Medieval cuisine as if parable in the towns - a lot about it is written, and even more said. Of course, before reading this review, you must understand that the Merzic dishes and dishes of peasants differed significantly until a certain time (namely until the 13th century). From the specified period, the boundaries between the estates began to wear, and some subjects as a promotion were allowed to bite disassemble from the business table.

Features of the kitchen in the medieval castle: Introduction

For modern people, the abundance of sauces and seasonings used in those days may seem like a certain exotic. In fact, spices and refueling were used not only in order to improve taste, but also for long-term preservation of freshness of dishes. In addition, the diversity of spices in the recipes of medieval cuisine testified about the level of tax of the owner.

Fundamental basis

The most common food was bread. It is worth only to recall the medieval food of knights, which traditionally consisted of bread, cheese and dried meat (on the way these products were maintained much longer than others).

The quality of bread acquired by any family, directly depended on its income. For example, the most soft and white bread was made from wheat grown on a well-fertilized and plowed soil (such a luxury was for the means only by the estates, the owners of large land land).

Ginger bread

Of course, there were no accurate recipes in those days. Only now recipes are reconstructed, therefore it is impossible to say with accuracy that a particular method of preparation is original.

The following ingredients will be needed for the preparation of medieval dishes:

• 500 grams of flour;
• 4 ppm hammer ginger;
• 3 ppm bakery powder;
• 1 tsp. dining salts;
• 1 tsp. soda;
• 250 grams of sugar;
• pack of butter;
• 200 grams of black molasses;
• 200 grams of light molasses;
• 400 ml of milk;
• 1 chicken egg (you need to beat).

How to cook

Lubricate the oil square shape (23 x 5), we look in parchment. Sift all dry ingredients except sugar. Heat in a saucepan of sand sugar, a molasses, butter and syrup on a slow heat until the oil is melted.

Mix dry and melted liquid ingredients, add milk and whipped egg. Using a wooden spoon, whip. We transfix into the prepared shape, we bake in the oven at 200 degrees of about one and a half hours - the dough should rise and become elastic to the touch. We leave in the form by a quarter of an hour and shift on the grille. When completely cooled, wrap in foil, leaving the parchment.

Then you need to store for a week before cutting bread into pieces.

Types of bread on medieval kitchen in Europe

The most common type of bread in those times was considered "Surzhik", which was baked from a mixture of rye and winter wheat. The cuisine of medieval Russia also complained of this kind of bread.

Dark bread baked only from rye flour. In the English medieval kitchen, bread from oats and barley was popular - basically this kind was prepared in the north of the country, as the climate there is more raw and cold.

Often, flour was diluted with non-critical plants: such a technology was used in failing years. Thus, acorns, beans and peas became a component of cheap product varieties.

Eating bread products

Those who belonged to the highest estates used black bread from rye flour. It was used as a plate (they were called the Trenchers) for other medieval dishes. Such loaves of bread prepared ahead, cut into suthers and in the middle of them put food. Wealthy people allowed themselves a whole stack of yokes in various tripers. People crammed in material means could afford no more than a few such "plates" at a time.

Bread in normal or toasted form was used as a component for the cooking of other culinary products in the medieval style. In the kitchen of that time, bread crumbs were used to prepare sauces and thick custard.

The ginger rug in the Middle Ages was also made from bread crumbs, arched by spices and honey. Such a treat when filing on the table was decorated with the leaves of the Samshat.

Other types of buns and pies in the recipes of medieval cuisine were varieties of bread products: it was a slightly sweetened baking with spices.

Rustic residents baked bread alone. In those days there were professional bakeries that were "famous for" with their felt. The royal decree from 1267 was legalized a number of measures to check for bread prices. Such an innovation helped to avoid the robbing markup on the goods used everywhere.

A fish

Also a very important food product in those distant harsh times. In addition to long posts, according to the resolution of the Roman Catholic Church, on Fridays, Saturdays and Wednesdays, it was forbidden to use dairy products, eggs, meat. That is why for 180 days a year, fish and fish products were laid for lunch.

For some time, the ministers of the Church accounted for some time: in accordance with the law of St. Benedict, all the monks (except seriously ill) were to refuse "meat of four-legged animals." But since the 13th century, such restrictions have lost their rigor, and by the end of the 15th century turned into a clean formality.

The diet of the poor population was limited to either salty or marinated herring. A rich catch of naval fish accounted for summer time. In numerous artists for processing, marinating and the salty way were the only way to maintain fish for sale in localities remote from the sea coast.

The poor, the British, who lived away from the coast, could afford the dried cod ("dried"), which was too solid for their weak teeth. Londoners and residents of the eastern regions of the country were considered lucky ones - they managed to try oysters and other gifts of the sea, which in those places were worthwhile kopecks.

Exotic varieties of fish, as well as seal, whale and dolphiny meat were delivered an exceptionally royal family. Monarch could give surplus from the table with his subject. The medieval cuisine of Europe at the Royal Courts is fulfilled with dishes from lobster and crabs.

The prosperity of the British could own their own ponds and breed Karpov in them (unheard of luxury for those standards!).

Over time, medieval dishes have been enriched with another delicacy - pickled salmon. This delicacy came to Europe from Scotland and Ireland, he used specially popular when in other countries was "not the season."

Thus, all the "fish days" of simple and noble people leaned from the nasal or river universities all year round.

An interesting fact: medieval cuisine examined the birds-petrels and marine ducks as "fish", because they were "born in the sea"! Bobras so at all they had "creatures with fish tails"!

It is clear that there was a huge amount of salt in the preparation of dishes. To diversify the menu, medieval cuisine introduced various sauces to use, which were served to pickled and salty fish. One of the most favorite garnings of that time was considered a sauce from a roasted parsley.

Preparing dried fish: ancient ways

Vintage recipes differ from modern technologies. And even if they do not use them, you can at least get acquainted.

Boiled Kambala: It is necessary to gut the cambal, make a marinade from water, a decent amount of ale and salt. After boiling, clean the fish from the skins, omit into the cooked marinade, boil and serve to the table.

Shrimps: You need to take shrimps, pour them with water, add a pair of salt pinch, boil. Serve dish is better chilled with lemon and vinegar.

Kambala boiled (another way): you need to clean, score fish, cut off your head, remove the skin. Again, you need to cook marinade, this time out of water, salt and parsley. After boiling the marinade, I fix it and bring to a boil again. Lower fish in Marinade after a boil.

Another option (fried flabble): to pay, clean the fish, pour in several places with a knife, so that in the process of frying the skin is not tightened, fry in brain or vegetable oil.

Meat

Wide distribution in those times received sheepship (breeding was less popular).

Goats in Middle Ages - a source of meat and milk. Lamb and beef then inferior to "white meat" (veal, kozdyatin).

In the "reserve reserve" of each peasant was always at least one piglery. By the way, then the pigs were grazing on the meadows for a whole year - the greenery and the acorns were enough with interest!

Domesticated pigs of those times rather looked like wild boars, but their meat was perfect for cooking bacon or salting. The medieval food of peasants in the winter time by a third consisted of meat obtained from an adult piglet.

Nothing disappeared in vain - the insides and blood went on the manufacture of blood pudding and blood sausage, and the fat, which was simply famous for the preparation of sandwiches with bread, as well as the base for frying.

Goats and cows, unlike pigs, could not feed themselves in the cold season, and they are not so easy to protect against predators, so the feed and conditions of the content of these pets constituted special difficulties in the life of any peasant. Medieval cuisine of ordinary people has always been fully fulfilled with meat of these animals earlier than swine - until winter, all the cattle went to slaughter, and then the meat was made, smoked and salted products.

Pier on the whole world!

Fresh young lamb was usually used for frying, and the old he was drunk. In those immemorial years, animals on slaughter were much smaller than the familiar home livestock.

Only the Norman kings and the courtie knee could use such a privilege as a poultry.

In those harsh times, poaching punishable was punishable or the death penalty. Wild buffaloes, boars and deer on medieval cuisine were also a gastronomic privilege of aristocrats. From the 13th century, the poor have had rights to hunt for hares and rabbits, which significantly helped diversify the table of ordinary people.

The traditional Christmas dish of the feudal feudal is a jelly from Caban Head. In the paintings of the artists of that time, you can see not only the design of medieval cuisine, but this is a famous dish on a fellow meeting.

Also in those days paid special attention to the bird. On banquets and feasts, peacocks, swans were served (they were usually located in the central part of the table for special guests).

Often the table of rich was decorated with drofs. The weight of such birds faded for special celebrations reached 11-12 kilograms, which is why they practically could not fly.

Also, the "interior" of medieval cuisine accommodated in itself and other game: crane, heron white, Heron ordinary, seagull, quail, crocknepe, becas, rzhanka, black frozard, becas, thrush, chibis, green, drink.

Bird dishes of various species were preparing in all wealthy houses: they knocked the bird and the laity, and the clergy (by whom, by the way, it was possible to eat two-legged animals at that time). Sometimes a festive table could break from 20 dishes from various birds.

Dairy menu

Milk products were used widely in the Milnevia. Goat and cow's milk were in everyday life as nading and peasants. By 1500, the cow's milk was greatly popularity, since it was easier to milk a cow than a dozen goats - the result was still the same.

