Cassandra Clark's Blog - Posts Tagged "feasting"

Medieval food can be really surprising. It wasn't all thin gruel, pottage and a handful of beans. If the cookery books are to be believed at least some people, the townsfolk, the manorial lords for instance, ate well and loved special recipes which were gathered for the first time by Richard II's master chef at Eltham Palace. There were dozens of different meats, not only venison, but hare, peacocks, song birds, rabbits and in fact anything feathered that flew. On none meat days there was a wealth of fresh water fish from the ponds (Handale Priory had its own fish ponds) and sea-fishing included porpoise as well as herring, mackerel, bass and halibut. Oysters, of course, were eaten by everyone. Surprisingly, risotto, couscous, with aromatic spices and sweet and sour dishes familiar to us today were available with ingredients brought in from Outremer (the middle east to us). Almond sauces were popular as was blancmanger made of rice and almond milk eaten with shredded white meat such as chicken. Something called mawnmenee was a spicy, red coloured concoction with pomegranate and flaked almonds. And frumenty was as popular then as it is in some kitchens even now. I like to think of Hildegard and Hubert de Courcy sitting down to a feast of delicacies although Ulf would be sure to go for a simple haunch of venison and some strong ale. If you want the recipes you can find them in 'The Forme of Cury' - Richard II's cook book.