Science and the Middle Ages

James Hannam has written The Genesis of Science: How the Christian Middle Ages Launched the Scientific Revolution. In an interview at the Daily Caller, he explains his thesis, that scientific advancement was a continual effort throughout the Middle Ages, and that the notion of the medievals being ignorant and anti-science was an invention of writers in early modern Europe.

Forme of Cury Documentary

I just ran across this documentary about Richard II's The Forme of Cury on YouTube, courtesy of the ever helpful SCA Today website. It is apparently part of a series starring Clarissa Dickson Wright, more famous perhaps for being half of the Two Fat Ladies cooking show partnership. I actually have never seen any of it, but I have one of their cookbooks and have made a lot of use of it. This documentary is quite good... the pickiest authenticity nut might have some acerbic comments here and there, but I particularly enjoyed the swing music during the costumed medieval cooking scenes and the sight of stuck up young Richard watching protests on television and switching them off in a huff!

Wright is respectful and informative about the recipes and altogether fun to listen to and watch; she serves three dishes from the cookbook to a panel of medievalists and others at the end and they're obviously having a great time. I've cooked two out of the three dishes myself, and am anxious to try the Roast Goose with Sauce Madame.

Michigan Meadery

B. Nektar, a Michigan meadery, is featured in this video.

Manuscript How-To Site

The invaluable SCA Today provided a link to this very interesting and useful site.

Blacksmithing

Popular Mechanics has an article up on how to set up your own forge. The idea never really interested me, but I saw this through the kind offices of Instapundit, a blogger on politics and various other topics who says he and his friends made Roman lorica segmentata in high school. Was Professor Reynolds a SCA member at some point, or just a kindred spirit?