Contemplations of a Closet Curmudgeon

Uwaginu is cut out, partially assembled and in the process of being stenciled with laurel wreaths, which aren't particularly Japanese OR Chinese and most of 'em will be hidden under the haishi, but I wanted 'em, especially as I'm going to be doing the whole Laurel spokesperson thing for Li's knighting. (Typing this while waiting for paint to dry enough to move it on the table.)

The silk on the $3 Chinese paddle fan has received two coats of white textile paint to cover the printed lady on it and now has a third  coat that was mixed with some orange acrylic paint, which is the color of the miniature fan from one of the Astana tombs. It's decorated with plants and birds. If it dries too bright, I'm putting another thin coat of white over it. I also need to put a longer handle on the thing, but I'm mulling how to best do that. For some reason, Tang dynastyNara period fans have long-ass handles on them. http://www.xabusiness.com/china-resources/sui-tang-chinese-paintings.htm shows some examples. I mean LOOK at these mothers. Makes the Smackity Fan look downright innocuous.


I still need to figure out the toe ornaments for the shoes. The Chinese ones in some of these paintings are even more exaggerated than the ones in the Shosoin slippers.

Anyway, I'm well on track to being able to field test this look at March Crown.

EDIT: After an emergency store run when I discovered I was 1/4 cup shy of how much flour I needed, I just threw a pan of kasutera in the oven at 350 with the timer set to 15 minutes. I plan to check it periodically until it's done and note the baking time as it didn't appear in the period source.

That's right, sports fans. This is my first attempt at baking from a historical source.

"Knead together 10 eggs, 160 momme (600 grams or 2.5 cups*) of sugar and 160 momme of wheat flour. Spread paper in a pot and sprinkle it with flour. Place the dough on top of this. Place a heat source above and below to cook. There are oral instructions." Eric Rath, Food and Fantasy in Early Modern Japan, quoting the Nanban Ryorisho or Southern Barbarian's Cookbook, which dates from 1641.

Well, I didn't get dough. What went into the pan was a sweet, yellow batter, which tells me that ten 17th century eggs may not be anywhere near the same volume and wetness as ten modern large Grade As. I used plain granulated white sugar and Gold Medal all purpose flour (sifted), and hand mixed it with a wooden spoon, then into a large rectangular pan lined with parchment paper.

Ah well, we'll see what comes out of the oven in a bit.....

It LOOKS like cornbread. 30 minutes at 350 (preheated) and it didn't stick to a bamboo skewer tested in three spots (it's a big pan). I just sliced off a small piece and the consistency is very cornbread-like as well. It only rose about an inch in the pan. Sweet, cakey (none of the sponge qualities of the modern version we had at Twelfth Night), very mild and unassuming to a modern palate, but to a culture who had never had things made with sugar in it? Or that many eggs? I can absolutely see the appeal. While my giant modern eggs may have gotten in the way of this being an accurate result, it's darn near perfect as a "breakfast bread" for a Sunday morning peerage meeting.