This week we've got a comprehensive collection of recipes from our own Kris Bordessa, excerpted from her very cool book, Great Medieval Projects You Can Build Yourself. So you don't have time or energy or the extra cash to get to a Renaissance Faire this year? Why not make our own at home? The book is written for the 9-12 set, but anyone can benefit from the factoids below, as well as indulge in the historical flavors!
And if olde recipes and thynges pique your interest, don't forget to check out Kris's book on Amazon. Take it away, Kris!
A Medieval Feast
A medieval feast was a grand event. Feasts celebrated special events or honored guests visiting the castle. The food in itself was entertainment and often the castle cooks presented elaborately decorated platters of food. For instance, the cook might serve a roasted peaco*ck that that had its grand tail feathers put back in place, making for quite an impressive dish.
You might think the best dishes and silverware would be used at a feast, but medieval era people didn't use the same kinds of tableware that we do today. Instead of plates, diners each used what was called a trencher — a piece of stale bread. Diners chose food from a common platter using their fingers, and placed their morsels on their trencher. The only utensil that people used at a meal was a knife. This was important for cutting meat. People used their fingers for all other eating. Diners frowned upon people who licked their fingers while sharing a plate with others — talk about bad manners! Between courses, servants brought bowls of water so that diners could clean their hands.
Make Your Own Trencher
You’ll need:
- a round loaf of French bread
- a sharp knife
1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Slice the bread horizontally into ½ inch thick pieces.
3. Place the bread pieces directly onto the wire racks in your oven. Bake for about half an hour. If the bread is crispy, like toast, it's done. If not, continue baking, making sure to check it every ten minutes.
4. When the bread is done, use these trenchers instead of plates at your medieval feast (you may want to use a tablecloth!)
Roasted Fowl
You’ll need:
- eight chicken legs
- olive oil
- ½ teaspoon each of rosemary, basil and oregano
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon pepper
- colander
- baking dish
- foil
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Place the chicken legs in a colander and rinse under cold running water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels.
3. Rub the chicken legs with a light coating of olive oil and sprinkle with the herbs, salt, and pepper.
4. Lightly grease the baking dish with oil. Place the drumsticks in the pan and cover with foil. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes or until juices run clear.
5. Serve warm or cold, but remember that eating medieval style means using only your hands and a napkin.
Pokerounce
Pokerounce is a medieval treat of toasted bread, spread with honey, spices, and nuts. You might find that this medieval treat deserves a place on modern-day menus.
You’ll need:
