

Though sweeping generalizations should be avoided, more or less distinct areas where certain foodstuffs dominated can be discerned. Or kept further drying and preserved as-is. The regional cuisines of medieval Europe were the results of differences in climate, seasonal food variations, political administration and religious customs that varied across the continent. When almost completely dried, they can be cut into smaller parts and put in freezer. Once ready, the filets are nailed on boathouse walls for further drying. The fish is kept like this for weeks, and the wet salt is changed once. A generous amount of salt is poured over the filet, the filets are stacked and there's a weight over them. The fish is gutted and the spine is removed and the fish is "opened" as a book. The following links provide interesting facts and information about Medieval Food. This all changed in 1066 with the Norman Conquest and between 1095 - 1270 when Europeans looked to the Eastern World and joined in the holy crusades. What did medieval princesses eat A meal would ideally begin with easily digestible fruit, such as apples. The Ancient Greek belief in Dietetics, though it had held some influence in Rome, was zealously revived in the Middle Ages. The taste is good, a bit stronger and the meat is a bit firmer.Ī more expensive method is salting and drying, "klippfisk". Early Middle Ages Food was basic and the ingredients were home grown. The medieval concept of healthy food Medieval Food was obsessed with healthful eating, though the beliefs that guided cooking and eating are very different from the beliefs that underline today’s. After that, it's used as regular fresh fish. To eat a stockfish, you first need to keep it in water for 3-5 days. After that they are hard as rock and very easy to transport and store for years. Then they are just left hanging in the cold winter winds for 3 months maybe. The fish is easy to catch and they are huge in size, well over 10kg. The most valued cod type is the Arcto-Norwegian cod ("skrei" in Norwegian) that spawns every year just outside the Lofoten islands in Northern Norway. Fat fish like salmon or mackerel will not last since the fat will get bad.


The vital aspects were low-fat fish and temperature just a little over 0C. This is what the vikings used for their long sea journeys, and the method is still in active use today. If you have difficulties to find medieval ingredients, check out this webshop.Fatless fish like cod can be dried and will keep good (including nutrients) for years. Meat could be fresh, salted or smoked, and included chicken, bacon, pork, beef, mutton, duck, geese, pigeons, and wild birds such as pheasants and partridges. Sometimes, as a specialty, they would have cheese. You can find more medieval recipes in my medieval cookbook and on my Dutch website. The Medieval Feast, The one thing that differentiated the medieval rich from the poor more than any other in terms of food was meat. Everyday food for the poor in the Middle Ages consisted of cabbage, beans, eggs, oats and brown bread. The recipes on this page, from Europe and the Arab world, have been worked out for you so that you can easily recreate them at home. Unfortunately, you will hardly find any quantities and methods of preparation in medieval cookbooks, so we have to experiment a lot to bring medieval flavours back to life. The medieval cuisine, it is mostly stews that cook in the pot (meats on the spit are reserved for lords and roasters) Stews, composed of beef, mutton or poultry, cook with seasonal vegetables, so to speak, a soup with pieces and to serve this, are slicers that are used, a slice of bread thick enough on which meat and vegetables are deposited. Figs and dates were popular all over Europe but they were considered luxurious foods and were very expensive in Central and Northern Europe. In contrast to Europe, Arab recipes from more than 500 years ago are remarkably similar to current recipes in the Arab world. Lemons, citrons, bitter oranges, pomegranates, quinces and grapes were consumed in the Mediterranean countries, while apples, pears, plums and strawberries were commonly eaten in Central and Northern Europe. A beautiful cookbook appears in the 10th century and many follow throughout the Middle Ages. In the Arabian world, it was slightly different. It is remarkable that European cookbooks that survived throughout history almost all came from the late Middle Ages, especially 14th and 15th century. The medieval cuisine had rich and strong flavours.

Medieval flavours in Europe were different from those that we are used to today.