Milk, cream, cheese and oil made from milk, as well as eggs were called "white meat".

Cream, soft cheese and cottage cheese, as well as oil - all this was the privilege of the Lords and the owners of the big places. By the way, nothing left without use - the remaining serum and the pointer went to the manufacture of solid cheese for servants and workers. Cheese was so solid that he had to beat him with a hammer or scold!

Fresh milk in those times was supposed to drink only children and old men. Although all his favorite delicacy was considered thick cream (cottage cheese or simple). They were used with strawberries and other fruits.

Since medieval doctors oil dubbed the enemy of an adult stomach, used it only until noon (children were allowed to eat at any time).

The preparation of dairy dishes then opened the platform for fantasy chefs. Milk became the basis for hot drinks: For example, "Poss" (spices were injured milk, then got it wine) and a hot mixture from the cough "Code" (a mixture of beer or wine with milk, sugar and eggs).

In addition to drinks, milk made delicious custard and various soups-mashed potatoes.

Cream was used to prepare a soft thick cream cheese, which was called "Ruin", he, in turn, became the basis for cheesecakes (cheese pies), which are really similar to the modern version, but they were served, rather as escort to meat dishes, and Not as dessert.

Cow for peasants - a vital power supply. Not everything, of course, could afford such a luxury. But those who were lucky enough could diversify their food with cottage cheese, lactic serum, severe oil, smell, cheeses.

In the summer, a medieval peasant was torn and a soft cheese, which was called "green." The main nutrition of many peasants, servants, knights, pilgrims and travelers then consisted of simple sandwiches (bread and cheese from the filmed milk).

Soup

In the Middle Ages, a mandatory component of the diet in each family (and without binding to its position or security) is a chowder. Such a dish was prepared on the basis of broth with meat and boiled vegetables, as well as the addition of grain and legumes.

This type of chowder resembles today's "Scottish Soup", which can be easily found in the modern menu.

Skull could be like a thick and liquid (the most thick one could cut a knife into pieces like Moldovan Mamalygi).

The most common was such a kind of chowder as "FRAMENTS". This is a simple wheat chowder on milk.

Simple peasants could be content with the simplest version of Sumbish - pea, which resembles loose pea pudding.

Especially loved were chowing with vegetables: white-blooded or red cabbage, onions-sowing, lettuce, garlic and a bunk. Such a recipe is called Lange Wortys de Chare. Since this dish is still popular among gourmets, then you can familiarize yourself with the recipe for Summary in modern reconstruction.

Recipe Beef Summary with Vegetables

Have to take:

• 1 kilogram of beef steering wheel;
• 5-7 short pieces of brain bone;
• 2.5 liters of water;
• 3 peer onions-row;
• 3 Repressed bulbs;
• half of the dense head of white cabbage;
• 150 grams of bread crumbs;
• a pair of saffron twigs;
• 3 tablespoons of salt;
• black ground pepper - at will.

Cut the meat on the cubes of 5 cm. We put it in a saucepan with water and bones. I bring to a boil, remove the foam. We reduce the fire, cook, without covering the lid, for several hours (not more than 2.5 hours).

In the meantime, we prepare vegetables and boil them in a separate saucepan in a sliced \u200b\u200bor whole form. When the meat is ready, get bones, add vegetables to broth, continue to cook before softening vegetables. Add seasoning, saffron. We again bring to a boil and prepare within a few minutes. Remove from the surface of the fat before serving on the table.

Fruits in Middle Ages.

The raw fruits in those days people were disliked, they were suspected: it was believed that their use leads to diarrhea and fever. Nevertheless, quite free residents of England and Europe ate wild berries, for example, wild cherry. Grapes, plums and grapes were grown for consumption in raw form. Pears and apples usually baked - they did mostly pies.

In 1290 In England began to supply citrus. Some time later, Seville oranges and lemons were widely popular - they were consumed in fresh and in the pickled form (it was then at all inexpensive).

Enforceive British quickly mastered the technique of cooking jam from sweet lemons, which they borrowed from importing countries.

From abroad, the figs were brought, prunes, raisins, dates. All these treats because of their high costs were intended to at first only the rich.

Dried fruits moved with spices became a popular treats of those times - they loved to serve on holidays and celebrations. Among the nobility it was made quite often decorating the table with dishes with overtropy dried fruits, which cannot be said about the poor - such a treat fell to them only for Christmas.

The most valuable imported goods were the almond nut. During the post, the ground almond was used as a refueling for various dishes, since its feederness was close to the nutritional of chicken meat.

Almonds still performed the function of cow's milk: it was dissolved in water and used in all sorts of recipes. "Almond Milk" is a rather popular ingredient in the kitchen of that time. Now this cheap product tightly moved to vegetarian dishes.

The poor people of the Middle Ages instead of the almonds made oatmeal milk. In the days of the post, it was supplemented with walnuts and grumbling in flour with corn cobs.

Sugar

Thanks to the actions of the Crusaders from the East, cane sugar was imported (about 1100 N.EE). It was already imported in the finished form in the form of cones or "goals". The crude sugar was distinguished by a dirty-brownish color, and refined - white. Even in recent years, the Middle Ages, the Sugar was considered extremely expensive "SPACE", which, with particular care, was recorded on the key in the storage room.

And since we started talking about sweets, it is impossible to just bypass the topic of desserts. One of the most popular delicacies for the time was considered the almond pudding with a cherry, whose recipe is known since 1350.

How is it prepared? An uncomplicated recipe says that it is necessary to take a pound of almonds, to pull it, mix with wine to produce almond milk. Then you need to take a pound of cherries, skip the berries through a sieve, add to the milk. Next, take a quarter of the pound rice, pull it out and send it to Moloka. After that, it was necessary to take the studs and melt it in the boiler. Then add three ounces of refined sugar to a common mixture and complete the work.

Seasonings in Middle Ages

Since ancient times in England and other European countries, this valuable product was made in salt mines. Also, salt was obtained due to evaporation of salted sea water. It was used to preserve products, as well as improving the taste of various dishes.

Mustard of home cooking was very popular then considered. It was added to various dishes as the main seasoning. The only affordable seasoning, which was supplied from other countries, was pepper. There was something more nice dishes, then the poor and the poor are better, and the food seems to be fresh!

Over time, the basic spices (salt, pepper and mustard) have lost their appeal. Therefore, the continental Europe dilated the taste quality of dishes with fragrant and delicious enclosures of the following spices - carnation, cardamom, cinnamon, husk and core of nutmeg, as well as other spices that came out of modern use.

The seasonings helped not only mask the taste of the spoiled products, but also attached to the taste of monotonous dried and salty products that were harvested during the cold times. New spices have become a fun rich - only they were to vary various taste combinations by means.

By the way, then the enterprising traders of grocery goods have exhibited ready-made mixtures of vegetables for sale. The most popular then considered the "sharp" mixtures of pepper, ginger, dried husks of nutmeg and dry garlic. The "spicy" mixes included in their composition cinnamon or ginger, nutmeg, carnation, a small amount of pepper and sugar.

Features of the feed

One of the curious aspects of medieval cuisine is the addition of seasonings to food with the purpose of color. For example, jelly was prepared from a large number of layers, each of which was different. As a result, a multi-storey "striped" dish was obtained. Pudding from rice was made of two colors, the custard was tinted in a reddish color (sandalwood), and yellow (saffron) was used to dye meat balls. Also popular were the green color from the juice of parsley and purple from the "Lacmus". Festive events were made to "gall" dishes by using Golden Foil.

In peaceful and harvest times, residents did not have to starve: the nature generously gave people fertile soil and forest literature. In those days, not everyone could afford the proper nutrition in today's standards: the abundance of flour products and salty meats significantly affected the life expectancy of people. However, it is not surprising if you consider their full ignoring fruits and vegetables in the raw form.

If you look close to the recipes of the Middle Ages, it is possible to note the general trend - the abundance of the seasonings, fuzzy follow the instructions, the proportions are made up by the method of the PC, and then it was possible to dream about the step-by-step instructions, and not to dream - all recipes moved from mouth to mouth and only later were recorded in family books recipes.

Here, for example, the recipe for the Scottish soup from the chicken and Luke Soon consisted of the following recommendations: take a chicken (one and a half or two kilos), the bulbs (1 piece - after cleaning to stick in it a lot of carnations), 10 large onions-row feathers, 1 bay leaf, thyme branch (1 piece), parsley (6 twigs), black pepper (6 peas), prunes without bone (24 pieces), fresh chopped parsley (2-4 tablespoons).

As you can see, the prescription presented above assumes the ability to continuously experiment during cooking.

Is reconstruction possible today?

First of all, the owners of such establishments as restaurants of medieval cuisine should be taken into account the main qualities that will fully help pretend the old Good tradition - Quality, quality and solid approach will bring success to any enterprise. The special atmosphere of such places is fascinating.

The cuisine in the medieval style is becoming popular - people tired of boring and gray ordinary, they lack some fabulousness of the Middle Ages. Having come to such a place, a person leaves the car and the cart of her concerns behind the threshold of the institution and allows himself to dream of those times when the knights saved beautiful ladies, and to know was on a wide foot with the clergy and rolled up huge feasts. The photo of medieval cuisine often show us basements in which you can get down, go down the stone stairs. The doors of such institutions are decorated with handles in the form of a lion's head and make impressionable people tremble in a reverent delight due to their massiveness.

