Medieval Dinner Party

A medieval dinner party (in the degustation style), that just had to taste good.  I do tend to push myself, and this event wasn’t any exception.

Basically, I decided to run a multi-course degustation dinner, using dishes you might find in medieval times. We dressed up, played medieval games (not ones that maimed) and used turnips as currency.  I set the table to depict the era, and the fun lasted all night.

History of the menu

The exact origins of the “menu” are unknown, but the most popular account dates back to 1541.  The Duke of Brunswick was seen to have a sheet of paper on the banquet table beside the plate. When asked by a guest what the paper was, he explained that it was a list of dishes to be served and by referring to the list the Duke could reserve his appetite for his favourites.

Another version tells a similar story.  At a dinner in 1498, Count Hugo de Mounfort was seen to regularly refer to a written parchment.  It too contained a list of the dishes to be served.  The idea was much admired and was soon adopted. The old-fashioned bills of fare were written on large cards and gaudily decorated with gastronomic symbols.  They were so large that only one copy was placed at each end of the table.

Types of People

There were two types of people in medieval times.  The very very rich and the very very poor.  The nobleman’s diet would have been very different from the diets of those lower down the social scale.  Cooked dishes were heavily flavoured with valuable spices such as caraway, nutmeg, cardamom, ginger and pepper.  Other commonly used ingredients were cane sugar, almonds, and dried fruits such as dates, figs or raisins.  The wealthy treasured these goods, that were hugely expensive. and imported from far away lands.

The Rich

Banqueting tables at grand feasts were decked out with spectacular dishes – providing the perfect opportunity for the nobleman to show off his wealth. Everyday jellies, pies, fritters and stews were accompanied by magnificent animals such as peacocks, seals, porpoises and even whales.  Jellies and custards were dyed with vivid natural colourings. Sandalwood for red, saffron for a fiery yellow, and boiled blood for black.

Unlike today meals they were not separated into savoury main courses and sweet desserts.  Instead, many dishes were laid out together in luxurious chaos.  Special courtesy books, which were popular at the time, instructed diners not to fart, scratch flea bites, or pick their noses.

The Poor

Unless you served in a large household, it would have been difficult to obtain fresh meat or fish.  Most people ate preserved foods that had been salted or pickled soon after slaughter or harvest: Bacon, pickled herring, preserved fruits for instance.  They often kept pigs, which, unlike cows and sheep, were able to live contentedly in a forest, fending for themselves.

Some peasants tended to keep cows, so a large part of their diets would have included dairy products such as buttermilk, cheese, or curds and whey.  Although if you were a more impoverished peasant and didn’t own a cow, you’d get your milk from almonds (as cows milk doesnt last long without refrigeration).   So, almond milk, not a new concept!   Bread was the staple for all classes, although the quality and price varied depending on the type of grain used. The rich would have the upper crust, and the base would be a burnt offering to the peasants. Thus the rich being called the “upper crust”.

First course of the degustation

Parsnip, almond milk and Barley soup served in a warm bread roll. With a suggestion not to eat the bread, as we had another 12 courses to go.

Rich and poor alike ate a dish called pottage, a thick soup containing meat, vegetables, or bran.  I developed the first course trying to keep in mind some of the above.

Preservation of food was essential for these times.  The meat was salted, smoked and pickled or most commonly and naturally, by keeping the meat alive until needed.

Recipe

First course was the parsnip, almond milk and barley soup served in a bread bun. The bread, a very light rye (so as not to overpower the soup), was proved and baked in a mould to keep the sides high.

The parsnip soup was made by grinding 2 kg whole almonds to a consistency of breadcrumbs, boil in plenty of water till the liquid turns pale and milk like. Strain overnight in a muslin cloth to extract all the liquid.

The next day, reduce the liquid to half and add equal quantities of good chicken stock approx 10 parsnips and season to taste. Once the parsnips are soft blitz and add a handful of cooked barley.

It was served with a shot of ewes whey liquor (found in the most southern part of Australia – Tasmania).

Want to know more?

On to the Second course!