Symbolism of the Turtle (Kame) — Longevity, Wisdom & Protection in Muromachi Japan
Urashima Tarō carried by a turtle to the Dragon Palace (Ryūgū-jō). Image via Kyuhoshi.
Originally Published 10/22/2019 - Updated 10/20/2025
In Japan, the turtle (kame) is a joyful emblem of longevity, wisdom, protection, and steady good fortune. It appears in courtly art, shrine lore, and folktales—from the patient, long-tailed minogame to the northern guardian Genbu (Black Tortoise). For our Muromachi-period Crown Tournament feast, turtle symbolism tied neatly to the suppon hot pot we served: a nourishing dish with deep historical roots.
During Japan’s Muromachi period (1336–1573), when Zen aesthetics and courtly rituals blended with warrior culture, symbolic animals often appeared in art and ceremonial meals. The turtle (kame), long associated with immortality and wisdom, represented the enduring stability of the shogunate and the virtues of patience and loyalty — qualities praised in poetry, calligraphy, and seasonal foods alike.
Okashi – Anmitsu and Japanese Sweet Traditions (Muromachi Feast Recreation)
Jasmine green tea ice cream on agar (kanten), surrounded by red bean paste and a drizzle of black sugar syrup.
Imagine my surprise when I realized I’d never published the final tray of the feast! This course—built around Anmitsu—was my nod to banquet finales that closed with fruit and confections. My interpretation layers agar jelly, fresh fruit, shiratama mochi, sweet red bean paste (anko), black sugar syrup (kuromitsu), and jasmine green tea ice cream.
Historical Frame: Okashi in Context
In the Muromachi period (1336–1573), formal banquet cuisine (honzen ryori) treated sweets as refined, seasonal endings rather than everyday fare. Sugar was scarce and costly; sweetness often came from beans, grains, or fruit. As long-distance trade expanded, imported sugars and new tools elevated confectionery into an art closely linked with tea culture—favoring elegance and balance over intense sweetness.
Seasonal Aesthetics: Confections mirrored the time of year—spring blossoms, summer greens, autumn leaves, winter snows. Their fleeting forms encouraged contemplation of impermanence and gratitude at table.
Trade, Technique, and Evolution
Maritime trade in the 16th century brought refined sugar and new implements that influenced sweet-making. Hybrid sweets (like castella sponge) arose from cultural exchange. Meanwhile, temple kitchens and courtly households continued to favor plant-based textures and subtle flavors, keeping okashi aligned with ideals of restraint.
Cross-Cultural Parallels
Just as medieval Europe prized marchpane and sugar plate as status-laden table art, Japan refined bean- and rice-based sweets into edible miniatures of the natural world. In both traditions, confectionery served as display, diplomacy, and delight.
Muromachi: codified banquets; sweet courses as refined finales
Edo: wagashi artistry flourishes with broader sugar access
Ingredient Insights
Agar (kanten): a seaweed-derived gelling agent long valued in Buddhist vegetarian cooking and later central to clear, delicate jellies in confectionery.
Anko (red bean paste): sweetened adzuki paste that underpins many classic sweets. Texture ranges from smooth to rustic and chunky.
Kuromitsu (black sugar syrup): made from unrefined brown sugars—deeper, rounder, and more mineral than modern white sugar syrups.
Ground almonds mixed with water – the basis of almond milk, a medieval staple.
Almond Milk in the Middle Ages — History, Humors & Uses
Originally Published 11/10/2015 / Updated 10/1/2025
“The more things change, the more they remain the same.” That phrase feels especially true when we look at almond milk. Today, we reach for it as a dairy-free alternative in lattes or smoothies. In the Middle Ages, cooks turned to it for many of the same reasons: dietary restrictions, health, and versatility.
Almond milk appears in nearly every major medieval cookbook — from the English Forme of Cury (c. 1390) to French texts like Le Viandier. Whether thickened into custards, stirred into pottages, or sweetened for desserts, it was a foundational ingredient in European kitchens from the 13th–15th centuries. Understanding almond milk helps unlock a whole category of medieval recipes.