The reconstruction of the decoration of British castles in the kitchen in the medieval style includes the use of forged candelabers, large candlesticks, heavy beams. All this should cause the thrill in lovers of history. Chairs-thrones and tables with granite countertops - all this decoration can also be seen in the photo of "medieval" kitchens. There are no problems with recipes.

Such institutions are aimed at the public with good prosperity, so the institutions are oriented to quality. Recipes of medieval dishes are lovingly collected by chefs. After a series of samples and failures, such restaurants are developing their own "medieval" menu, which will necessarily include expensive and rare wines.

The interior of medieval cuisine will turn out to be the most advantageous if you combine it with expensive dishes and spent "under the service" waiters. A medieval meal recipe dishes communicated to perfection will help visitors feel important and noble nobles.

General rule. The dishes submitted on the Tables of the Lords: Aristocrats, landowners, people who were bred by the authorities, both spiritual and secular, were very significantly different from the fact that ordinary people who worked on their lands and dependent on them.

However, when in the XIII century, the boundaries between the estates began to be stitched, the strengths of this world were concerned about how to keep employees, and decided to play love for the "homely hearth", allowing peasants to be touched by Kushani from their table.

Bread

In the Middle Ages, white bread, which makes the wheat flour of higher grinding, was intended exclusively for the Lord and Prince Tables. The peasants also ate black, above all, rye bread.

In the Middle Ages, this often leading to death, the disease has grown to the size of the epidemic, especially in the lack of town and hungry years. After all, it was then that the fields were going to all that more or less fell under the definition of cereal, often before the deadline, that is, just at the very time when the ardor is the most poisonous. The aid poisoning affected the nervous system and in most cases led to a fatal outcome.

Only in the Epoch of the Early Baroque one Dutch doctor discovered the relationship between the ardor and the "Fire of St. Anthony". Chlorine was used as a means of spreading the disease, although despite him, and even thanks to him, the epidemic was very stronger.

But the use of chlorine was not ubiquitous and rather was determined by a variety of bread: some cunning bakers bleached chlorine their rye and oat bread, and then they sold it with the advantage, issuing chalk and crushed bone to the same goals.

And since, in addition to this, dried flies are very harmful to health, the dried flies often bored, then extremely cruel punishments, which were punished by bakera-fraudsters, appear in the new light.

Those who wanted to do light money on bread, had to regain the law. And almost everywhere it was punishable with significant cash fines.

In Switzerland, fraudsters bakery was hanging in a crate over the navigation. Accordingly, those who wanted to get out of it, had to jump directly into the fetid mess.

To stop mockery, do not give to spread the bad glory about your profession, as well as to control themselves, the bakers united in the first industrial association - Guild. Thanks to her, that is, due to the fact that the representatives of this profession took care of their membership in the guild, the real masters of the bakery appeared.

Pasta

There are many legends about the kitchen and recipes. The finest of them was described. Marco PoloWhich in 1295 brought the recipe for preparation of dumplings and "threads" from his journey through Asia.

It is assumed that this story was heard by the Venetian chef, which began to confuse water, flour, eggs, sunflower oil and salt, and did it until he had achieved the best consistency of the noodle dough. It is not known whether it is true or noodles came to Europe from Arab countries thanks to the Crusaders and merchants. But the fact that soon the European cuisine has become unthinkable without noodles, fact.

However, in the XV century there were also prohibitions for the preparation of pasta, as in the case of a particularly unsuccessful harvest, the flour was needed for baking bread. But from the Renaissance era, the Triumphal march of Macaron in Europe was no longer possible to stop.

Porridge and thick soup

Up to the era of the Roman Empire, Poros was present in the diet of all sectors of society, and only then turned into a meal for the poor. However, she was very popular, her ate three and even four times a day, and in some houses they had either solely with her at all. Such a state of affairs was maintained until the XVIII century, when potatoes came to a change.

It should be noted that the porridge of that time differs significantly from our current ideas about this product: the medieval porridge cannot be called "Cashevaya", in that meaning today we attach this words today. She was ... solid, and solid so much that it could be cut.

In one Irish law of the VIII century, it is clearly spelled out which layers of the population, which porridge should have: "For a low class, sufficient oatmeal prepared on the poch of the poch, and the old oil to it; Representatives of the middle class it is supposed to eat porridge from the pearl cereal and fresh milk, and it is placed in it fresh oil; And royal siblings should be supplied by honey porridge from wheat flour and fresh milk. "

Along with the porridge from ancient times, mankind is known for "lunch from one meal": a thick soup, replacing the first and second. It is in the kitchens of a variety of crops (Arabs and the Chinese use to prepare a double bowler - meat and various vegetables are boiled in the lower compartment, and on a pair of "reaches" rice) and as well as porridge, it was food for the poor, while For its preparation, they did not use expensive ingredients.

Of particular love for this dish there is a practical explanation: in medieval cuisine (both in the prince and in the peasant), food was prepared in a boiler suspended on rotating mechanisms over open fire (later in the fireplace). And what could be easier than throwing all the ingredients in such a boiler, which can be obtained, and make out the brewing soup. In this case, the taste of the brew is very easy to change, simply changing the ingredients.

Meat, Salo, Oil

Having read the books about the life of the aristocrats, the impressive of colorful descriptions of Peters, the modern man firmly believed that the representatives of this class were fed exclusively with a child. In fact, the game was at least five percent in their diet.

Pheasants, swans, wild ducks, pleahari, deer ... sounds magnificent. But in fact, chicken, geese, sheep and goats were usually served to the table. A special place in the medieval kitchen was roast.

Arguing or reading about meat, cooked on a spit or lattice, we forget about the more than a minor development of the dental business at the time. But how to delab hard meat tozababu jaw?

Amexan came to the rescue: the meat was warm into the mortar to the porridge state, thickened with the help of the addition of eggs and flour, and the resulting mass was roasted on a spiner in the form of a ox or sheep.

Also, sometimes came with the fish, the feature of this variation of the dish was that the "kishki" pushed into a skillfully pulled from the fish, and then cooked or roasted.

It is now strange that it seems to us that fried meat in the Middle Ages often also jokes in broth, but a cooked church, having embraced the flour, was added to the soup. With such a double processing, meat lost not only its crispy crust, but also taste.

As for the fat content of food and ways to make it such, then the aristocrats for these purposes were used sunflower, and later butter, oils, and the peasants were satisfied with the pork lard.

Canning

Drying, smoking and salting as methods of canning products in the Middle Ages were already known.

Dried fruits: pears, apples, cherry, also entered with vegetables. Dried in the air or dried in the stove they persist for a long time and were often used in cooking: they especially loved to add to wine. Fruits were also used to prepare a compote (fruit, ginger). However, the resulting liquid was not used immediately, and thickened and then cut: it turned out something like candy.

They smoked meat, fish and sausage. It was connected with the seasonality of the cattle slaughter, which was held in October-November, since, first of all, in early November it was necessary to pay natural tax, and secondly, it allowed not to spend in winter on animal feed.

Sea fish imported for consumption during the post, preferred. Many varieties of vegetables also spilled, for example, beans and peas. As for the cabbage, it is quasil.

Seasoning

An integral attribute of medieval cuisine was seasonings. Moreover, delimitation of seasonings for the poor and seasoning for rich makes no sense, because it can only be rich in spices.

It was easier and cheaper to buy pepper. The imports of pepper made rich very many, but many, namely those who are fraud and mixed dried berries into peppers, led to the gallows. Along with pepper favorite seasonings in the Middle Ages were cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, muscat.

Saffron must be mentioned Especially: he cost even several times more expensive than a very expensive muscat (in the 20s of the XV century, when Muscat was sold for 48 cruisers, Safran cost about one hundred and eighty, which corresponded to the horse).

In most cookbooks of that period, the proportions of spices are not indicated, but, relying on the books of a later period, it can be concluded that these proportions did not meet our today's tastes, and dishes, seasoned, as it was done in the Middle Ages, could see us very sharp and even burn the packed.

Spices were used not only to demonstrate wealth, they also blocked the smell by meat and other products. Meat and fish reserves in the Middle Ages were often sues so that they would not deteriorate as long as possible and would not cause the disease. And, therefore, the spices were designed to drown out not only smells, but also the taste is the taste of salt. Or kislyatins.

Square, honey and pink water swept the sour wine to the gentlemen can be served on the table. Some modern authors, referring to the duration of the path from Asia to Europe, believe that during the transportation of the spices lost their taste and smell and essential oils were added to them.

Greens

The herbs were valued for their medicinal strength, treatment without herbs was unthinkable. But in the cooking they occupied a special place. Southern herbs, namely: Mayoran, Basilica and Thyme - who are familiar to a modern man, there were no in the Middle Ages in the Nordic countries. But there were such herbs that we are about and do not remember.

But we, as before, we know and appreciate the magical properties of parsley, mint, dill, cumin, sage, lovers, fennel; The nettle and calendula still fought for the place under the sun and in a saucepan.

