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| Uploaded to Pinterest by Ted Funkhouser |
Wiktionary defines it as "An ornate medieval illusion dish or table decoration, especially when made from one thing but crafted to look like another."
Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias elaborates: "A subtlety (also "sotelty" or "soteltie") was an elaborate form of dish common during the late Middle Ages in Europe, particularly in England and France. [Laurioux, Bruno, "Les livres de cuisine en Occident à la fin du Moyen Age", Thèse de doctorat: Histoire: Paris 1: 1992] Its function was to demarcate main courses from one another while also entertaining diners. A subtlety could be anything from a pie with exotic spices to an elaborate model of a castle made of pastry. Subtlety dishes were reserved for the upper classes who could afford the huge costs of exclusive ingredients, talented chefs and huge staffs to create lavish meals. Subtleties were often used during fast days or Lent to alleviate the restrictions in diet imposed by Catholic fasting laws."
For Skrael'd It! what we are looking to see are food dishes made to look like any heraldic charge. (Such as the hare in the arms of the Barony of Skraeling Althing or the cup of Rising Waters.) Below are several links that contain information, recipes and even more lists of links to information on subtleties. We can't wait to see what you come up with!
Entremets, Illusion Foods & Subtleties (list of links)
Marzipan & Sugarpaste: Medieval Playdough! (AEthelmearc Gazette)
Medieval Subtleties (Pinterest)
Sculptural Sugar Subtleties (paper)
Simple Subtleties to Spice up a Medieval Feast (blog)
Subtlety (Academic Dictionaries and Encyclopedias)
The Taste of Medieval Food (Medievalists.net)
Tidbits from a Pseudo-Medieval Kitchen: 5 things I learn from a medieval catering collective (blog)
What Was It Like To Dine At A Glorious Medieval Feast? (Weird History)
Various papers by Lady Margaret of Buckrode (SCRIBD, read free for thirty days)
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