Origins & Spread of Almonds
The almond tree (Prunus dulcis) is native to the regions of modern-day Iran and Central Asia. Cultivation spread westward along trade networks into Persia and the Mediterranean by the first millennium BCE. The Greeks and Romans knew almonds well — Roman authors like Pliny the Elder mention them, and they were commonly served at banquets.
Through Roman expansion and later Arab influence in Spain and Sicily, almonds became established throughout southern Europe. By the 9th–10th centuries, almond-based dishes appear in Arabic medical and culinary texts, praised both for flavor and for their gentle, “cooling” effect in humoral medicine.
Almonds on the Move: From Orchard to Feast Table
Italy & France: Almonds were cultivated in Mediterranean orchards and imported inland. French and Italian manuscripts from the 13th–14th centuries make frequent use of almond milk in sauces, custards, and pottages.
England & Germany: By the late Middle Ages, almonds were arriving in northern ports like London, Lübeck, and Hamburg. They were expensive imports, sometimes listed alongside spices and sugar in customs rolls. Their cost gave them a dual role: practical (for fast days) but also a marker of wealth and status when used lavishly in feasts.
Monastic & noble kitchens: Monasteries, bound by fasting rules, relied heavily on almond milk. Nobles embraced it for both practical and prestigious reasons, often specifying “thick” almond milk in their cookery books.
In this way, the humble almond traveled thousands of miles — from Asian orchards to English feasting halls — and almond milk became one of the most common “dairy substitutes” in medieval Europe.
Why Almond Milk Was Essential
Religious fasting: Animal milk was prohibited on fast days. Almond milk allowed cooks to create “dairy-like” dishes during Lent and other observances.
Shelf life: Fresh cow’s milk spoiled quickly. Almonds, stored dry, could be turned into fresh milk on demand.
Status & luxury: Almonds were imported and costly, signaling refinement at noble tables.
Versatility: Used in both savory and sweet contexts — soups, sauces, blancmange, custards, even beverages.
Almonds & Humoral Theory
In Galenic medicine, almonds were considered “hot and moist.” Almond milk, tempered with water, was thought gentler on the stomach than cow’s milk and was prescribed for the sick or those with delicate digestion. This idea echoes modern perceptions of almond milk as “lighter” and easier to digest.
How It Was Made
Medieval almond milk was made almost exactly as we do today:
Soak whole almonds, then grind them to a paste with a mortar and pestle.
Mix with warm water, wine, or broth depending on the recipe.
Strain through cloth to produce a smooth liquid.
The ratio determined the thickness. Recipes often call for “thick” almond milk when a rich base was needed, or a thinner version for soups and sauces. Sweetening with sugar, honey, or rosewater was common, while savory versions might use broth or even wine.
Uses in Medieval Cookery
Savory: In sauces like Rapeye, in fish pottages, or as the base for meatless soups.
Sweet: In blancmange, rice puddings, and custards.
Feasts: Almond milk was prepared in large quantities ahead of service — much like we buy cartons today.
A Dynere of Flesche — John Russell’s Medieval Feast and the Logic of Digestion
Roasted peacock served “re-plumed,” a classic showpiece in late-medieval banquets. Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Introduction
In the mid-fifteenth century, court official John Russell compiled the Boke of Nurture (Harley MS 4011), a manual of etiquette, service, and feasting. Among its most intriguing passages is “A Dynere of Flesche”—a model feast for a flesh day. At first glance it reads like excess: swan, peacock, venison, custards, jellies, fritters, sotelties. But beneath the display lies clear order, guided by humoral theory and the theory of digestion.
Humoral theory:
Foods are classified hot/cold, moist/dry.
The goal was balance — so heavy/dry meats might be paired with moist/sweet sauces, or cooling jellies follow heating roasts.
Theory of Digestion (stomach as a fireplace model):
Light, quick-digesting foods first (whet the appetite, “open the stomach”).
Heavy meats mid-meal (need the appetite at full flame).
Cooling or binding foods at the end (to “close the stomach” and aid digestion).
Spices and hippocras (spiced wine) seal the stomach and prevent putrefaction.
Feasting, Status, and Seasonality
Russell’s menu was a model feast—aspirational and didactic. It reflected both status and medical order:
Sotelties: allegorical sugar or pastry sculptures, more about piety and performance than eating.
Hierarchy: the high table saw the full spread; lower tables ate simpler portions.
