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Rhenish Stoneware 2

Yesterday I visited the Stadtmuseum Siegburg to pick up on the exploration of Rhenish Stoneware, one of the successful trading goods of medieval Cologne, as previously mentioned here.

Because I wasn’t awfully keen on a 80 km plus bike ride in the winter with snow on the forecast we went by car and also cleared some errands on the way to and from Siegburg.

A simple, hand-drawn map illustrates the Rhine River with marked locations: Cologne and Siegburg and the Rivers Rhine and Sieg

For background on Siegburgs history, here is Wikipedia on the city.

Unfortunately photographing was not allowed, so only two pictures.

A collection of various ancient clay pottery pieces, including jugs and pots, is displayed. Found at Aulgasse, excavated 1962

More information on Siegburger Steinzeug, German only, Wikipedia. Siegburg produced two qualities of stoneware, one for domestic consumption and traded all over the surrounding area and the Bergische Land, Wikipedia. And then there was the “good stuff” which was traded from Cologne. Cologne traders came per boat up the Rhine and the Sieg to Siegburg to collect the stoneware, also Siegburg traders brought it to the market in Cologne. From there it went all over the Baltics, Scandinavia, Netherlands and England.

And now for some gruesomeness, the top of Siegburgs pillory:

Stone sculpture of a solemn face, illuminated with dramatic lighting, is the top of the medieval city pillory.

Location: Siegburg
Height: 64,8
Coordinates: 50,8 - 7,21
Weather: 6 °C and cloudy #checkin

I made Ciabatta, looks great, just a bit rustic. 82% hydration, that’s the max I’ve done (on purpose) so far.

Three freshly baked loaves of ciabatta are cooling on a wire rack.

#ciabatta #bread #brot #sourdough #LievitoMadre #Sauerteig

Location: Pulheim
Height: 46,2
Coordinates: 51,02 - 6,82
Weather: 3 °C and mostly sunny #checkin

Location: Düsseldorf
Height: 32,1
Coordinates: 51,24 - 6,77
Weather: 1 °C and partly cloudy #checkin

So, made another focaccia this time with some leftover raclette cheese and a pear.

The dough is a bit on the liquid side, but it is well fermented.

Sliced pear and raclette cheese are arranged on a focaccia dough in a baking tray.

A rectangular focaccia topped with pear and melted cheese sits on a baking tray.

#focaccia #bread #brot #sourdough #LievitoMadre #Sauerteig

‘Neujahrsvorsatz’ #FotoVorschlag

A hand-drawn map labeled Rheinisches Steinzeug features the Rhine various cities like Cologne and Siegburg, and dots marking locations such as Raeren, Frechen, and Höhr-Grenzhausen.

Nächste Tour Siegburg, muss nur etwas wärmer werden.

#photography #fotografie #fahrrad

Some more stuff on salt

The Hanse and the Dutch (specifically Zeeland) traded Baiensalz (salt from the Bay de Bourgneuf, Spain and Portugal). This salt trade was possible because it was part of a larger trade network see WIKI german

A simple, stylized map depicts regions labeled with “Lisboa,” “Setobal,” “Brouage,” “Baie de Bourgneuf,” “Walcheren,

During the 16th century Zeeland and especially Walcheren was important in this trade and imported, refined and then exported large quantities of salt. Some of this salt traveled over the Rhine to Cologne, where, next to salt from Lüneburg, it was used to salt fish, but also was traded directly, see Trading goods of medieval Cologne and Ventgüter

Here is a map of that flow:

A hand-drawn map illustrates the Rhine River with marked locations including Cologne and Walcheren.