Almond milk and marzipans

At each medieval kitchen of the strengths of this world, almonds were attended. Especially loved from it to do almond milk (crushed almonds, wine, water), which was then used as a basis for the preparation of various dishes and sauces, and at the time of the post they were replaced by real milk.

Marzipan, also manufactured from almonds (grated almonds with sugar syrup), in the Middle Ages was luxury. This dish is considered to be a Greco-Roman invention.

Researchers come to the conclusion that small almond cakes that Romans sacrificed their gods were the predecessors of the sweet almond dough (Pane Martius (spring bread) - Marzipan).

Honey and sugar

Food in the Middle Ages was hung exclusively with honey. Although reed sugar was known in southern Italy already in the VIII century, the rest of Europe learned the secret of its receipt only during the crusades. But even then sugar continued to remain luxury: at the beginning of the XV century, six kilograms of sugar were as much as much horse.

Only in 1747, Andreas Sigismund Marcgraf opened the secret of sugar production from sugar sugar, but it was also particularly affected by the position of things. Industrial and, accordingly, the mass production of sugar began only the XIX century, and only then sugar became a product "for all".

These facts allow new eyes to look at medieval feasts: only the one who possessed excessive wealth, could afford to arrange them, because most dishes consisted of sugar, and many dishes were intended only for them to admire and admired, but not Used in food.

Feast

We are in amazement we read about the carcasses of Noodle Song, storks, eagles, bears and beaver tails, which were served to the table at that time. We are thinking about how tough taste must be the meat of storks and beavers, about how rare such animals as a sonia impetus and nutlery sonia.

At the same time, we forget that numerous change of dishes were intended primarily not to satisfy hunger, but to demonstrate wealth. Who could leave indifferent appearance of such a dish as a peacock, "spraying" flame?

And fried bear paws were mad on the table, it was definitely not in order to reclaim the hunting ability of the house owner belonging to the highest circles of society and hardly extracting themselves to feed the hunt.

Along with striking hot dishes, sweet baked works of art were served on feasts; Sugar, gypsum, salt with human growth and even more. All this was intended mainly for visual perception.

Especially for these purposes, the holidays were arranged, on which the prince and princess in publicly on the elevation were tired of meat dishes, poultry, cakes, baking.

Multicolored meal

Multicolored dishes in the Middle Ages were extremely popular and at the same time easy to prepare.

On the cakes and cakes, the emblems, family colors and even whole pictures were depicted; Many sweet kushans, such as jelly made of almond milk, were attached to the most different colors (in the culinary books of the Middle Ages, you can find a recipe for the preparation of such a tricolor jelly). Meat, fish, chicken are also painted.

The most common coloring substances: parsley or spinach (green); grated black bread or gingerbread, clove powder, black cherry juice (black), vegetable or berry juice, swallow (red); Saffron or egg yolk with flour (yellow); Lukovichny husk (brown).

The Kushans also loved to learn and Silver, but, of course, it could only make the chefs of the Lords who could provide appropriate funds at their disposal. And although the addition of coloring substances changed the taste of dishes, but they closed their eyes for the sake of obtaining a beautiful "picture".

However, with painted food, sometimes fun and not very cases occurred. So on one festival in Florence, the guests were almost poisoned by the colorful creation of a cook-cook, which used chlorine to obtain white and yar-Medica - to get green.

Fast

Medieval chefs also showed his resourcefulness and mastery during the post: preparing fish dishes, seasoned them in a special way that they became similar to

meat, invented pseudo-eggs and tried in all ways to circumvent strict rules of fasting.

The clergy and their cook was especially trying. So, for example, they expanded the concept of "water animals", ranked in a beaver (his tail was held under the discharge of "scales of fish"). After all, posts then lasted third.

Four meals

The day began with the first breakfast limited to a glass of wine. Approximately 9 o'clock in the morning there was a second breakfast time, consisting of several changes in dishes.

It should be clarified that these are not modern "first, second and compote". Each change of dishes consisted of a large number of eats, which the servants were fed to the table. This led to the fact that anyone who arranged a banquet - on the occasion of whether the christening, weddings or funerals - tried not to hit the face and file as many tacities as possible, not paying attention to his capabilities, and therefore often climbed into debts.

To put an end to this provision of things introduced numerous regulations that regulated the number of dishes and even the number of guests. So, for example, in 1279, the French king Philip III issued a decree, who said that "No Duke, Graph, Baron, Prelate, Knight, cleric, etc. It has no right to eat more than three modest changes in dishes (cheeses and vegetables, unlike cakes and baking, and not taken into account). " The modern tradition of serving one dish at a time comes to Europe from Russia only in the XVIII century.

Only a glass of wine was allowed to drink at lunch, biting it moistened in the wine of the same piece of bread. And only for dinner, held from 3 to 6 pm, again filed an incredible number of dishes. Naturally, this is a "schedule" for the highest sections of society.

The peasants were busy business and could not pay for the reception of food as much time as aristocrats (often they managed to modally snack during the day), and their income did not allow them.

Cutlery and dishes

Two dining facilities were hard to conquer recognition in the Middle Ages: fork and a plate of individual use. Yes, there were wooden plates for lower layers and silver or even gold - for higher, however, they were fed mainly from common dishes. Moreover, instead of a plate for these purposes, a stale bread was sometimes used, which slowly absorbed and did not give a stain table.

The plug also "suffered" from the prejudices that existed in society: she earned his form to the reputation of the devilish creation, and the Byzantine origin is a suspicious attitude. Therefore, it was able to "break through" on the table only as a meat device. Only in the era of Baroque disputes about the merits and shortcomings of the fork. The own knife, on the contrary, was at all, even women wore him on the belt.

On the tables could also be seen spoons, solonki, glasses of mountain crystal and drinking vessels - often richly decorated, gilded or even silver. However, the latter were not individual, even in rich houses they were divided with their neighbors. Tableware and cutlery from ordinary people were made of wood and clay.

Many peasants in the house there was only one spoon for the whole family, and if someone did not want to wait until she comes to him in a circle, he could use a piece of bread instead of this cutlery.

Behavior at the table

Chicken legs and meatballs spread out in all directions, dirty hands wipe on a shirt and pants, we were torn apart on the pieces, and then swallowed not chewing. ... so, or approximately, we, after reading the records of tricky inquirers or their visitors, adventurers, we present yourself the behavior of the knights at the table.

In fact, everything was not so extravagant, although there were both curious moments that affect us. In many satira, the rules of behavior at the table of descriptions of customs adoption of food is reflected that morality did not always occupy the place at the table along with its owner.

For example, the prohibition of friction in the tablecloth would not have met so often, if this bad habit would not be very often distributed.

How to removed from the table

Tables in modern form (that is, when the table top is attached to the legs) in the Middle Ages there was no. The table was constructed when there was a need for this: Wooden stands were installed, and a wooden board was placed on them. Therefore, in the Middle Ages from the table was not removed - removed the table ...

Cook: Honor and respect

Mighty medieval Europe highly appreciated its chefs. In Germany, from 1291, the chef was one of the four most important figures at the courtyard. In France, only noble people became chefs of higher ranks.

The position of the main winery of France was the third most important after the posts of the chamber and the main stable. Then he followed the baking manager of bread, the main winery, the chef, the most close to the yard control restaurants and only then marshals and admirals.

As for the kitchen hierarchy - and there was a huge number (up to 800 people) of interdependent workers - then the first place was given to the main thing. The position characterized by honor and confidence of the king, because no one was insured against poison. At his disposal was six people who chose every day and prepared meat for the royal family.

In Taylevanta, the famous chef King Kolana Sixth, was subordinate to 150 people.

And in England, for example, at the courtyard of Richard, 1000 cooks worked, 300 Laces, who were serviced daily 10,000 people at the courtyard. A dizzying figure, demonstrating that it was important not so much to feed how much wealth demonstrate.

Cookbooks of middle ages

In the Middle Ages, along with spiritual literature, the most often coped by the cookbooks. Approximately from 1345 to 1352, the earliest cookbook of this time was written - "Buoch Von Guoter Spise" (a book about good food). The author is the notary of the Bishop of the Würzburg, Michael De Leon, who, along with his duties, to celebrate the budget spending, was engaged in collecting recipes.

Fifty years later, "Alemannische Buchlein Von Guter Speise" appears later (Alema Book of Good Food), Master Ganzen, Württemberg Cook. This was the first cookbook in the Middle Ages, on which the name of the compiler was indicated. A collection of recipes of Eberhard meter, the cooks of the Duke Heinrich III von Baieron-Landshuta, appeared approximately in 1495.

Pages from the cookbook "FORME OF CURY". It was created by the chef of King Richard II in 1390 and contains 205 recipes used at the courtyard. The book is written in medieval English, and some of the recipes described in this book have long been forgotten by society. For example, "Blank Mang" (sweet dish of meat, milk, sugar and almond).

Around 1350, the French Cookbook "Le Grand Cuisinier de Toute Cuisine" was created, and in the 1381 - English "Ancient Cookery". 1390 - "The Forme of Cury", the author is the cook of Richard II King. As for Danish recipes for the XIII century recipes, it is worth mentioning "Libellus De Arte Coquinaria" Henric Harpenstrenga. 1 354 year - Catalan "Libre de Sent Sovi" of an unknown author.

