Now that would be a menu to beat all banquet menus! Medieval ice cream for the 21st century. Parsley was added to meat dishes. Plums were a popular medieval dessert. Let others read this page. Share on Facebook Share. Share on Pinterest Pin it. It might seem that eating at a medieval table called for nothing more than knowing how to use a knife, spoon and fingers forks had yet to come. In fact the process was as fraught in terms of proper behaviour as any Victorian dinner party.
Far more than today, eating and drinking provided a primary framework for conversation and conviviality, and the importance of every gesture at table was thus enhanced.
If your knowledge of medieval food is based on the giant turkey legs and funnel cakes served at a Renaissance Fair, you will likely be surprised by the food that was served at our feast. While some great medieval banquets had up to seven courses, with 20 or more dishes in each course, the norm for a English feast was three courses. Each of the courses could have a mixture of meat, fish, and vegetable dishes, and sweets and savoury foods were served side-by-side.
Rather, medieval chefs believed that a balance of flavors and types of food enhanced the eating experience. At our feasts, we serve a variety of medieval foods.
All are prepared with traditional ingredients, but modern cooking methods are alwasys used to ensure food safety. Many medieval recipes are vegetarian and vegan, so there is something for everyone at a medieval feast. Here are some sample dishes from our menu. The Lords dogs would probably be lying around the table waiting for leftover food to be thrown. The quests would eat the food with their fingers as there were no knifes and forks at that time and medieval food was served on slices of stale bread as plates.
Medieval Christmas feast in a castle. There were lots of staff on hand at a Medieval banquet to serve the food and fill the drinking cups with wine or ale, pages and or squires who were training to become knights under the guidance of the Lord would usually help serve food and drinks.
Cooks would be working away in the kitchen roasting meats such as chicken, hog and plates of vegetables and berries would be prepared. There would usually be soldiers guarding the entrance to the banqueting Hall. Heralds would play trumpets to signal the arrival of the next course of food, there could be as many as five courses at a medieval banquet and there were some unusual foods such as roast swan served. Hopefully, you aren't having this large of a feast or, if you are, you've got help in the kitchen!
Thus, there are some aspects of medieval feasting that will probably not be replicated. You might not have people to serve the food, and elect to have everyone serve themselves. We know quite a bit about medieval menus. One such menu comes from Alice de Breyne in , and included a boar's head, broths, woodcocks, pheasants, partridges, roasted mallard, wine thickened with egg yolks, open pork pies, stuffed chickens, and poultry with sauce.
We also know from medieval recipes that many dishes were highly spiced. The Forme of Cury, written around , details dishes that were spiced with pepper, salt, cloves, mace, cinnamon, ginger, and dyes.
These spices were used in great quantities, but you can use them to your taste. We also know that fresh fruit was used to dress meat, fish, and poultry.
However, also keep in mind what was not typically served at medieval feasts: fresh fruits and vegetables, green salads, and drinking water. Medieval physicians feared that these foods were the cause of putrified fevers though we now know this to be false. While you will probably still opt for the wedding cake, consider serving other desserts for those guests who do not like cake, or as an alternative to cake.
One alternative to the traditional wedding cake would be to serve a Sotiltees also spelled "soltetie". In medieval times, these were sculptures of food that came in various forms - castles, ships, or scenes from fables.
While traditionally served before the main course, you could consider a sotiltee as an alternative to or form for your wedding cake. Traditionally, these are purely sugar pieces, but can be adapted to cake form given that you have a well-trained baker. Cherry Hearts. These are small, heart-shaped tarts filled with cherry sauce a recipe for cherry tort is the modern equivalent.
Fresh fruits were very common, including strawberries and grapes.
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