Medieval Feasting

[Tim W]

A small class of 17yrolds are having a medieval meal together for the
end of term/xmas. There is a fine medieval building nearby which we will
use. I need suggestions for a multi dish banquet - everyone will bring a
dish or two and we will sit down together and share.

I don't think we need to be totally authentic but I am thinking we
should have no new world produce - potatoes, turkey, tomatoes, green
beans are out (should I add anything to that list?) - and we might ban
air freighted Kenyan mange tout and Chilean plums as well, and seasonal
dishes would be a bonus. Any ideas?

Tim W

[meh]

Post by Tim W
A small class of 17yrolds are having a medieval meal together for the
end of term/xmas. There is a fine medieval building nearby which we will
use. I need suggestions for a multi dish banquet - everyone will bring a
dish or two and we will sit down together and share.
I don't think we need to be totally authentic but I am thinking we
should have no new world produce - potatoes, turkey, tomatoes, green
beans are out (should I add anything to that list?) - and we might ban
air freighted Kenyan mange tout and Chilean plums as well, and seasonal
dishes would be a bonus. Any ideas?

No turkey, but goose or swan would have been common.

[Jeff Berry]

Post by Tim W
A small class of 17yrolds are having a medieval meal together for the
end of term/xmas. There is a fine medieval building nearby which we will
use. I need suggestions for a multi dish banquet - everyone will bring a
dish or two and we will sit down together and share.
I don't think we need to be totally authentic but I am thinking we
should have no new world produce - potatoes, turkey, tomatoes, green
beans are out (should I add anything to that list?) - and we might ban
air freighted Kenyan mange tout and Chilean plums as well, and seasonal
dishes would be a bonus. Any ideas?

There are a wide variety of sites out there with medieval recipes on them.
I'll start by recommending mine, of course;-)
http://www.panix.com/~nexus/cooking/ - which is all medieval, you could
start with the menus and go from there.
and
http://www.aspiringluddite.com/ specifically the 26 May Herbe-Blade,
the 14 April Tailliz de Karesme

The main other "user friendly site" I'd recommend is
http://www.godecookery.com/

But there are a few others linked up at the bottom of the first site.

JB
------------
Jeff Berry - http://www.aspiringluddite.com - food, musings, etc.

[Sqwertz]

Post by Tim W
A small class of 17yrolds are having a medieval meal together for the
end of term/xmas. There is a fine medieval building nearby which we will
use. I need suggestions for a multi dish banquet - everyone will bring a
dish or two and we will sit down together and share.
I don't think we need to be totally authentic but I am thinking we
should have no new world produce - potatoes, turkey, tomatoes, green
beans are out (should I add anything to that list?) - and we might ban
air freighted Kenyan mange tout and Chilean plums as well, and seasonal
dishes would be a bonus. Any ideas?

A big 'ol leg of pork and plenty of grog and wenches.

-sw

[David Friedman]

Post by Sqwertz

Post by Tim W
A small class of 17yrolds are having a medieval meal together for the
end of term/xmas. There is a fine medieval building nearby which we will
use. I need suggestions for a multi dish banquet - everyone will bring a
dish or two and we will sit down together and share.
I don't think we need to be totally authentic but I am thinking we
should have no new world produce - potatoes, turkey, tomatoes, green
beans are out (should I add anything to that list?) - and we might ban
air freighted Kenyan mange tout and Chilean plums as well, and seasonal
dishes would be a bonus. Any ideas?

A big 'ol leg of pork and plenty of grog and wenches.

Grog in the original sense--rum diluted with water--isn't medieval.

[David Friedman]

Post by Tim W
A small class of 17yrolds are having a medieval meal together for the
end of term/xmas. There is a fine medieval building nearby which we will
use. I need suggestions for a multi dish banquet - everyone will bring a
dish or two and we will sit down together and share.
I don't think we need to be totally authentic but I am thinking we
should have no new world produce - potatoes, turkey, tomatoes, green
beans are out (should I add anything to that list?) -

Peanuts. Squash and pumpkin (there is an old world gourd that is
somewhat similar to our squashes and still available in Chinese grocery
stores, but all the standard ones are New World). Capsicum peppers
(chili pepper, paprika, bell peppers--black pepper is Old World).
Vanilla. Chocolate. Coffee is Old World but not in use in Europe in the
Middle Ages. A lot of our standard beans are New World, but lentils,
chick peas, and fava beans are Old World.

My wife and I have a self-published collection of period (medieval and
renaissance) recipes on Amazon, and the pdf of it is freely downloadable
from my site:

http://www.daviddfriedman.com/Medieval/Medieval.html

Click on the link for "How to Milk an Almond, Stuff an Egg, and Armor a
Turnip."

The page also has a bunch of period cookbooks, which you might find
interesting.