The most famous cookbook of the Middle Ages was created by Matthew Gillulaum Tirell, more famous for his creative pseudonym tailyant. He was the cook of King Charles Sixth, and later he even received the title. The book was written between 1373 and 1392, and only century was published later and included, along with famous dishes, very original recipes, which today will decide to prepare rare gourmet.

Section:
Historical cuisines
Medieval cuisine

Pier in Middle Ambet Castle
Medieval cuisine and packaging customs.
Knight Tournament.
Medieval dishes (photo).

We are transferred to the XII or XIII century - during the time of wild morals, unwanted knights, unwashed princesses and generous additives of poisonous potions. Imagine yourself by the guests of a rich knight living in the castle.

The hosts, Baron and Baroness surrounded the whole staff of the servants. Fazes and squires were people of noble origin. Caring for certain parts of the castle farm was entrusted by a number of officials.

The first place in the court house of medieval baron was held by Senev, who was answered by the host's table: he headed the province and carried out overall supervision of the kitchen, that is, led the "Kitchen Department."

The next official - Marshal - headed stables, tents and various transportations. In the jurisdiction of Chamber there were rooms and homemade utensils.

Celebrations and pantry with wines, beer and honey waded with a mustache.

A special officer purchased provisions.

Below sergeants, Harson, Psari, etc.

The baroness was served by Camefrau, who had noble origin and carried their service voluntarily, like a fizz and squire.

The main troubles for the care of Mrs are on the shoulders of the maids.

From the top of the castle tower heard the sounds of the horns who appeal to the parade dinner. From somewhere there was a music, singing, came welcoming cries.

Knights, relatives and guests drive up to the castle. The main hall of the castle fills the cheerful noise, breaking his usual monotonous silence. Party guests and guests are included. Their clothes are very similar. However, the lady's suit is nice to the very floor with beautiful folds, and the male is much shorter; The lady's lady sleeves are very wide, and the lower ends of their ends are very long, the male is tightly covered and reach the brush.

Those and other races in the jewelry of the costume. Especially luxurious were a belt. In the ladies of their ends fall almost to the ground and sleep with topases, agats and other stones.

The hair of the ladies are carefully combed and braided into heavy braids, translate with colored ribbons and golden threads. Note that in those days, women wore chignons, painted her hair and put the blush.

Men's hair falls to the shoulders, some have beards of significant sizes. However, short beards prevail, but there are completely shaved faces.

Many of the guests, especially in the ladies, heads are decorated with gold hoops, which shine gems. Gold gold, silver and precious stones, a pleasant combination of colored fabrics, among which the blue red color of various shades prevail, create a bright, unusually cheerful picture.

That's all this brilliant society goes to a huge table covered with a white patterned tablecloth.

Each device consists of a knife, spoons and a gold or silver cup. The plugs were still rare, they began to enter into widespread use only at the very end of the XIII century; Although they were known, but the clergy condemned the use of forks as a reprehensive luxury.

Therefore, food from the dish was taken straightforward. Spoons were used for liquid diet. The similarity of the forks about two large-sized teeth were used to lay the evacuations.

Knives, which, too, used to pre-light yoke, were wide and had a strong handle.

The drinking vessels consisted mainly of various kinds of cups and cups, mainly of expensive metals. In miniatures of that period (XI - XIII centuries), the bowls are usually depicted in the form of a semi-shaped vessel at a low-leg color of silver or gold.

The cups had the form of the current glasses, or small barrels with hoops on them. In addition, an ancient horns for drinking - either real violence horns, or carved from ivory, which were decorated with a metal rim.

The dining room has various magnitude and capacity of metal dishes, sometimes with a stand, sometimes without it, decorated along the outside.

For spilling beverages used a variety of metal jugs, with knobs or without them, smooth or decorated.

For storage of liquids, bellows and large barrels with iron hoops, first introduced by Karl Karl the Great in his estates.

Table setting

For each present at its device, white bread is put in advance. Large metal jugs are placed on the table with wine, bowls with covers and covers, salt plots, saucers.

The society is noisily rushed, in degrees of knowledge, on the benches surrounding the table. The hall includes servants with jugs in their hands and a towel on the neck. Hand washing before dinner was important, especially if they were arms. After washing hands make dishes.

On the first today from Baron fried deer. It is cut into pieces and is heavily seasoned with hot pepper sauce. It makes fried peacocks and swans.

While one servants and squires are spreading the eats, others bypass the table with jugs and pour wine in the Wine Cups. Many other dishes are then mounted: sausages stuffed with peel meat, reindeer meat stew, lamb legs flavored with saffron, cable meat with raisins and plums, hare, rabbits, all sorts of birds, pies with meat filling, boiled carrot sauce, spinach.

The whole process of meals is headed by a dinner manager who sits in a high chair at the supply with silver dishes and keeps a special blade in his hands, which he tried dishes. He gives orders to all employees with the kitchen: servants, spreading dishes, kitchen boys, spectacles and many others.

Support dessert: apples, dates, pastries in the form of plants, animals and other figures.

But it is interesting that at the very end of the feast, the rods satisfied again for the same spices, which were seasoned meat dishes: pepper, nutmeg, carnation, ginger. It was probably done for the excitement and maintenance of thirst, and the latter encouraged them to greater wine consumption.

Wines are also seasoned with different spices and are like some kind of mixtures.

There were certain rules of behavior at the table.

One of the chroniclers described them: guests must be modest and satisfied with what they were suggested; They do not have to eat hands; No need to drink, nor talk to the mouth stuffed; It is impossible to contact a neighbor asking for a cup of facing, if he has not yet completed until the end, and the like.

However, it should not be thought that the medieval feast comes down only to excessive eating and wine. Poetry and art were necessary and important. Peters were represented by juggles - the wandering musicians and singers.

The musicians played on the harp - a favorite musical instrument in the Middle Ages, Huslyah (it was a triangular box with a hole in the middle and stretched strings), Litua and Rebeca - like violin. Jugglers dressed in long dresses diligently performed one musical fragment after another.

The music alternates with singing or merges with him. Among the artists is one serious view of the juggler. This is a singer of historical songs about the exploits of the Saints and Knights. He will sing their songs after lunch.

In the meantime, acrobats come to the change of musicians. This type of art originated in ancient Rome and was inherited by the peoples of Western Europe. One of the acrobats rose to the ball; Standing on it and pushing his legs, he began to spin around the hall. Another began to walk in his arms. Two more raised the hoop, and the third began to jump through it.

Some of the artists skillfully imitate the singing of the nightingale, the scream of Peacock and Sulna. The magician express the fire and swallows it again. In such entertainment, the dinner quietly approached the end.

Upon completion, each of those present lost some song.

The meal was over the meat, and all the society rose due to the table.

Guests disagreened who is where. One group gathered in the next room around the hostess, which began to distribute inexpensive gifts - Cusks, fasteners, etc. Other guests in the courtyard are watching the fight two bears, laughing at their volatile and funny movements.

Young people staged a game in the fresh air, and later began to have a favorite activity - dancing. Dances of those times were like round and accompanied by singing participants.

At the same time, groups for playing checkers, bones and chess were formed.

GAME OF CHESS

The chess game was considered the noblest out of the games. Chess boards are made of ivory, and in other cases of silver and even gold. The figures are made of ivory and ebony and have large sizes.

Singer of historical songs

Twilight comes. The owner of the castle invites those present to listen to the singer of historical songs. Most guests are in a rush to call and gather in the same room where there was lunch. All wiggle.

The singer protrudes, throwing his luxurious curly hair on his shoulders, puts the lower end of his beloved tool to the chin, holds a bow on his strings and after a short entry begins to sing. When he cumsing singing, it is generously shoved by praise.

Time flew unnoticed. The hall is illuminated by the light of the candles set on high candelabra. There is a mud - the table is covered for dinner. After dinner, most of the guests were driving. The owner spent them to the horses and dried along with the guests the last cup with the wishes of the happy path.

The rest of the guests stayed overnight in the hospitable castle. Chains raised - bridges rose. The guard bypasses the wall, brying weapons. Signal tubes sounded.

The chamber brought a tired host of a heavy bundle of keys.

Soon the whole castle plunged into sleep.

1454 year
Fasanenfest.
Pheasant holiday

1454 Philippovy and his courtiers on the "Press Pira" in Lille brought an oath to win Constantinople from incorrect. At that time, the population of the city exceeded 25 thousand; It was one of the largest centers of the Burgundy Netherlands

In the well-known "Pheasant Oath", which the Burgundy Count Philip is good in Lill, in 1454 said. One after another guests swore over the bird so that they are heard and saw all those gathered, both friends and the closed enemies. Then, according to custom, the bird cut and everyone went to his portion.

During the "Phase of Pyri", the bird, over which swore, was still alive, and it was a necklace with precious stones. In this way, the pronounced oaths were irrevocably tied and, for the same reason, the fatal.

Soon after the capture of Constantinople, Philip, good Duke of Burgundsky collected in Lille in Flanders, all the highest estate of his state and at one knightly festival tried to excite enthusiasm in the knights of the cross.

