix to create an almost infinite variety of flavors.
Medicinal applications for this stuff are legion. That's not to say that it works, but it's been used to these ends.
Samurai used it for a strength tonic. Caesar's army drank Posca to prevent something or other, or maybe just as
a digestive. It was used to clean wounds and prevent infection. Four Thieves Vinegar was thought to prevent
contraction of the Plague (some housebreakers who robbed the infected were pardoned in return for giving up the
recipe). If it didn't actually prevent the plague, its vapors, dispensed from a small sponge in a small metal "vinegar"
covered the foul odors. Still today, there are those who advocate for using it as a medicine for extending life and other more specific (though again, unverified) applications.
Vinegar also makes a lovely cleaning product. My old landlord in Czech always sang the praises of "a little
acid" (no I didn't look in the basement). Medieval soldiers may have used it in conjunction with sand to clean their
mail. Louis XIII apparently use it to cool his cannons and keep them rust-free. There is the old story about
Cleopatra winning a bet by using vinegar to dissolve a pearl. If it can do that to a pearl, imagine what it can do
stains! Apparently it works on leather too. Just be careful to rinse well when you're done, so the acid doesn't
work too well.
If you just want to eat the stuff, you can do that too. Some times it's a simple condiment (malt vinegar on
your chips) or salad dressing. It's also used in making some chutneys and a variety of marinades (which helps
kill some of those wee beasties). Vinegar is a principle ingredient in Philippine cuisine and is an essential element
of sushi rice (which we all know is the most important element of good sushi). Of course, it's also used in some
pickling processes, especially in conjunction with salt. Damn that stuff is useful.
Not all vinegar is good for all of these applications, of course. Balsamic vinegar would be terrible to use for
removing stains or cleaning your cannons, just like plain white vinegar wouldn't be the best thing to put on your
salad. It seems that as long as we've been making booze, we've been leaving some to turn to vinegar. Got to do
something with that stuff. Happily it can be extremely useful. Now, I wouldn't suggest that you try to make this
stuff at home, though I guess we've done all the boutique booze styles already, so this could be the next logical
step. Ooooh look, I'm putting you ahead of the curve. Just remember, don't try to make this stuff in your bathtub,
or you'll find yourself short of porcelain.
All around article - http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/oils/vinegar-101.asp
Vinegar producer - http://www.moutarde-de-meaux.com/en/histo-origine-vinaigre.php
Wiki - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar
good compilation - http://hilobrow.com/2011/01/11/de-condimentis-5-vinegar/
general - http://humantouchofchemistry.com/know-how-vinegar-came-into-existence.htm
general - http://www.enzyme-facts.com/vinegar-history.html
traditional balsamic - http://theplanetd.com/traditional-balsamic-vinegar-150-years-of-passion/
uses around the house - http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html
kind of writers' block hiatus. One thing I can always come back to is food. Hell, there are so many culinary
creations out there; I'll never run out. Not that I'm scraping the bottom of the barrel here (I'm getting back into the
creative part now), but sometimes I know what I'm talking about and don't need to do as much research. Crazy, I
know. So, anyway, sometimes when I'm at a loss for a topic I just take a look in the kitchen cabinet.
 |
| http://hilobrow.com/2011/01/11/de-condimentis-5-vinegar/ |
Vinegar has been a part of various traditions across the planet for about as long as we've been recording history.
It consists primarily of acetic acid and vinegar. The acetic acid is produced by the fermentation of ethanol (like
when you leave your wine open) by certain bacteria. It all works off of the sugars, once they figured out how to
ferment it, they could then make vinegar from it (date wine, brandy, sake, etc). However, vinegar is much more
than that. It's used to clean and disinfect. It was employed as a medicine and a cooling agent. Oh yeah, we
make pickles with the stuff too.
Good vinegar takes time. Traditional balsamic sold today is aged for 12 to 25 years before it's ready for sale.
Granted, most of the stuff on shelves today is not that. Vinegar used to be aged in barrels or crocks for three
or four years in a cool dark place. Sealed bottles can be stored indefinitely, though exposure to light can change
the flavor. Even though they'd been at it for thousands of years, the quality of the product was not reliable until
the development of the Orleans Method, which used vinegar starter from a previous desirable batch (called mother),
to add to the diluted wine or beer, and aged for the first few months with access to the open air (well, screened).
