Commissary Area Descriptions


”..together we had eaten some dried bosk meat and drank water, from one of the commissary wagons attached to one of Hundreds in the city. As commanders we could eat where we chose.”—Nomads, 307

As the above quote indicates, mobile commissary wagons provide our kitchen needs. We do not have "serveries," a made-up word which appears nowhere in the writings of John Norman, nor do we have city-style kitchens equipped with stone ovens and indoor plumbing. There are also no "chillers" or "cold boxes" on the Southern Plains; instead, our cold wagons and cool-flowing rivers and springs meet our cold storage needs.

Our Commissary Area is quite large, as one might expect for a thriving Tuchuk camp. The term "Commissary Area" encompasses not only the commissary wagons themselves, but the cold wagons, cooking fires, and mud brick ovens as well. The roomy kitchen and cold storage wagons face one another, with several cooking fires occupying the space between. To one side of the fires sits the mud brick ovens.

To aid our slaves with visualizing the area in which they will be conducting their serves of food and drink, our Ubar has created several detailed diagrams (coming soon!). We have also provided in-depth descriptions of each area which explain the illustrations and convey any details these drawings may lack. (After all, there is only so much wording one can fit on a diagram!) The Commissary Area contains the following features:

The Commissary (Kitchen) Wagons:
    Exteriors: The outside of each wagon features hide awnings which shield work tables or tacked-up hides left to cure in the Plains wind. In the case of tables, pegs for hanging utensils, large pots, and kettles have been driven into the outside commissary walls above these work surfaces. The awnings can be lowered and lashed to the sides of the wagons during migration, thus securing and protecting anything hanging on the exterior walls.
    Interiors: The wagons are accessible by gently sloping ramps which allow for the easy use of our wheeled serving carts. A large work table occupies the middle of each wagon, with enough room to the sides for slaves to pass freely around it without running into one other. Camp-temperature drinks are stored in racks and barrels at the back of the wagon. The wash basin is to the immediate right, as one enters the wagon. Next to this basin is a counter which runs the length of the wall, with shelves above and below it. Tins of cocoa and tea are kept here, as well as containers of honey and bowls of variously colored sugar. Above the counter are plates, bowls, drinking vessels, and goblets hanging upside down in their racks. Within a large bowl of cold water rests a small pitcher of bosk milk intended for use in tea, black wine, porridge, and so on. The shelves under the counter hold trays, large mixing bowls, pots, etc. The other side of the wagon also has a counter on which rests freshly baked goods lightly draped with clean rep cloths. Bins of fruit, vegetables, flour and other dry goods line the counter, as well. Spices are stored on shelves above the counter. Aside from milk, butter, and pastries set aside for the day's consumption, all perishables are kept in the cold room wagons.

The Cold Storage Wagons: Unlike days past, these wagons are now above-ground. They are also accessible by ramp and look little different than the commissary wagons, aside from a lack of awnings and outside work tables. The most oustanding feature is the modified smoke hole flap. Though cold storage wagons have no need for a smoke hole, per say, this one is constructed with a lacquered hide which acts like a shutter to let out the heat that builds at the roof. One would pull a leather rope to raise the lacquered flap and tie it off on a cleat driven into the wall. Of course, untying the rope would cause the flap to close. A piece of wood on the interior roof framing acts like a pushrod to raise and lower the flap. The protocol for the use of these wagons is determined by the season, as follows:
    Spring and Fall: the wagons will be left open at night and closed during the day to trap in the cool night air as much as possible. We will take what may be needed and use the cold river water to store bottles of water, wines, and Paga needing to be kept cool.
    Summer: we will use the river as much as possible and will work on a better way to cool the wagon itself. (This method is still being determined.) Nets containing bottles of water, wines, and Paga will be secured to the nearby river banks, to be retrieved a few minutes prior to use. Fresh meat will be prepared immediately. Some may be kept in the nets, wrapped in oilcloth for waterproofing. Meat that can not be consumed right away will be dried and salted. Excess milk is powdered, and excess eggs pickled. Fruit can be dried and sugared, and the tospit keeps half past forever on its own. Wheels of cheeses can be kept in wax and packed in crates surrounded by straw and mud until the time for their use.
    Winter: in times of snow, close the cold wagons up enough to keep things from freezing. As we are north for the winter... we could often do much the same as in fall or spring.

The Cookfires: As previously indicated, several cook fires stand between the commissaries and cold wagons. We have no less than four fires burning at any one time -- one exclusively for drinks, one for the roasting of large quantities of meat, one for the cooking of large pots of stews and soups, and one with a rack for frying tarsk strips, eggs, etc. Tripods are set up over some of these fires for the hanging of kettles, while others are covered by copper grates upon which bowls may be rested and warmed.

The Mud Brick Ovens: Again, to one side of the fires sit the small, simple, dome-shaped, mud brick ovens, which are destroyed just prior to migration and built anew when we settle. The oven-building process makes for a fun and in-depth chore, as does their use, which is much more complex than the ready-to-use ovens of Earth. Mud brick ovens are constructed over a period of several days using layers of mud bricks which are set in wooden moulds and sun-dried, then bonded together with mud mortar. Much like an adobe house, the finished product is smoothed over with more mud to give it an attractive plaster effect. The first fire is burnt briefly to "season" the oven; it is then ready for use. To use these ovens, one must build a fire within, letting the bricks heat for about an ahn (hour). Once the coals and ashes are swept out, the baked goods can be placed within. To retain heat, the smoke hole should be stoppered with rags, while the oven opening should be sealed with a large stone and mud. (Thanks for this information goes to preservation craftsman Michael Moquin, whose online resource can be found at http://www.networkearth.org/naturalbuilding/oven.html .)

 

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