Among the spectacles and the brilliant knightly ceremonies suddenly appeared an elephant, which led a giant Saracin; On the back of the elephant was the tower in which a woman was enclosed, cracked in mourning clothes. This woman, who represented the Christian church, came out of his conclusion and, referring to the Duke of Burgundy, said a long poem, concluded in the disaster complaints, which she was burdened; In particular, she complained about lethargy and the lack of diligence of sovereigns and knights in helping her.

Philip is kind, adds Olivier de la Marsh, looked with compassion on the "Lady - Holy Church"; Then Gerold loudly proclaimed that he swear primarily to God, the Creator to his, the Blessed Virgin, "Ladies and Pheasan", that he will accompany the king of French and will serve him "as well as the grace of God will allow him," if the Christian monarch is It pleases "to expose the feat of the Protection of Faith and resistance to the decent condemnation to the enterprise of the Great Turk."

Jean Fouquet, Les Grandes Chroniques de France, Vers 1460

Le Voeu Du Faisan, Par Paul Lehugeur

In medieval France, it was fashionable to pronounce an oath in a roasted piece of meat, which will later be cut

Peacock, the most noble bird, for a feather prepared this way: his skin was careful with all the feathers, and the frame was started, fried, "wrapped the" egg yolk, and the fried bird again sewed in her feathers again. The tail was raised, the legs covered with gold, head, along with her feathers, returned to the place.

According to the grand cases of this peacock holding a piece of marked wool in the beak, brought on a gold or silver tray (most often carried a young girl from the owners family), and put on the table in front of the most important guest. He had to swear, holding a hand over a bird; For example, he swore, which will be the first one who sticks his spear in the opponent, or the first to raise the flag in the name of his lady in the captured city.
Then he had to demonstrate, right there before the gathered, his skills when cutting birds, over which he had just swore.
Later, he was expected that he would wear an iron bracelet on his hand, which would remind him of this fateful oath.

This ritual, beyond any doubt, very ancient. Vow brings during a pyr, swear the bird, which is served to the table and then eat.

Normannov is a circular bowl, with the attachment of vows during the sacrificial meal, festive pyr and TRISS; In one case, everyone is trusted to the booze, which is first delivered by alive, and then already served to the table.

In Burgundy time, this form is also present: live pheasant on the famous feast in Lille. Vows bring to the Lord and the Virgin Mary, ladies and game.

Apparently, we can safely assume that the deity here is not at all the initial visitorship of the vows: and indeed, often the vows give only ladies and a bird. There is not too much variety on the hand in the abstractions imposed on themselves. Most often it comes to food or sleep.

Grandes Chroniques de France, XIVE SIÉCLE

Philip is kind hard supported the idea of \u200b\u200bchivalry at his yard. In 1430, he created the "Order of the Golden Rune". His duke did not have a permanent capital, and the yard was in Brussels, then in Brugge, then in Lille, and in these cities, knightly tournaments were often satisfied. In 1454, Philip wanted to arrange a crusade against the Ottoman Empire, but this intention was never implemented.

First knightly tournament, then feast

Video to the question of the "smooth" European knights of the XV century:

The tournament armor was heavier than the fighting, because In them, knights were less than time (tournament fights are much shorter than real battles), but from them - due to additional weight - required aboutthe exercise of the participants in tournaments from possible injuries.

Arrival at the royal couple tournament.

Preliminary entertainment performance of dancers.

Knight's tournament in honor of Philip II Scpansky.

Knight Tournament. Miniature from Fruissar Chronicles.

Solemn opening of the tournament.

Marshals of the tournament - managers and judges.

Participants of the equestrian tournament.

One of the participants.

Chelyadi spectators.

Equestrian tournament on spears.

Choosing a spear next participant.

Horse fight on swords.

Hiking on swords.

The squirrels who ill for their knight and ready to join the battle with the enemy squire.

At the end of the tournament and to improve the appetite in front of a funny peem - a hiking wall on the wall.

The final tournament is the performance of dancers.
All participants of the tournament are changed and sent to the castle on a funny room.

Medieval dishes

The first European dinner for candles took place in the 6th century, since it was at that time the first candles made from bee wax appeared.

In contrast to civilized ancient times, in the time of the universal wild and religious obstruction caused by the militious Christianity, even with the royal courts there were no tablecloths or plates. Kushans were imposed in the deepening on the oak table. They ate with hands and knives, hands wiped out of her clothes or about the clothes of a neighbor.

Starting from the middle of the 11th millennium, Christian wildness tightly covered Europe for the whole millennium. In the end, the time came when the Packer's long-time calculated table (Easter dates) was over, and in all of Europe no one could count the table of further Easter. For this, it was necessary to equip a special expedition to Byzantium, where in a few hours they made new calculations and made up the European table for hundreds of years ahead.

The terrible medieval wildness, accompanied by the horrific villains of the Christian Church, managed to start overcoming only in the Renaissance (Renaissance) era. Then they became little to limit the power of the Church and again remembered the ancient culture.

At the beginning of the Middle Ages in Europe, one of the main plant foods were acorns, which ate not only commoner, but also to know. Delicious nutritious bread baked from academic flour, various porridge was cooked from crushed aches. Usually, acorns were pre-pulled out in water to remove the possible bitterness.
In those days there were few people, there are many forests, and the acorns with an excess was enough for everyone.
Now the acute bread can only be tried in rare expensive restaurants.
Forest nuts were very widely used.

Meat and fish in the Middle Ages often spruce sick, which excluded infections and quick damage to products. That is why everyone liked Eastern spices so much: they asked the boring taste of Solonins.

These are the pictures of a simple table of medieval Europe: barley pussy, acute and wheat-rye bread and, of course, healthy pieces of meat.

Our medieval ancestors left us a lot of recipes for all sorts of meat rolls.

With the arrival of some satiety in separate houses, more complex dishes appear on the tables of the knights and respectable citizens, the preparation of which is not the old woman's mother or threshing-wife, but a real professional chef! Remember, Gauga Dwarf-Nose hurt the cook in the Ducal Castle?

According to chronicles, a special love for meat was distinguished by the King Henry VIII "Blue Beard".

The fish was served by boiled baked with vegetables or in the form of a fisher-stuffed fishing glass (stuffed fish).

Drinking in the Middle Ages preferred beer, wine and well-moving kvass, because the sewers and water purification systems did not exist, and the water was a peddler of infections.

Of course, there were no glass mugs in commoners. They used wooden, ceramic and tin circles. The utensils were stone (this is the best tableware), ceramic and wooden. The cooking in a wooden tableware was carried out laying hot stones.

People are treated for cooking used iron and tinted tin copper dishes.

White and gray wheat and black rye bread at that time were a potential health threat. First, in the grain, often there was a lot of poisonous ardor. Secondly, the grain was stored in unsafe conditions and was often amazed by fungal diseases.

The simple people ate a variety of porridge, which at that time were such solid that they could be cut into a slice. What a porridge consisted was, it was insignificant - everything was at hand in porridge.

One of the main features of the "simple" kitchen of that time was the complete absence of hot dishes. For example, French onion soup did not boil, and simply lay the bulb into the water.

The fact is that then the simple people did not have the right to chop forests for their own needs without a special permission of the feudal knight. So for the kitchen just no firewood.

Of course, fish and ditch have enough for everyone. But it was forbidden to hunt the red game protectors - it was the privilege of the Lord-Knights.

The best dish in the cold season, noble medieval knights considered fat. Its ate with salt, foam, seasoned dill and other spiced greenery.

Salted fat.

Boiled roll of sala.

Beef in the sour-sweet sauce of drain and raisins.

Knight cutting beef.

Beef tenderloin baked with vegetables.

Roast in clay pots.

Chicken roll with egg.

Ragu from rabbit.

Pork on a bone fried with vegetables.

Pork steak in danish with greens, vegetables and carrots.

Steak from beef tenderloin.

Trout with white wine.

Trout with pumpkin-acreled dantroids.

Apples with swedish ribs.

For a modern person, his menu still depends on the thickness of his wallet. And, moreover, it was in the Middle Ages. Already by the owner's clothes, the house could be said with confidence that they would serve him at lunch.

Peter Breygel, the peasant wedding.

Many poor people have never tried dishes in life, which almost every day absorbed aristocrats.

The main and vital product was, of course, the grain from which the bread baked and cooked porridge. Among the many types of grain was popular and buckwheat, now almost forgotten in Germany. Bread ate in huge quantities - to a kilogram per day per person. The smaller the money was, the greater the bread in the diet.

The bread was also different. White and barley bread was intended for the rich, artisans ate oat bread, the peasants were content with rye. Monks Wheat bread for reasons Askise is not allowed, in exceptional cases the content of wheat in the flour should not exceed a third. In difficult times for baking, the roots were used: radish, onions, horseradish and parsley.

Vegetables in the Middle Ages ate relatively little: only in spring and summer. Basically, it was cabbage, peas, garlic, onions, celery, beets and even dandelions. Especially loved onions, which was considered useful for potency. He was necessarily rented on any holiday. Salads began to do in Germany only in the 15th century; Vegetable oils, vinegar and spices were brought from Italy as delicacies.