Seasonality: autumn/winter hunting game + preserved foods (brawn, baked quinces, hippocras). Likely a winter festival setting—Christmas or Twelfth Night.
The Logic of the Courses
First Course: Awakening the Appetite
The feast begins with brawn of boar with mustard. Preserved brawn (salted/pressed) was hot/dry, paired with mustard (also hot/dry) to stimulate appetite. Then came pottages of herbs, spice, and wine (warm, moist, aromatic), followed by staples—beef and mutton, heavy and dry but softened by sauces. Showpieces—pheasant and swan with chawdron sauce, capons, pig, venison bake—balanced humors by variety. The course lifted with leches and fritters, hot/oily appetite stimulants, and paused with a sotelty of the Annunciation.
Second Course: Heaviest Roasts & Entremets
The second course starts gently with blancmanger (chicken and almond, moist and white) and jellies (cooling, clarifying). Then came the heaviest fare: venison, kid, fawn, coney, bustard, stork, crane, peacock, heron. These were dry/hot meats, demanding the stomach’s “strongest fire.”
Between them: entremets—custards, pastries, sweet leches—moist refreshers, palate cleansers, and spectacles. A fritter revived appetite, and an angelic sotelty provided allegory and pause.
Third Course: Stepping Down
Cream of almonds and mawmany were restorative and nourishing. Smaller roasts—curlews, snipes, quails, sparrows—replaced great birds. Moist/cooling dishes returned: perch in jelly, crayfish. Quinces baked (astringent) helped close digestion, alongside sage fritters and spiced leches. A Magi sotelty provided solemn close.
Finale: Issue & Sendoff
The issue de table included pippins (apples) with caraway comfits, custard (blaunderelle), wafers, and hippocras. Apples (cold/dry) restrained excess; caraway (hot/dry) dispelled wind; hippocras (spiced wine) “sealed” the stomach.
Overall Temperament by Course
HotColdMoistDryAstringent
Course / Stage
Overall Temperament
Why this net effect?
First Course
HotDry(+Moist from pottages)
Opens with mustard & preserved brawn (hot/dry stimulants), then warm/moist pottages; heavy meats appear early but are sauced. Net effect = warming/activating with a slight dry edge to “open the stomach.”
Second Course
HotDry(+ moderated by Moist entremets)
Heaviest roasts (venison, crane, peacock) are hot/dry at peak digestion; custards/jellies (entremets) punctuate to moisten/refresh. Net effect = the feast’s hottest/driest point, tempered between platters.
Third Course
MoistCool(+ Astringent close)
Steps down with smaller birds and moist/cooling fish in jelly; baked quinces add astringency to begin closure; sage fritters give brief warmth without flipping the net trend.
Finale (Issue & Boute-hors)
CoolDry→ sealed by HotDry (hippocras)
Raw apples + caraway comfits = cool/dry & wind-dispelling; wafers are light/dry. Final seal with hippocras (hot/dry) “closes the stomach” and guards against putrefaction.
Show SCA stages with temperament
SCA Stage
Temperament
Notes
On Table / Entrance
HotDry
Mustard & brawn stimulate and announce status.
Pottages & Gentle Dishes
MoistWarm
Opens and soothes the stomach.
Great Roasts
HotDry
Peak heat/dryness; serve when digestion is strongest.
Entremets
MoistCool
Palate/digestion refreshers between roasts.
Lighter Birds & Fish
MoistCool
Step-down phase toward closure.
Dessert / Fruit
Astringent
Begins the “binding” close (quinces, etc.).
Issue
CoolDry
Raw apples + comfits; wafers light and crisp.
Boute-hors
HotDry
Hippocras seals the stomach.
Feast Planning with Russell’s Menu
For SCA feast planners, Russell’s feast maps neatly into modern service frameworks:
Beef, mutton, venison, swan, peacock, bustard, crane, etc.
Heaviest, driest meats; mid-digestion
Entremets
Custards, pastries, fritters, sotelties
Palate refreshers, visual allegories
Lighter Birds & Fish
Curlew, quail, perch in jelly, crayfish
Moist/cooling, easier to digest
Dessert / Fruit
Quinces baked, sage fritters
Astringent closure, sharpen digestion
Issue
Apples with caraway, wafers
Refresh and bind, dispel wind
Boute-hors
Hippocras
Spiced wine to seal digestion
Mythbusting Russell’s Feast
“Feasts were chaotic.” ❌ They followed medical choreography.
