A Medieval Feast

Food played a huge role in Medieval life. From the feasts of the highest lord to the modest meals of the lowliest bondsman, Medieval food is recognized by its use of varying ingredients and savory flavors. Food was not only for nourishment, it was also a matter of status; sumptuary laws dictated which foods a certain class might consume.

Thus the peasantry would be restricted to a diet of common vittles: bread, soup, vegetables, etc., while a noble's table might be graced with a sizzling haunch of venison from the King's forests, savory sauces, appetizers and of course, spectacle or pageant foods...

	The Noble's Feast
	Medieval Terminology	Modern Translation
Appetizers or Appetizing Aphrodisiacs	Brie	Brie Tart
	Nuttye	Spiced Nut Cream
	Arbolettys	Spiced Cheese Dish
	Oro	Fried Artichokes
Spiced Wines	Ypocras	Hippocras: Spiced Red Wine
Breads	Parsleybrede	Parlsey Bread
Breads	Burrebrede	Shortbread
Meats	Canelyne	Caneline Beef Pie
Meats	Currye	Curried Turkey Pie
Fowl	Mawmenye Ryalle	Spiced Capon or Pork or Partridge in Nutted Wine

1 8-inch pastry shell	1/8 tsp. saffron
1 lb. brie cheese	1/4 tsp. salt
6 egg yolks	1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. ginger	1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. brown sugar	�

1. Bake pastry shell empty to harden to 10 minutes at 425 degrees. Cool. Reset oven to 375.
2. Remove the rind from chilled cheese and cut rind into small pieces with moistened knife. Reserve.
3. Beat softened cheese, yolks, ginger, brown sugar, saffron, and salt until smooth.
4. Pour into pastry shell. Strew cut rind over the surface of the pie.
5. Combine cinnamon with sugar and sprinkle around pastry edge.
6. Bake until set and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

1 lb. fresh chestnuts	1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 C. cold water	1 tsp. cinnamon
1 lemon, cut into eighths	1/4 tsp. ground cloves
2/3 C. raisins	2 pt. heavy whipping cream
1/2 C. coarsely ground almonds	2 TB. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt	�

1. In 400 degree oven, roast chestnuts for 10 to 15 minutes. Remove the shells and cut nuts into quarters.
2. In a large pot, mix all ingredients, except for the cream, sugar and salt, and bring to boil; simmer very slowly for 45 to 55 minutes. Remove the lemon wedges. Drain.
3. Mash the chestnut mixture (coarsely) with a fork. Cool.
4. Whip the cream with the sugar and salt until peaks form.
5. Fold in chestnut mixture, swirl and serve.

4 eggs	1/2 tsp. ground sage
1/2 tsp. salt	3/4 tsp. finely grated candied ginger
1 C. milk	Garnish:
3 TB. butter	1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 C. ricotta cheese	1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. fresh crushed parsley

1. Beat the eggs and salt with a fork. Reserve.
2. In large pot, gently heat the milk, butter, and cheese, stirring occassionally until the mixture is smooth and slowly simmering. Slowly beat 1/2 cup hot liquid into eggs.
3. Add eggs to pot and stir; simmer for 2 minutes, stirring while custard thickens. Remove from heat.
4. Mix parsley, sage and ginger. Stir spice mixture into the "arbolettys".
5. Spoon into serving bowl. Sprinkle mixed cinnamon and sugar on top. Serve warm.

12 small artichokes	2/3 C. flour
1 C. water	1/2 C. oil for sauteeing
1/2 lemon	Garnish:
2 C. boiling salted water	1 tsp. crushed fresh rue or
3 eggs, well beaten	3/4 tsp. dried rue
1/4 tsp. salt	�

1. Snip off the ends of the artichoke leaves with scissors.
2. Cut the artichokes into quarters or eighths, depending on their size; each piece ought to equal "two bites".
3. Immediately soak the artichokes in water into which the lemon has been squeezed. After ten minutes, drain vegetables and discard liquid.
4. Blanch artichke pieces in salted boiling water for 7 minutes. Drain and dry.
5. Dredge each piece of artichoke in flour.
6. Heat oil in a heavy skillet. Add the salt to the well-beaten eggs.
7. Dip each artichoke piece in egg and fry in oil until pleasantly golden. Drain.
8. Strew rue upon each fritter as a garnish. Serve warm, prefereably as the last course of a meal, just before bed. . .