Like many industries, methods of production were closely guarded secrets throughout the Medieval period. Apart
from the basic recipes, herb can be infused in the mix to create an almost infinite variety of flavors.
Medicinal applications for this stuff are legion. That's not to say that it works, but it's been used to these ends.
Samurai used it for a strength tonic. Caesar's army drank Posca to prevent something or other, or maybe just as
a digestive. It was used to clean wounds and prevent infection. Four Thieves Vinegar was thought to prevent
contraction of the Plague (some housebreakers who robbed the infected were pardoned in return for giving up the
recipe). If it didn't actually prevent the plague, its vapors, dispensed from a small sponge in a small metal "vinegar"
covered the foul odors. Still today, there are those who advocate for using it as a medicine for extending life and other more specific (though again, unverified) applications.
Vinegar also makes a lovely cleaning product. My old landlord in Czech always sang the praises of "a little
acid" (no I didn't look in the basement). Medieval soldiers may have used it in conjunction with sand to clean their
mail. Louis XIII apparently use it to cool his cannons and keep them rust-free. There is the old story about
Cleopatra winning a bet by using vinegar to dissolve a pearl. If it can do that to a pearl, imagine what it can do
stains! Apparently it works on leather too. Just be careful to rinse well when you're done, so the acid doesn't
work too well.
If you just want to eat the stuff, you can do that too. Some times it's a simple condiment (malt vinegar on
your chips) or salad dressing. It's also used in making some chutneys and a variety of marinades (which helps
kill some of those wee beasties). Vinegar is a principle ingredient in Philippine cuisine and is an essential element
of sushi rice (which we all know is the most important element of good sushi). Of course, it's also used in some
pickling processes, especially in conjunction with salt. Damn that stuff is useful.
Not all vinegar is good for all of these applications, of course. Balsamic vinegar would be terrible to use for
removing stains or cleaning your cannons, just like plain white vinegar wouldn't be the best thing to put on your
salad. It seems that as long as we've been making booze, we've been leaving some to turn to vinegar. Got to do
something with that stuff. Happily it can be extremely useful. Now, I wouldn't suggest that you try to make this
stuff at home, though I guess we've done all the boutique booze styles already, so this could be the next logical
step. Ooooh look, I'm putting you ahead of the curve. Just remember, don't try to make this stuff in your bathtub,
or you'll find yourself short of porcelain.
All around article - http://www.thenibble.com/reviews/main/oils/vinegar-101.asp
Vinegar producer - http://www.moutarde-de-meaux.com/en/histo-origine-vinaigre.php
Wiki - http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinegar
good compilation - http://hilobrow.com/2011/01/11/de-condimentis-5-vinegar/
general - http://humantouchofchemistry.com/know-how-vinegar-came-into-existence.htm
general - http://www.enzyme-facts.com/vinegar-history.html
traditional balsamic - http://theplanetd.com/traditional-balsamic-vinegar-150-years-of-passion/
uses around the house - http://www.versatilevinegar.org/usesandtips.html
Thursday, October 2, 2014
Here Piggy Piggy Piggy
I've got to say it. Pigs are a mixed bag for me. They are an essential ingredient in loads of foods that I thoroughly enjoy (pork chops, bacon, sausage, scrapple), but then again, ham and I are not friends. Some pigs will help you find truffles, but most would happily munch on your corpse. You see what I'm getting at here? Alright, fair enough, I may have watched too much Deadwood (if that's possible), but those pigs can be killers, and that's without hunting them wild with only a spear in your hand. Of course we all know the dangers of trichinosis (you didn't see that turn coming, did you?).