“Everyone ate the same food.” ❌ Hierarchy dictated portions.
“Peacock and swan were delicacies.” ❌ They were tough; value lay in spectacle.
“Sugar was common.” ❌ It was a costly luxury spice.
“Fritters were desserts only.” ❌ They appear in every course as stimulants.
“Fruit was always cooked.” ❌ The pippins at issue were raw, paired with comfits.
✅ Dos & ❌ Don’ts by Course
First Course
✅ Pair heavy meats with moist dishes (pottage, sauce)
❌ Don’t open with multiple cold/moist foods — they dull appetite
Second Course
✅ Interleave entremets between heavy roasts
❌ Don’t serve only hot/dry roasts back-to-back — digestion overload
Third Course
✅ Use cooling/moist dishes (fish, almond cream) to “calm the stomach”
❌ Don’t drop in new hot/dry meats here — it reverses the descent
Finale
✅ Always end with an astringent fruit + spiced closer
❌ Don’t pile sweets without balance — needs closure to “seal digestion”
Conclusion
Russell’s Dynere of Flesche shows that medieval dining was deliberate: humoral balance, digestive order, spectacle, and hierarchy all interlaced. What seems like excess was careful choreography. For modern readers—and especially SCA feast stewards—it offers both inspiration and a reminder: a medieval feast was an art of health and performance.
Why this matters today: Russell’s feast reminds us that medieval banquets were not chaotic indulgence, but carefully balanced systems of health, status, and art.
It’s a reminder that food has always been about more than eating—it shapes identity, power, and performance at the table.
From Sauce to Aspic – The 500-Year Journey of Galentyne → Galantine
From hot medieval sauce to elegant cold aspic — the shifting identity of galentyne/galantine.
What’s in a name? Few dishes illustrate the transformations of European cuisine as vividly as galentyne. In the 14th century, it meant a spiced, bread-thickened sauce for meats or fish. By the 19th century, galantine had become a boned, stuffed, aspic-set cold dish — a centerpiece of French haute cuisine. Here we trace that remarkable journey across 500 years, with original recipes and modern adaptations.
Medieval Origins (14th–15th c.)
Harleian MS. 279 (England, c.1430):Fyletes in Galentyne is one of the best known. Pork is roasted, cut up, and stewed with onions, pepper, ginger, bread, and vinegar, finished with blood or sanders for color.
“Take fayre porke of the fore quarter, and rost hit tyl hit be almost ynogh; … and colour hit with blode, or elles with sandres, and then lat hit boyle up wel, and serve it forth.”
Modern feast menus often jump from a pottage or soup straight to roasts. Historically, diners expected something between. The entremet (Old French: “between-dish”) served as a bridge between heavy services, offering refreshment, surprise, and sometimes outright spectacle. This post explains the term’s origins, how it functioned, where it went, and practical ways to revive it in today’s feasts.
Etymology & Early References
Entremet derives from Old French (entre + mettre/mettre “to place/send in between”), literally a dish interposed between services. The concept appears prominently in 14th‑century French sources such as Le Viandier and later in Le Ménagier de Paris; in English material (e.g., Harleian MS. 279, c.1430) you find dishes that likely filled the same role, even when not labeled “entremet.”
Function of the Entremet
Pacing & Palate Reset: a light interlude after dense pottages or fish and before the roasts.
Blawnche Perrye — a light, pale pottage; visually striking early in a feast.
Colored rice — saffron‑gold, parsley‑green, or spiced rice for contrast.
Fritters — rice or fruit fritters served in small bites.
Jellies — molded almond or wine jellies; multicolored effects.
Disguised dishes — meats/fish presented in altered forms for surprise.
Regional Variations of the Entremet
While the entremet began in French courtly dining, the idea of a “between dish” spread widely. Each region adapted the form to local tastes, ingredients, and cultural priorities.
France
In sources such as Le Viandier and Le Ménagier de Paris (14th c.), entremets often took spectacular form — multicolored jellies, stuffed or disguised animals, and occasional allegorical displays.
England
English manuscripts like Harleian MS. 279 (~1430) present plainer entremets: light pottages (e.g., Blawnche Perrye), spiced rice, or oyster dishes — emphasizing humoral balance over pageantry.
Italy
Italian masters (Maestro Martino, Scappi) blurred entremets with refined lighter courses: almond milk dishes, sugared rice, small pasta or vegetable preparations with elegant presentation.
Spain & Catalonia
Texts such as Llibre de Coch (1520) show sweet‑leaning entremets — almond pastes, candied fruits, spiced rice — foreshadowing dessert traditions.
Germany
German Speisebücher and later works (e.g., Anna Wecker, 1598) feature Zwischenspeisen (“between‑dishes”): saffron or parsley‑colored rice, Sülze (bright fish/meat jellies), and fritters like Krapfen or Strauben — practical, colorful, and texturally contrasting.
Blawnche Perrye – creamy almond & fish dish, often served between courses
FAQ: Does a Modern Galantine Count as an Entremet?
Sometimes. If served as a small, decorative “between” dish (rather than as part of the roast service), a galantine can function as an entremet. Keep portions modest and presentation striking; otherwise it reads as a main meat course.
Sources & Further Reading
Le Viandier (14th c.) — early entremet references.
Front cover and title page scans from Amelia Simmons’sAmerican Cookery(1796)
From Ash to Rise: Potash, Pearl Ash, and the First American Chemical Leaveners
Before commercial baking powder revolutionized the kitchen, early bakers reached for something far more rustic: ashes. Specifically, they utilized the lye-rich remnants of burned hardwood to produce potash and, later, its refined cousin, pearl ash. These alkaline salts, when combined with acidic ingredients, acted as the first chemical leaveners of early American and European baking.
What is Potash?
Potash, or potassium carbonate, is derived from the ashes of burned hardwood. Traditionally, early cooks would soak wood ash in water, extract the resulting lye, and boil off the liquid to concentrate the alkaline residue. The name "pot ash" originates from the iron pots historically used during this production process.
Pearl Ash: The Cleaner Leavener
Pearl ash is a purified form of potash. The refinement process involved dissolving crude potash in water, allowing the insoluble sediment to settle, then filtering and gently evaporating the solution until white crystals formed. This process created a cleaner, more consistent leavening agent preferred for baking cakes and biscuits.
How Alkaline Leavening Works
Neither potash nor pearl ash works alone. They need an acidic partner to trigger a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms bubbles in batters and doughs, helping them rise and achieve a light texture.
Potash: Stronger, more caustic, less refined — best used with caution or in soapmaking.
Pearl Ash: More purified, milder, and food safe — suitable for cakes, biscuits, and cookies.
How Does It Compare to Hartshorn?
Hartshorn, or ammonium carbonate, differs in that it does not require an acid to activate. It's ideal for crisp cookies like Springerle, where dryness is key. In contrast, potash-based leaveners must be carefully balanced with acidic components, or the resulting bake may carry an unpleasant alkaline flavor. Potash typically found its place in softer quick breads and early cakes.
📚 Curious about hartshorn? Click here to explore how bakers used ammonium carbonate before baking soda became common.
Refining Potash into Pearl Ash
Pearl ash isn’t just cleaner potash—it’s the result of a deliberate purification process. Historically, makers dissolved crude potash in water, allowed insoluble impurities to settle out, then filtered and gently evaporated the liquid until white crystals formed. This recrystallized form offered better predictability and reduced off-flavors in baked goods.
Common Acidic Pairings in Historical Recipes
Buttermilk or clabbered milk
Molasses (commonly used in gingerbreads)
Vinegar or sour wine
Apple cider or citrus juice
Historical Note: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash
The earliest American-published cookbook, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons (1796), includes several recipes calling for pearl ash as a leavening agent. One gingerbread variant reads:
“Gingerbread Cakes” – One quart of molasses, one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of shortening, one cup of sour milk, four teaspoons pearl ash, four tablespoons ginger, cinnamon and cloves to taste, and as much flour as will make it roll out.
Potash: You can make it at home from hardwood ashes, but for safety and consistency, it's best sourced as food-grade potassium carbonate from specialty chemical suppliers or soapmaking shops (e.g., Bulk Apothecary, The Lye Guy).
