A Medieval Feast

5/19/2018 A Medieval Feast

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I

f ;

A ME IEV L FE ST

written n illustr te LIKI


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M E IEV L FE ST

written nd illu str ted

y

L K

THOM S ROWELL

NEW YORK


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With respect awe and thanks to the medieval artists and

craftsmen whose illuminations tapestries and other works of art

are the basis for the illustrations in this book

A Medieval Feast Copyright 1983 byAliki Brandenberg Printed in the U .SA. All rights reserved.


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for at llen

and for Mother Helen Vilma and Peter

remembering the annual feast ....


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w s nnoun ed

from the palace that the King

would soon make a long journey


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On the way to his destination the King and his party

would spend a few nights at Camdenton Manor.

The lord of the manor knew what this meant.

The King traveled with his Queen his knights squires

and other members of his court.

There could be a hundred mouths to feed


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Preparations for the visit began at once.

The lord and lady of the manor had their serfs to help them

The serfs lived in huts provided for them on the

lord s estate each with its own plot of land.

return they were bound to serve the lord.

They farmed his land managed the manor house

and if there was a war they had to go to battle

with the lord and the King.

But now they prepared.


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The manor house had to be cleaned the rooms readied

tents set up for the horsemen fields fenced for the horses

And above all provisions had to be gathered for the great feast


13/34he lord nd his p rty went hunting


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nd h wking for fresh me t


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They trapped rabbits and birds of all kinds,

and fished for salmon and eels and trout.

SO l l \ -

o i ,* u , ~oo.

at l

1 \ 0 ~o ku S C . k c as 1\ .


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There were fruits and vegetables growing in the garden

herbs and f10wers for sauces and salads

and bees made honey for sweetening


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Tt-enc'hers 'were Fla+.-

o rse

.br~aoL u.sed

place Pla..fes.

Peasanrs are

f-he/rs,

bu.r

-rhe rich

la.ve +/'eir

-rr< nc/t


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lile wa.s brewed From

ba rley

aa r s J a.nal

w

n ea.r;

Wr nes

were rnad a -From yra.j>es-,airel?

-f /a.vored

wiTh

heros

dlnd -Flowers.

Butter was churned cheese was made

and ale and wines were ready in the brew house

The King was almost there


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The

k; fchen

was

t

sl2 pa...rq_te

stone

sTrucTu.re

u ilt 7 v

The main

The food was prepared in the great kitchen


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tr Was co orre c r a a by

/0 3 .?a.ssa.j ew~

me G-r~ct..t-II~II.) wh~re rhe

-s

e a

s

would. TCLf e plt:t.ce_. There were cU.,tJDoards a../ ng f-he

wa y

ro s rare:

~he re roo

Pigs and deer and wild boar turned on spits

Great pots of salted meat were boiled into stews

seasoned with spices only the rich lords could afford


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Swans and geese heron and quail were roasted.

So was a rare beast called a Cockentrice.

It was really a capon and a suckling pig that were

cut in half stuffed and sewn together again

each to the other s half


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A peacock was cooked then reassembled with its feathers

And four and twenty blackbirds were baked in a pie


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y the time the

ing nd

his party arrived


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T Lblcs and benches

Wf re

sef- up a./ong f-he sides of f-he ha.ll.

Fire blazcc{ in The c~nferJ ana fa.,Pesfr;es coverec{ the dCU h D sf-one wal

he

High Ta.ble 5f-ood on

ra..ised. I /a..f-Porm. e r if

WQ S ~ cL;5p ~

of he o ra s Flnesf :Jold vessels.


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The guests swarmed into the Great Hall at half past ten

in the morning.

Trumpets announced the King who sat at the High Table

with his hosts and other honored guests.

They washed their hands in scented water

and wiped them dry on a clean towel.

The Bishop chanted grace. I ~ ~ ,

ost peotlll ~ e O t e wic ~ CClt l . -

The f a. ,-Jfer broughT in fhe King s bre a ds, -frenchers

a nd s a r r ce r/ar :

The E Werer fasfed he wocrer

beFore

he po~red if over Me I


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Th were no -forKs, but napKins lNere pro vial e d , They shared. gob/e-ts of win

an ber wee coars es the E er er a.ppeo..red Wif/, wa.ter For fhem

1

wa.sh fheir -//f l

hey ate some of their food with spoons

he rest they ate with their fingers

hey cut pieces from the meat the carver put on their

trenchers with knives they had brought with them


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They a sed: rher r I, ftle f t nger e sprinH/e s t on rheir Food...

Drums beat and trumpets sounded as one surprise

followed another.

They ate meat pies and fish tarts and thick soups

called Egerdouce and Bukkenade.

They ate boar s head and cow s tongue and

Pudding de Swan Neck.


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They ate a whole castle molded out of pastry stuffed with

meat eggs fruits and nuts-and wondered how they managed.

Sweet and spicy sauces dripped into their trenchers

as jesters jugglers and minstrels entertained them.

Course followed course each ending with a fancy

marzipan sculpture called a Subtletey.

After the guests admired them they ate those too.


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They ate and ate until dark

It was a feast fit for a king

and there would be more tomorrow


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When the King announced he would visit the lord was shaken.

The expense of the preparations could cost him his fortune; it had

happened to others. But he had no choice.

~ i ~~

his Medieval Feast took place toward the end of the Middle Ages

about 14 It is fictitious. But it could have happened in real life

somewhere in England perhaps.

At least the lord could be glad it was summer and there was fresh

food. In winter there would have been few vegetables and

little fresh meat.

Farm animals were killed in late autumn as there was not enough feed

to last them through the winter. The meat was preserved in salt or

smoked and eaten in stews during the cold months when people could

not hunt. Though stews were served at this banquet the fresh meat fish

and fowl were far more welcome.

Medieval feasting was an art. Cooks not only prepared delicious food

they used their wild imaginations as well. They molded pastry into castles

sculptured desserts into kings and queens and elaborate scenes all

decorated with food paints. Live jugglers jumped out of puddings.

Birds

w

baked in pies. But sometimes live blackbirds were hidden

in the pie to fly out at astonished guests. Each new dish was announced

by trumpets and drums and in between there was music and song.

The lord did his best. The King was given a feast to remember.


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Documents

A Medieval Feast