Trichinosis is a parasitic disease, most famously acquired from the ingestion of raw or undercooked pork, bearing trichina worm larvae (though bears, lions, walruses, and other large carnivores can also carry it). Yeah, it's tough to be a fan of something that may be carrying parasitic worms. So, the deal is, the encysted worms hatch and mate in your intestines where the females then burrow into the intestinal wall to produce their little ones. This might not make your tummy feel good. The newly birthed larvae move through the bloodstream, most often ending up in the tongue, behind the eyes, or between the ribs. They can give you lots of pain, seizures, abnormal heart rhythm, and loads of other symptoms, depending on where they decide to hang out, but they're rarely fatal (yay). Symptoms should go away in about three months, though pain may persist.
Happily there are few things we can do to keep the wee beasties from feasting on us (which is always a creepy thought). The one we all grew up with is cooking our pork thoroughly (the wiki page has a table if you want to get technical), though curing, drying, and smoking the meat may not work. Interestingly, there is another way to protect yourself. Don't eat pork in Europe. Well, that may be a bit drastic, but apparently the USFDA has gotten something right in how we handle our swine. Making sure that all of the meat fed to pigs is cooked and keeping the rats out of their pens (where they might be eaten), has reduced US incidence of trichinosis to almost nil.
So, what does all of this have to do with a Fantasy world? Well, I've heard about trichinosis all my life, but never really looked into it before. It's sort of a bugaboo that makes you wonder why we've bothered with the little oinkers for so long (though bacon is a reasonable answer). However, when you go back to the Middle Ages, the likelihood of your little porkers getting much meat to nosh on is almost zero. If they had known how it was contracted, they might worry about infected rats, but you've already cut down the chances of contracting the parasites significantly by taking the meat away. It'd be more of a danger if you grazed your pigs wild, since they could get into all kinds of things in the fields and forests. All in all, you could put some folks wisdom into your world about cooking piggies through, or have an epidemic every now and again with the appropriate symptoms, but you probably wouldn't be far wrong if you just ignored it altogether.
wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichinosis
details - http://web.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2005/Trichinella/trich.html
medical advice - http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic_infections/trichinosis.html
the biggie - http://www.trichinella.org/
Trichinosis is a parasitic disease, most famously acquired from the ingestion of raw or undercooked pork, bearing trichina worm larvae (though bears, lions, walruses, and other large carnivores can also carry it). Yeah, it's tough to be a fan of something that may be carrying parasitic worms. So, the deal is, the encysted worms hatch and mate in your intestines where the females then burrow into the intestinal wall to produce their little ones. This might not make your tummy feel good. The newly birthed larvae move through the bloodstream, most often ending up in the tongue, behind the eyes, or between the ribs. They can give you lots of pain, seizures, abnormal heart rhythm, and loads of other symptoms, depending on where they decide to hang out, but they're rarely fatal (yay). Symptoms should go away in about three months, though pain may persist.
Happily there are few things we can do to keep the wee beasties from feasting on us (which is always a creepy thought). The one we all grew up with is cooking our pork thoroughly (the wiki page has a table if you want to get technical), though curing, drying, and smoking the meat may not work. Interestingly, there is another way to protect yourself. Don't eat pork in Europe. Well, that may be a bit drastic, but apparently the USFDA has gotten something right in how we handle our swine. Making sure that all of the meat fed to pigs is cooked and keeping the rats out of their pens (where they might be eaten), has reduced US incidence of trichinosis to almost nil.
So, what does all of this have to do with a Fantasy world? Well, I've heard about trichinosis all my life, but never really looked into it before. It's sort of a bugaboo that makes you wonder why we've bothered with the little oinkers for so long (though bacon is a reasonable answer). However, when you go back to the Middle Ages, the likelihood of your little porkers getting much meat to nosh on is almost zero. If they had known how it was contracted, they might worry about infected rats, but you've already cut down the chances of contracting the parasites significantly by taking the meat away. It'd be more of a danger if you grazed your pigs wild, since they could get into all kinds of things in the fields and forests. All in all, you could put some folks wisdom into your world about cooking piggies through, or have an epidemic every now and again with the appropriate symptoms, but you probably wouldn't be far wrong if you just ignored it altogether.
wiki - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trichinosis
details - http://web.stanford.edu/class/humbio103/ParaSites2005/Trichinella/trich.html
medical advice - http://www.merckmanuals.com/home/infections/parasitic_infections/trichinosis.html
the biggie - http://www.trichinella.org/
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