Pearl Ash: Much harder to find today, but chemically similar results can be achieved with food-grade potassium carbonate or by using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in a modern adaptation.
Example: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash (1796)
Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796) features several gingerbread cookie recipes that call for pearl ash—a purified form of potash—dissolved in milk or water. This marks one of the earliest printed uses of a chemical leavener in American baking. 🧁
View the original 1796 scans, or check the Smithsonian & American Heritage notes on Simmons's innovations :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.
Historical Example: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash
Adapted from late 18th-century sources:
2 cups flour
1 cup molasses
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tsp pearl ash dissolved in 1 tbsp vinegar
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
Optional: cloves or nutmeg
Mix molasses, butter, and spices.
Add pearl ash mixture.
Stir in flour gradually to form a dough.
Drop by spoonful or roll and cut into rounds.
Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.
📜 Want to learn more about potash and pearl ash? Click here to explore how ashes became America’s first chemical leaveners.
The Rise of Baking Powder
The arrival of commercial baking powder made baking more accessible. Unlike potash or pearl ash, it included both alkaline and acidic components, eliminating the guesswork. Home cooks no longer needed to rely on tricky ratios or worry about acidic pairings—baking became easier, faster, and more reliable. This convenience marked the end of Pearl Ash’s reign in the kitchen.
Other Forgotten Leaveners
Before modern yeast and chemical leaveners, a variety of traditional techniques helped baked goods to rise
Ale barm: Foam from fermenting beer, used in breads and cakes before commercial yeast.
Egg leavening: Beaten egg whites or whole eggs incorporated air, helping cakes and sponges rise naturally.
Sack starters: Fermented mixtures using sack (fortified wine) and flour as makeshift yeast.
A medieval banquet scene from an illuminated manuscript, where rich colors—red, blue, green, and gold—signaled wealth, virtue, and festal meaning.
The Importance of Color in the Medieval and Renaissance World
Color in the medieval and Renaissance world wasn’t decoration—it was language. Every hue carried meaning, from the virtues on a knight’s shield to the foods on a feast table. This article explores the rich symbolism of color across heraldry, religion, humoral medicine, and banqueting, with a case study of the tawny-hued drink Tannye from Harleian MS. 279. Discover how cooks used spices, herbs, blood, and even saffron to dye their dishes with purpose, and how diners read those colors as signs of faith, fortune, and health.
A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas (1843) is my perennial December re-read. It’s timeless, hopeful—and born of a darker reality Dickens refused to ignore. Before we sit down to the Cratchits’ dinner, a little context.
Apothecary Weights and Measures: Historical Symbols and Conversions
Updated for accuracy and usability (Aug 2025). If you’re translating historical recipes or herbals and keep bumping into ℈ ʒ ℥, this page is your friend. Below you’ll find corrected gram values, a quick converter, and a few notes on look-alike units that trip people up.
Medieval-style herbalist at work—an illuminated manuscript depicting labeled herbs, tools, and a mortar & pestle preparing remedies and spices.
Spice Substitution Chart: Historical and Modern Swaps for Home Cooks
Update (August 19, 2025): This page has been expanded with added historical context, clarified notes, and improved search.
Missing mace in your recipe? Can’t find grains of paradise?
Whether you’re preparing a medieval feast or just need a quick fix, this searchable spice substitution chart has you covered. We include practical replacements and historically inspired swaps for cooks, reenactors, and food-history fans alike. From cinnamon and clove to rarities like grains of paradise or long pepper, these tested substitutions help you adapt without losing the dish’s character.
Historical Spice Substitutions
In medieval and Renaissance cookery, substitutions were essential: spices were seasonal, expensive, and often unavailable. Manuscripts like Forme of Cury and Libro de arte coquinaria specify blends, but household cooks adjusted based on access. This list balances modern flavor compatibility with known historical usage, keeping the spirit of the original.
How to use these substitutions: Start small and adjust to taste—pungent spices (clove, cardamom) can dominate. Working from a period recipe? Consider the spice’s humoral qualities or symbolic role; substitutions may shift intent slightly.
Social & Political Implications of Elaborate Entremets