Cultivated vegetables also began relatively late, for a long time only monks were engaged. Apples, pears, plums, nuts, grapes, strawberries began to enter the menu only in the late Middle Ages. However, there are raw vegetables and fruits were considered harmful to health. To avoid pain in his stomach, they first cooked them for a long time, they were extinguished and rudely squeezed with vinegar and spices, the crude juice caused, according to a medieval person, a spleen disease.

As for meat, it was ate quite often, but to game (and the right to hunting) was the privilege of nobility. However, crows and eagles, beavers, and gophers were considered a child. Peasants and artisans ate beef, pork, lamb, chicken and horseback. Meat dishes were served with sauces whose recipes existed a huge amount. Especially popular was "green sauce" from plants, spices and vinegar. Only in the ashes and a passionate Friday should have abandoned meat. The quality of meat, which was imported into the city, was strictly controlled.

The most important ingredient of medieval cuisine was spices. They were added not only in food, but even in beer and in wine. People used victory to use local spices: dill, parsley, green onions, fennel, rosemary, mint. The rich goods allowed themselves from the East: Pepper, Muscat, Cardamon, Saffron. Prices for such spices were very high. For example, one nutmeg sometimes cost as much as seven fat bulls. Healing qualities were attributed to the spices.

From the 14th century from the east, raisins and dates, rice and figs began to carry. No trade was so profitable as trade in goods from distant countries. Of course, these exotic products were not affordable. Fortunately, the famous seasoning of the Middle Ages - mustard - grabbed and at home. In addition, the merchants often fraud: for example, a black pepper with mouse escorders, wild berries and grain mixed. The case is known when the Nurenbegian trader of the eyes of the eye for fake shaffn. But the rich people were forced to buy spices to maintain status. No wonder the saying of that time said: the sharper food, the richer the owner.

Woman carries water from the well. Tacuinum Sanitatis, 15th century.

But here the choice of sweets was very small. Speaking, the only sweetness was honey, and he cost expensive. I had to be satisfied with dried fruit. Sugar appeared in Germany only in Late Middle Ages, although in Asia it has long been eaten. Delicates was considered marzipans, they were sold in pharmacies.

Acute food, dried meat, saline fish - all this caused severe thirst. And although milk quenched her, people preferred beer and wine. Water from rivers and wells in the raw form was unsuitable for drinking, it was cooked with honey or boiled with wine.

Sugar sale. Tacuinum Sanitatis, 15th century.

Beer is one of the most ancient drinks. In the 8th century, only monasteries and churches received the right to cook beer. The most popular was wheat and oat beer. Some varieties added spices, herbs and even fir bumps. In particularly loved in the north of Germany, the Gagelbier beer was an integral ingredient was a plating a flaw, the use of which could lead to blindness and even to death, but banned this beer only in the 18th century.

In 1516, the variety of varieties was finished. In Germany, a law on the purity of beer, which acts to this day (by the way, was adopted in Nuremberg for the whole 200 years in Nuremberg).

Every year there is an increasingly higher level of preparation for medieval festivals. The most severe requirements are imposed on the identity of the costume, shoes, tents, items. However, for a stronger immersion on Wednesday, it would be nice to adhere to other rules of epoch. One of them is identical food. It happens that the reconstructor is spent on the suit of rich Velmazby, picks up the courtyard (team), entourage, and in the bowler and on the table he has a buckwheat porridge.

What was the inhabitants of different estates of the city and the village of Middle Ages?

In the XI-XIII centuries. Food most of the population of Western Europe was very monotonous. Especially used bread. Bread and wine (grape juice) were the main, driving foods of the unprivileged population of Europe. According to French researchers in the X-XI centuries. Pieces and monks used 1.6-1.7 kg of bread per day, which washed a lot of wine, grape juice or water. The peasants were often limited to 1 kg of bread and 1 liter of juice per day. The poorest drank fresh water, and so that she did not protrude, the marsh plants containing the air - Aronechnik, Air, and others, and others. The wealthy city dweller in the period of late Middle Ages eaten up to 1 kg of bread. The main European cereals during the Middle Ages were wheat and rye, of which the first prevailed in South and Central Europe, the second - in North. Barley was extremely widespread. The main grains of cultures were significantly complemented by the shell and millet (in the southern regions), Oats (in Northern). In southern Europe, predominantly used wheat bread, in the north - barley, in Eastern - rye. For a long time, bread products were fresh pellets (bread in the form of a baton and the row began to bake only by the end of the middle ages). The cakes were rigid and dry because they jerked without yeast. Barley pellets were preserved longer, so they were preferred to take the warriors (including knights-crusaders) and wanderers.

Medieval mobile bakery 1465-1475. Most stoves were naturally stationary.	Pier in the Bible of the Macievsky (B. M240-1250) looks very modest. Whether the features of the image. Whether in the middle of the 13th century it was difficult to eat.
Score a bull with a hammer. "Trepitto drawings book" Tacuina Sanitatis Casanatense 4182 (XIV century)	Fish seller. "Trepito drawings book" Tacuina Sanitatis Casanatense 4182 (XIV century)
Pier, page detail January, Characters of the Limburg brothers, the cycle "Seasons of the Year." 1410-1411.	Vegetable merchant. Hood Joachim Beuckelaer (1533-74)
Dance among eggs, 1552. Hood. Artsen Pieter (Aertsen Pieter)	Interior of the kitchen from Pir's parables, 1605. Hood. Joachim Wwewael
Frutati cleaner 1580. Hood. Vincenzo Campi Vincenzo Campi (1536-1591)	Fishwife. Hood Vincenzo Campi Vincenzo Campi (1536-1591)
Kitchen. Hood Vincenzo Campi Vincenzo Campi (1536-1591)	Dichka's shop, 1618-1621. Hood Frans Sneiders Franz Snyders (together with Jan Wilders)

Bread of the poor was distinguished from the bread of rich. The first was mainly rye and low quality. On the table richly ordinary was wheat bread from sifted flour. Obviously, the peasants even, if they grown wheat, almost did not know the taste of wheat bread. Their dot was rye bread from the flour of a bad grinding. Often, the bread was replaced with cakes from the flour of other cereals, or even from chestnuts who played in southern Europe (before the appearance of potatoes) the role of a very important food resource. In hungry years, the poor was added to acory and root bread.

In the frequency of consumption after bread and grape juice (either wine) were salads and winegres. Although their components were different than our time. From vegetables, the main plant was turnip. She was used with the VI century. in cheese, boiled and swashing form. The turnip necessarily entered the daily menu. Radish was rapid. In Northern Europe, a pants and cabbage were added almost every dish. In Eastern - Had, in South - Lentil, peas, beans of different varieties. From the pea even baked bread. With peas or beans usually prepared stewed meat.

The range of medieval garden crops was distinguished from modern. In the go were asparagus, the buddh, the bunch, which was added to the salad; Swan, Potatnik, Kudryavets, -Thissed in Vinaigret; Sorrel, nettle, Borschevnik, - added to soup. Raw toloknyanka, Speert, Mint and Zubechka.

Carrots and beets entered the diet only in the XVI century.

The most common fruit crops in the Middle Ages were an apple tree and a gooseberry. In essence, until the end of the XV century. The range of vegetables and fruits grown in the gardens and the children of Europeans, compared with the Roman era, has not changed significantly. But, thanks to the Arabs, the Europeans Middle Ages met citrus: oranges and lemons. Almond came from Egypt, from the east (after crusades) - apricots.

In addition to bread fir a lot of porridge. In the north - barley, in the east - rye grout, in the south - manna. Buckwheat in the Middle Ages almost did not sow. Very common cultures were millet and shelter. Millet - the oldest cerebral europe, from it they made a wigkey pellets and a militant porridge. From an unpretentious shelf, which grown almost everywhere and was not afraid of the weather, they did noodles. Corn, potatoes, tomatoes, sunflower and a lot of other, known in our days, the medieval person has not yet knew.

The diet of ordinary citizens and peasants was distinguished from modern protein in sufficient content. About 60% of the diet (if no more than individual low-income groups) occupied carbohydrates: bread, cakes, different porridges. Insufficient food nutrition compensated by quantities. People were found only when the stomach was overwhelmed. A sense of satiety, as a rule, was associated with the severity in the stomach. Meat used relatively rarely, mainly during the holidays. True table of noble senors, clergy and urban aristocracy was very abundant and diverse.

Differences in the nutrition of the "tops" and "bottoms" of society were always. The first were not disadvantaged in meat dishes, first of all, due to the prevalence of hunting, because in the forests of the medieval West at that time there were still quite a lot of game. There were bears, wolverines, deer, boars, roebles, tours, bison, hare; from birds - tetherov, partridges, pleahari, drofs, wild geese, ducks, etc. According to archaeologists, a medieval man used meat meat like a caravel, an element, forty, rho, heron, filling out. Delicates was considered small birds from the Sparrows detachment. Droken Skvorts and Tits diluted vegetable salads. In the cold form was served roasted kolologins and fihopuses. Orioles and mukholovka baked, the waggirls - stewed with swallows and the larks read the pies. The more beautiful there was a bird, the refinement was considered from it a dish. For example, a pate from nightingale tongues was prepared only on large holidays royal or duccian chefs. At the same time, much more animals were extended than it could be eaten or worse in the future, and, as a rule, most of the wild animal meat simply disappeared due to the inability to save it. Therefore, by the end of the Middle Ages, the hunt was already impossible to rely on the faithful means of feeding. Secondly, a notable person can always be replenished at the expense of the city market (the market was especially famous in Paris), where it was possible to buy a wide variety of products - from game to sophisticated wines and fruits. In addition to the game, the meat of domestic birds and animals was used - pork (for fattening pigs, part of the forest was usually struck and wild boars were drunk), lamb, kozdyatin; Meat geese and chickens. Balance of meat and vegetable food depended not only from geographical, economic and social, but also from the religious conditions of society. As is well known, a total of about half of the year (166 days) in the Middle Ages constituted certain days associated with four main and weekly (Wednesday, Friday, Saturday) posts. These days, with a greater or less rigor, it is forbidden to eat meat and meat and dairy products. Exceptions were made only for seriously ill, fencers, Jews. In the region of the Mediterranean Sea, the meat consumed less than in Northern Europe. It was probably a hot climate of the Mediterranean. But not only he. Due to the traditional lack of feed, grazers, etc. There were less livestock there. The highest in Europe in the period of late Middle Ages was meat consumption in Hungary: an average of about 80 kg per year. In Italy, in Florence, for example, about 50 kg. In Siena 30 kg in XV century. More beefs and porks in Central and Eastern Europe. In England, Spain, southern France and Italy - lamb. Especially for food bred pigeons. Citizens ate meat more than peasants. Of all the types of products, the types of products easily digested, mainly pork, the rest of the products often contributed to indispensable. Probably, for this reason, the type of a thick thought-out person was distributed, externally sufficiently prenatal, but in reality simply poorly nuts and suffering from unhealthy completeness.

It was noticeably complemented and diversified the table of a medieval person (especially in the days of many long posts) Fish - fresh (raw or semi-seed fish was fed mainly in winter, when there were not enough greens and vitamins), but especially smoked, dried, dried or salted (such a fish was fed On the road, just like cakes). For residents of the sea coast, the fish and gifts of the sea were hardly the main food. Baltika and the North Sea fed herring, Atlantic - cod and mackerel, Mediterranean - Tuna and Sardin. Far from the sea, the source of rich fish resources served the water of large and small rivers and lakes. Fish to a lesser extent than meat was the privilege of the rich. But if the poor people were cheap of the poor, then the rich could afford to enjoy the "noble" fish brought from afar.

The mass sickness of the fish for a long time prevented a shortage of salt, which was in those times a very expensive product. The stone salt was rarely mined, solelying sources were used more often: salted water was evaporated in singers, and then they were crushed into a tortillas that were sold at a high price. Sometimes these pieces of salt are - of course, primarily it concerns the early Middle Ages - played the role of money. But later, the hostess was shouted every pinch of salt, so it was not easy to salute a lot of fish. The absence of salt partly reimbursed the use of spices - carnations, peppers, cinnamon, laurel, nutmeg and MN. Dr. Pepper and cinnamon were brought from the east, and they were very expensive, since ordinary people they were not affordable. Sleeping more often used in food grew mustard mustard, dill, cumin, onions, garlic. Wide spice use can be explained not only by the gastronomic tastes of the era, but it was prestigious. In addition, spices were used to diversify meals and, if possible, hide the scent of meat, fish, birds, which were difficult to store fresh in the middle ages. And finally, the abundance of spices laid in sauces and gravy, poor processing of products and rudeness of dishes were reimbursed. At the same time, very often spices change the original taste of food and caused a strong burning in the stomach.

In the XI-XIII centuries. A medieval man was rarely fed by dairy products and used little fats. For a long time, the main source of vegetable fat was long and hemp (olive oil was distributed in Greece and in the Middle East, to the north of the Alps almost did not know him); Animal - Pigs. It was noted that in the south of Europe, fats of plant origin were more common, in the north - animal. Vegetable oil was also highlighted from pistachios, almonds, walnuts and cedar nuts, chestnuts and mustard.

From milk, residents of the mountains (especially in Switzerland) made cheese, residents of Plains - cottage cheese. The acidic milk went on cooking. Very rarely milk went on the preparation of sour cream and oil. An animal oil was generally an extraordinary luxury, and was constantly on the table only kings, emperors, the highest nobility. For a long time, Europe was limited in sweet, sugar appeared in Europe thanks to the Arabs and up to the XVI century. considered a luxury. It was obtained from sugar cane, production was expensive and time consuming. Therefore, sugar was available only to the wealthy layers of society.

Of course, the provision of food products largely depended on natural, climatic and weather conditions for one or another. Any caprice of nature (drought, strong rains, early frosts, storms and many others.) Titled the farm of the peasant from ordinary rhythm and could lead to hunger, the fear of which Europeans experienced during the entire Middle Ages. Therefore, it is not by chance that throughout the Middle Ages, many medieval authors are constantly talking about the threat of hunger. For example, the hungry stomach became the constant theme of the medieval novel about the Fox Renar. In the conditions of the Middle Ages, when the threat of hunger always launched a person, the main dignity of food and the table was saturated and abundance. On the holiday, it was necessary to nourish so that in hungry days it was what to remember. Therefore, for a wedding in the village, the family challenged the last cattle and cleaned the cellar to the base. On weekdays, a piece of sala with bread was considered in the English-England Proshitin "Royal Food", and some Italian used the scope of bread with cheese and a bulb. In general, as F. Stramens indicates, during the period of late envoy, the average mass was limited to 2 thousand calories per day and to the need of a modern person (it is determined at 3.5 - 5 thousand calories) "reached" only the upper sections of society. Ate in the Middle Ages usually twice a day. From those times a funny saying is preserved that the angels need food once a day, people - twice, and animals - three times. Ate in different hours than now. The peasants have breakfast no later than 6 in the morning (it's not by chance that a breakfast in German was called "Fruštyuk", i.e. "Early piece", with it similar to the french name of breakfast "Dejen" and Italian - "Didge" (early). ) In the morning they eaten most of the daytime diet to work better. In the afternoon, Soup (Supse "in France," Sopper "(Soup Food) - in England, Mittag (Noon) - in Germany), and people were afraid. By evening, the work ended - there was no need to eat. As soon as it was felt, ordinary people and cities went to bed. Over time, the food has imposed on the whole society: Breakfast approached half a day, lunch in the middle of the day, dinner shifted in the evening.

At the end of XV, the first consequences of great geographical discoveries began to affect the food of Europeans. After the opening of the new light in the European diet, pumpkin, zucchini, mexican cucumber, sweet potatoes, beans, pepper, cocoa, coffee, and corn (maize), potatoes, tomatoes, sunflower, which were brought by Spaniards and British from America, appeared At the beginning of the XVI century.

From the beverages, the first place traditionally occupied grape wine - and not only because the Europeans were glad to indulge in the joy of Bahus. The wing consumption forced poor water quality, which, as a rule, was not boiled and, due to the fact that nothing was known about the pathogens of microbes, caused gastric diseases. Wines drank a lot, according to individual researchers, up to 1.5 liters per day. Wine was given even to children. The wine was necessary not only for the meals, but also for the preparation of drugs. Along with olive oil, it was considered a good solvent. We used wine and for church needs, during the liturgy, and the grape sowing satisfied the needs of a medieval person in sweet. But if the main part of the population resorted to the local guilt, more often, the highest sections of society ordered subtle wines from distant countries. The Cypriot, Rhine, Moselle, Tokay wines, Malvasia enjoyed a high reputation in later Middle Ages. At a later time - Portwine, Madera, Jerez, Malaga. In the south, natural wines were preferred, in the north of Europe, in a cooler climate - fastened. Over time, they were addicted to vodka and alcohol (alcohol in distillation devices learned to be made about 1100, but for a long time the manufacture of alcohol was in the hands of pharmacies who considered alcohol as a medicine that gives the feeling of "warmth and confidence"), which for a long time treated drugs. At the end of the XV century This "medicine" had to taste to such a number of citizens that the Nuremberg authorities were forced to ban the sale of alcohol on holidays. In xivil An Italian liqueur appeared, in the same century they learned to make alcohol from the overlooking grain.

Vintage. Pergola Training, 1385 Bologne, Niccolo-Student, Forli.	Brewer at work. The Housebook of the Brother "S Endowment of The Family Mendel 1425.
Party in the tavern, Flanders 1455	Horsen and bad manners. Valerius Maximus, Facta et Dicta Memorabilia, Bruges 1475

Truly folk drink, especially north of the Alps, was beer, which did not refuse and know. The best beer was cooked from the sprouted barley (malt) with the addition of hops (by the way, the use of hops for brewing was precisely the opening of the Middle Ages, the first reliable mention of him belongs to the XII century; in general, barley beer (braga) was known in antiquity) and what -The china. With the XII century About beer mention constantly. Especially loved barley beer (El) in England, but here brewing based on the use of hops penetrated from the continent only about 1400 in the amount of beer consumption was approximately the same as wines, i.e.,5 l daily. In Northern France, the competition of beer was Cynda, especially widespread from the end of the XV century. And the proven success predominantly in common people.

From the second half of the XVI century. Chocolate appeared in Europe; In the first half of the 20th century. - Coffee and tea, since they cannot be considered "medieval" drinks.