I had heard of Palico Gallico (which means The Gallic Cauldron in Gaul language) but decided to do some research and Caroline Nicolay, who was going to be hosting the weekend, can be seen on Youtube talking about historical food. It seems a silly thing to say but I hadn't clicked that she was French!
I've done many days, experiences and courses but I was really looking forward to this one and couldn't specifically pin down any one reason: A bit out of my usual comfort zone? The setting? Food? The promise of good company? Sleeping in a roundhouse? Caroline's French accent?! Probably all of the above.
I'd also chatted via social media and she showed some interest in foraged foods that I mentioned so I offered to bring some along for the more informal evening, but more of that later.
I left for Hampshire with a built-in M25 buffer and typically the said motorway behaved itself so I arrived early. I parked up and headed down a footpath that bisects the driveway.
As I turned to head back I snapped the farm site nestled at the base of this sloping field and an even bigger hill to my right. I was also making a mental note of the flora that I saw, not only is it an area that I don't usually visit but I could possibly show Caroline some useful species. The nicest flower I saw was Lady's Bedstraw (Galium verum) which isn't common where I live, but also Plantain, Nettles, Jack-by-the-Hedge and Clover and Common Mallow were in evidence too.
Attendees were let in a little early and we sat and chatted on the shop steps whilst we waited for Caroline. She duly arrived and we headed past the Stone Age section, the goat and sheep pens and through the impressive skull archway into the Iron Age area and to the impressive Little Woodbury 'Wessex' style roundhouse (circa 400-200 BC) which is 50 feet in diameter and 30 feet at it's apex which we had the use of all day and indeed night for those staying.
Caroline suggested that we all have a quick ten minutes whizzing round the site to get some people free snaps and then wash our hands which we all duly did. When we reassembled Caroline started talking through the main dishes of the day which were to be a vegetarian and non-vegetarian slow cooked stews.
Both dishes would have a similar base of ingredients (Pork, Ale, Celeriac, Parsnip, Spring Onion and Kale) and we also added some wheat from the range of additional ingredients on offer. I also went and got a few nettle tops and Jack-by-the-Hedge to show everyone and add in.
We took it in turns to keep an eye on the stews which were being cooked in different vessels; The pork version was in the cauldron and the vegetarian version was in an authentic Iron age clay pot with the former going up and down to regulate the heat, whilst the latter got turned periodically.
The meat was shoulder of pork and the skin was scored, salted and added to the fire's edge. I found a flattish piece of firewood and angled it on this.
We used a selection of period knives for the stew prep and for the rest of the day, all made by Caroline's partner and had a nice edge. The unsheathed wooden handled ones were modelled on everyday knives and she had them for sale. These mild steel knives were available to buy for a well priced £20. If I'd known I would have asked for a smaller blade without a handle to be added myself.
Whilst we waited on the stews, specifically the wheat, we undertook other activities. One activity was making small breads which we added different ingredients to from a selection, and the other was making butter from cream which I've personally never done before.
Folk started off using a willow whisk but Caroline said that I should try using my hand. I have to say that I was a little sceptical but blow me down in no time the cream was clumping together and issuing buttermilk! I drained this into a container and then there was an almost click-of-the-finger moment when it magically became butter.
We used the shaping paddles (featured above) to force out as much buttermilk as possible and to shape it. The course literature suggested that participants bring some tupperware containers but Caroline provided some for those that didn't have any. I put some salt in the butter and stashed it in my cool bag. Whilst near my cool bag I asked Caroline if she minded me giving everyone a taste of the nettle syrup that I'd brought for the evening, she was more than happy for me too and no one guessed what it was. we then added the buttermilk to the bread dough to make a rich dough.
Our dinner would soon be ready and folk finished off their butter, chatted, had instruction from Caroline and she also brought along two Roman inspired dishes that she'd made the previous day at the The Novium museum in Chichester. Libum, which was a savoury Roman cheese & bay leaf bread and Peaches in honeyed wine and mint with black pepper, olive oil and vinegar.
And dinner was duly served. The wheat had softened and the pork was ever so tender. Here I've put the pork dish in the lower half and the vegetarian one at the top. Both tasted fantastic and were very filling.
After dinner was done we were shown how to make a basic cheese by adding an acid (in this case a fruity vinegar). I made a lemony cheese a while ago during an early lacto-fermentation attempt
Placing the pig skin on flat bits of firewood worked until the dripping fat made the wood catch fire several times. I fashioned a sort of 'ponnaced trout' hazel frame to eleviate this issue and it worked rather well.
We had a bit of vegetarian stew left so we made oat, white and rye flour patties bound together with egg and added the stew to it.
Not quite space on the metal hotplate for all of them so I'm the second wave sentinel here. I elected to take mine home for the family to try.
And to as we approach the end of the day we are given a washing up lesson. Not as silly as it sounds due the different utensil properties and salt water was the order of the day for the wooden chopping boards which encourages the tannins to come through and deal with any bacteria.
As we bid farewell to the day visitors we all relaxed with a drink, called home etc and we started to notice nature's night shift with owl calls and a fair few Fallow deer on the hill to the side of the site. There are more deer shots in the impromptu gallery at the end of this page.
We had two Butser members of staff staying overnight for insurance purposes and I asked if the woods to the side of the hill were accessible, sadly they were private property so I did my best to set up my Bushnell trail cam on the farm perimeter but sadly I got a nil return from it.
Caroline was under no obligation to do any further catering but still provided sausages, bread and salad. I'd brought along a portion of Alexanders soup and a spelt and wholemeal sourdough which I offered folk a try of. The bread had it's first rise overnight on Thursday and most of the Friday after being knocked back so it had a good twang. I actually brought some starter along to see if anyone wanted any but forgot about it.
I also got the chance to show Caroline some useful plants. the site has everything from nettles to Plantain, Strawberries to Clover.
After a beautifully sunny day the night was a little chilly and truth be told I'd have brought a bigger sleeping bag. I actually used one of the many deer skins on the roundhouse benches as an impromptu blanket. I was the first up and snapped this early sunrise shot over the roundhouse across the way from our one. It was a real honour to be the only one walking around this fantastic site. I had a quick look around and again kept an eye open for any interesting flora.
I came prepared in case I was the first up and got myself an early morning brew thanks to my Kelly kettle which was fuelled by some dead Hawthorn twigs I found whilst recovering my trail cam. When done I placed a roundhouse firedog on the kettle's base to re-energise it and then lit the cooking fire.
I made a small one and cooked up some croissant bannocks for anyone who wanted one. I convinced Caroline that croissants where actually invented in Devon and brought over to France but I did tell her that I was fibbing!
If you look closely in the pictures you may see two ladies dressed in period costume. Clare and Liz are re-enactors who were attending both the Iron Age and Saxon cooking days and As I was taking gear to my car I noticed Clare emerging from the Saxon building in costume and before I went I asked if I could take an authentic looking picture of her standing in the doorway.
After lighting the 'Saxon' fire and filling the water bottles I could hear the M25 calling and made tracks. the Saturday had more than met my expectation of being both something new and a hint of bushcraft too.
Several attendees asked for the blog address and I said that I'd put the decent pictures up...Dark roundhouses don't make photography easy but I got a few.
