The history of the diet of most countries of medieval Europe
Medieval feasts included seafood and sea fish, figs, almonds and oranges. It is not a myth that in many medieval castles people ate with a fork. The biggest export of that era was dried meat, and in the 12th century the nobility ate peaches
The mythical fork is not golden and has a modest shape. An artifact from the 13th century proves this claim. Art historians, writers and gastroheritologists say that the fork was a cutlery used by the then rich elite layers of society.
In the writings of medieval authors, it is rare to come across opsia feasts in the rooms of rulers or manor houses, and such scenes can be seen even more rarely in painterly eras. On some rarely preserved painters, the contents of the few but lavishly decorated vessels can hardly be identified. White bread was mandatory, white radish, the occasional knife and plate, a glass glass, an interesting fork or pitosi from which wine is poured.
Some kings of the time (for example, the Byzantine emperor Justinian) could offer their guests lavish tables where they ate from golden plates. Dry and fresh fruit, cakes and quality fish were served on the plates.
Medieval bread with various types of flour
Ingredients: 700 grams of whole wheat flour, 300 grams of rye flour, 30 grams of yeast, one spoon of honey, a little salt, fat (beef, pork or other), several large leaves of horseradish or wild greens.
Preparation: Mix flour and add all other ingredients except fat. Knead the soft dough by adding warm water. Put the scone in the heated oven to bake and level the surface a little with your hand. Let the dough rise, then cover it with horseradish or wild green leaves. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Clear of leaves. Wrap for a few moments in a cotton cloth to cool.
Meat dominated the tables during Lent. Tables abound with various types of forest fruits, mushrooms and game. Lamb is dominant in mountainous regions, but pork is also eaten. Salted and dried meat was even an export commodity in some medieval states.
Cheese and honey producers dominate medieval food production. Goat and sheep milk cheese is a product that traders are happy to receive instead of money in exchange with local producers. Beekeeping is the first profession whose status is defined by decrees of rulers and various regulations. Food was cooked in pots and baked in open hearths and outdoors over campfires.
Dishes for food preparation were made of ceramics and baked clay. Glass glasses and fine bottles were a luxury even in the richest castles until the beginning of the 15th century. Luxury furniture and tableware in the late Middle Ages was made in Germany, Hungary and Italy. And there was no attempt to cultivate individual herbs in monasteries.
Spices – particularly expensive foods were wine, sugar and spices. It is interesting that in most countries there was no attempt to cultivate certain herbs in monastery gardens, except in some monasteries in France and Italy.
Table – there was a row at the table of medieval rulers and ordinary people. At feasts, men eat first, and women join in on special occasions (wives and rulers). In the case of public feasts, men are served first, then women and children.
Spirit and body – the food of that time means food for the spirit and body, while certain foods were of great quality. The ruler and the warriors should eat meat, and the monks should reject the meat and the power (that meat gives on earth) if they want a paradise settlement. Everyone who participates in eating and drinking is advised not to overdo it with eating and drinking, and especially with fun and games.
Music – the feast at that time had a special dimension, i.e. music, song and fun. Musicians, acrobats, snake charmers, fire eaters, dancers and singers were indispensable participants in the public spectacle during fairs, squares and fairs, and especially during weddings and other feasts.