Author Archives: Ruth

Post-plague diet shift

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Ruth

The collapse of the medieval farm economy had a very wide impact on European society. Farming had been based on semi-slavery in which tenants owed the landowner certain days of free labor. They weren’t allowed to leave this contract without … Continue reading →

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The Great Mortality

Posted on May 11, 2013 by Ruth

Although historians count the Middle Ages as running through 1450, when Constantinople fell to the Turks, there’s a compelling argument for ending the era a century sooner, in 1350. By that year, Europe as it had been for the last … Continue reading →

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Ale and beer

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Ruth

In the early Middle Ages, ale and beer didn’t refer to separate drinks; they were more or less interchangeable. The brew indicated was made from sprouted wheat (dried and ground) brewed in water and then left to ferment. They added … Continue reading →

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Wine improvements

Posted on May 6, 2013 by Ruth

During the Middle Ages, Europe’s winemaking went from super primitive to setting the world’s standards. How did this happen? One way to answer is, well, that was Europe’s genius. Something about the close-set rivers and mountains kept the land broken … Continue reading →

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Wine’s beginnings in Europe

Posted on May 5, 2013 by Ruth

The Romans planted vineyards in southern France and in the Rhine valley; viticulture spread with both majority Christian and minority Jewish settlement, since both religions required wine in their services and rituals. During the Medieval Warm Period, grapes could grow … Continue reading →

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Would you like water with your meal, sir?

Posted on May 4, 2013 by Ruth

The highly spiced, meaty dishes at a feast made diners thirsty. What did they drink? First, what didn’t they drink? Water. Water was universally shunned as a beverage, for a number of reasons. First, cold water was considered unhealthy by … Continue reading →

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Medieval desserts

Posted on May 3, 2013 by Ruth

Medieval sweets weren’t much by our standards. Fruit was the dessert of non-aristocrats; later medieval letters record a father sending his son a box of pears from home to his boarding school in town. Although pies were generally meat dishes, … Continue reading →

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Medieval meatless soups

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Ruth

Three medieval meatless soups, drawn from “Fabulous Feasts,” by Madeleine Cosman Ms. Cosman’s book has recipe measurements and additional instructions, here edited out for brevity. 1. Sorrelye: sorrel soup with figs and dates Simmer 1 lb of chopped sorrel with … Continue reading →

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May Day and Robin Hood

Posted on May 1, 2013 by Ruth

May 1 is mostly behind us, but still worth covering from the Middle Ages. May Day was a true folk holiday celebrating spring. It had nothing to do with the church, which generally opposed May Day games on prudential “they’ll … Continue reading →

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Tromp L’oeil cuisine

Posted on April 30, 2013 by Ruth

Artifice was art in a high-class medieval kitchen. Tromp l’oeil, if not la palate. Aristocratic feasts, such as for Christmas, a wedding, or a knighting, were the peak time for all such tricks. Feasts served food in courses, but the … Continue reading →

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