I am always looking for additional ways to enhance my feasting experience. Sometimes that manifests as collecting sets of feast gear (e.g. plate, bowl, spoon, knife, drinking vessel, candlestick etc) to match my garb, while on other occasions it is creating items for use at table, or to enhance the ceremony of feasting at an event, or to help behind the scenes. Recently I have been exploring making sotelties to echo and support the themes of events.
Swan Pie Soteltie
Completed: May 2024
Inspiration: Joana's menu, Food History Jottings, and Tudor Monastery Farm
With Lochac Coronation having a loose theme of "Tudor", Christian and I drew inspiration from a variety of sources (above), including our previous peacock experience, and decided to make a pie with a swan on top. Rather than rely on a pie made on the day supporting the weight of the mock swan, we also created a decorated pastry case to serve as a base and hide the actual pie to be served to the High Table.
Photo by Meisterin Christian Baier
Sugarpaste Salt Cellar
Completed: May 2024
Inspiration: Event Theme and Feasting Etiquette
Out of a desire to create a useful soteltie, it seemed appropriate to make a salt cellar to present to the new King and Queen of Lochac and recognise Their new place, above the salt.
The octagonal bowl that sits on a short curved stem, which in turn sits on an octagonal base. The edges are decorated with gold painted, moulded sugarpaste strips, and the outer sides of the goblet have additional moulded, gold painted Tudor roses, to further echo the event theme.
Photo by Meisterin Christian Baier
Sugarpaste Tudor Rose
Completed: April 2021
Inspiration: Event Theme
As Coronation was a Tudor theme, what is more recogiseably Tudor than the eponymous Tudor Rose? For that reason this soteltie was chosen. After a mould making disaster, it became necessary to sculpt this from scratch, by hand.
Built up in layers from the individual gilded leaves, to the two layers of sculpted petals and finally the gilded centre, this rose really glittered in the candle light.
Photo by Meisterin Christian Baier
Sugarpaste Carnation Soteltie
Completed: April 2021
Inspiration: Theme for An Evening in Granada event
An Evening in Granada had a theme of pomegranates and carnations. These were used to inspire menu choices, decorations, and colour schemes for the whole event, and this soteltie certainly fit with the theme.
Using new-to-me techniques, these carnations were built up in layers, effectively petal by petal. Once the previous layer had fully dried, a new layer of petals could be created and glued in place. Creating the flowers took about a week of daily work, and then very careful transportation to site.
Photo by Meisterin Christian Baier
Sugarpaste Pomegranate Soteltie
Completed: April 2023
Inspiration: Theme for An Evening in Granada event
Given the theme of the event, and Joana's menu choices, creating a pomegranate soteltie seemed appropriate.
Shaped to echo a ripe pomegranate, it was made of two layers of sugarpaste (one white and one red, to echo the structure of real pomegranates), and a small amount of gilding on the flower. This lidded box was filled with real pomegranate arils for presentation to Quene katherine and Baron Grim.
Photo by Meisterin Christian Baier
A Tower Two Ways
Completed: June and October 2024
Inspiration: Southron Gaard's Heraldry
Constructed from a base of popcorn pottles, plant pot-trays, and paper bowls, the basic shape was transformed by overlayed with plaster wraps by Julia Fortunata and Christian Baier. This not only concealed the popcorn motif, but added a textured layer that could be painted.
For its first outing, the tower was lit internally and rigged with two furry rats that scurried up the walls towards the Pied Piper when a cord was pulled. The base was filled with rat-shape biscuits. This was to complement the event's Pied Piper of Hamlin theme. (I am reliably informed that King Ratbot and Their Excellencies tested this mechanism thoroughly during the feast.)
For its second outing, the tower was de-ratted and lushly decorated with pomegranates, red carnations, red roses, and gold leaves to enhance the Evening in Granada theme.
Photos by Meisterin Christian Baier & me
Flayed Skull
Completed: November 2022
Inspiration: Southron Gaard's Halloween Event
I had wanted to use this technique ever since I saw it on Pinterest many, many years ago. This event finally gave me an excuse. Not only was the skull covered in proscciuto, but also a pair of foreams and hands. The flayed body parts were then nestled on a bed of glowing coals, and the skull carefully lit from within to enhance a hellfire feeling of the soteltie.
Seeing His Excellency Grim, Baron of Southron Gaard, picking his teeth with a partially flesh covered arm towards the end of the feast was truly disconcerting.
Photo by Meisterin Christian Baier
Peacock Soteltie
Completed: April 2021
Inspiration: Southron Gaard's 25th Anniversary of being created a Barony
When Joana mentioned cooking 'gilded chicken' as part of her menu, she, Christian and I started brainstorming increasingly ridiculous ways to serve such a dish. Somehow, presenting it inside a peacock seemed like a reasonable idea at the time. Rather than using a real peacock (as done in period) we decided to skip the risk of food poisoning, the expense, and the ethical considerations by making a mock peacock. (Besides, a real peacock had already been done in Southron Gaard.)
This soteltie was later transported down to the Hamlet of Hinterland Downs and used to serve a gilded chicken to King Alain and Queen Safiya at the Royal Yule Feast at Raincliff.
Photo by Lord Thorbjorn
Southron Gaard Arms soteltie in Sugarpaste
Completed: April 2021
Inspiration: Southron Gaard's 25th Anniversary of being created a Barony
The arms of the Barony were recreated in sugarpaste, and painted with various food colourings to echo the heraldry of the Southron Gaard. The arms were presented to the Their Excellencies and guests at High Table between courses.
A third soteltie was also presented, but no images appear to exist of it. It consisted of three separate dishes; 3 tiny gold-foil wrapped rabbits, 3 sugarpaste carrots, and ??? (we can't remember the third item) that were stacked one on top of another and held in place by a cloth as per period illustrations.
Photo by Lord Thorbjorn
Tower of Apples Soteltie
Completed: December 2018
Inspiration: Festa di Natale Christmas Event
Created to support Christian's Scappi Feast, this soteltie was a carefully constructed tower of cheery, red apples. The tower was then decorated like a festive Christmas tree with brass bells, greenery, 5-petal sugarpaste flowers and three sugarpaste stars suspended on wires above the apples to echo the heraldry of the Southron Gaard.
Two additional sotelties, a ring of cloved and scored oranges and a cornucopia of fresh fruits, were also presented during the feast.
Marchpane Laurel Soteltie
Completed: October 2017
Inspiration: Southron Gaard's Variety Pentathlon Challenge and Gervase Markham's 'The English Hus-wif'
Having wanted to make marchpane for some time, but lacking the motivation, the Pentathlon Challenge proved to be the perfect excuse.
As one of the categories was 'back to basics' I began with a copy of 'The English Hus-wif', a packet of raw almonds, a packet of sugar, a bottle of rose water, a mortar and pestle and a quiet evening.
I followed the instructions (beating the ingredients to pap, kneading, rolling, washing with rose water etc) and then experimented with the shaping, baking, and icing to see what effects could be achieved.
The finished items were taken to a sewing day and added to the lunch table. Even folks who actively avoid modern marzipan agreed that it was a tasty addition to the meal.
Bottle Bag
Completed: April 2016
Inspiration: A gift of a bright blue bottle bag
As the colour of the linen bottle bag is rather reminiscent of 'Caidan Blue', I thought I would 'bling it up' a little. Add some embroidery and perhaps swap out the drawstring for something less slippery. Then I discovered the small tear, and the pulled thread...
Long story short, I am now in possession of a fully lined, hand sewn and embroidered bottle bag that can only be described as over-engineered.
The embroidery on the bag is my own design; a Caidan Cross made up of four laurel wreaths rather than crescents.
Generally speaking, I am not a fan of bottle bags as I would much rather decant the contents into a jug or period style bottle. But sometimes, a hideous PET bottle is a necessity, and a bottle bag can make it considerably less obtrusive, so they do have their place.
Lochac Enamelled Goblet
Completed: July 2007, for Midwinter Coronation
Inspiration: Adrevandini beaker, and additional heraldically decorated stemmed glasses
This pair of glasses was also completed by myself (preparation and outlining) and Meistern Christian (infill) with help from Oswyn Carolus (pattern design) on glasses supplied by Her Excellency, Baroness Southron Gaard.
These glasses were also enamelled at the request of Baroness katharine. They were required so that Their Majesties might have some suitable drinking glasses at Their Coronation Feast, which would also be available to any visiting Monarchs so that they need to not transport feast gear when visiting our fair barony.
The heraldry depicted is the populace badge of the Kingdom of Lochac. We were unable to achieve sufficient detail to include the wreath and crown due to the products, which were too thick as a result of the cold winter temperatures.
Lochac Coronation Oil Ampule
Completed: June 2007, for Midwinter Coronation
While technically not feast related, this bottle was again, completed by myself (preparation and outlining) and Meistern Christian (infill) with help from Oswyn (pattern modification) at the request of Her Excellency, Baroness Southron Gaard.
The heraldry depicted is the populace badge of the Kingdom of Lochac. The size of the bottle, combined with the thickness of the glass paints ensured we used the populace badge, as above.
Southron Gaard Enamelled Glasses (V2)
Completed: June 2007, for Midwinter Coronation
This pair of glasses was completed by myself (preparation and outlining) and Meistern Christian (infill) on glasses supplied by Her Excellency, Baroness Southron Gaard.
The text around the mouth of the bowl is "BARONY OF SOUTHRON GAARD DP AS XVII". "DP" is an abbreviation of the french word "depuis" meaning "since". Christian and I chose to include this reference to the first feast in Southron Gaard to mark the 25th anniversary of the SCA in Canterbury.
The glasses themselves proved to be a rather unique challenge for this project. The bowl is so curved on the inside that it is virtually impossible to make the pattern lie flat in order to allow accurate tracing. As the thickness of the glass also varies considerably, the pattern distortion proved highly variable around the bowl. Matters were further not helped by the wobbly bases (one of which was chipped - obviously during manufacture) which resulted in much frustration. In light of these issues much of the detail was completed relatively free hand in these and the Lochac goblets above.
Sugared Oranges
Completed: March 2004, Southron Gaard Baronial Anniversary
Orange slices preserved with sugar in the Elizabethan Manner proved to be a delicious and popular treat once judging was completed.
The recipe finally used was based on considerable experimentation around a number of period and just post period recipes. This particular treat has been made and enjoyed several times since.
Photo by Simone Hindin
Enamelled Southron Gaard Glasses
Completed: January 2004, Southron Gaard Twelfth Night
One of a pair presented to Their Excellencies, Callum and Chrettienne, Baron and Baroness Southron Gaard.
Completed by myself (outlining) and Meistern Christian (infill) this glass wine goblet is enamelled in a manner inspired by a number of Venetian glasses created and decorated during the Renaissance. It is the result of seeing far too many gorgeous enamelled glasses and fragments in various European museums.
Documentation in the form on a brochure was included with the glasses. A more web-friendly copy can be viewed here.
Photo by Sir Tycho Julso
Hous Amberherthe Enamelled Goblet
Completed: January 2004, for Southron Gaard Twelfth Night
Inspiration: the enamelled glasses on view in numerous British museums
The heraldry depicted is the badge of Hous Amberherthe.
My job was outlining the designs, but I soon got ahead of those doing infill and was able to complete the whole of my own glass.
These enamelled glasses (along with the Baronial Glasses above) were the first seen in the Barony. I am glad to say that their introduction has created something of a fashion with many people trying their hand at this particular art.
Many of these images were previously seen at http://helois.250free.com