My novel, Grace, Lady of Cassio, begins in 1331 during
the reign of Edward III. It will be published in August 2022.
At
heart I am a historian. My novels are rich in historical detail that requires
intensive research, some of which I am sharing in this blog.
Food and Drink in 14th Century England
In
the Great Hall. A lord, his
lady and guests sat at a table on a dais at one end of the great hall. A white
linen tablecloth covered the table. The best food was placed before him on a
long, narrow coloured strip of fabric. Everyone else sat on benches at trestle
tables at right angles to the dais. They ate food appropriate for their rank
the lowest ate pottage.
Restrictions.
The
Church forbade consumption of meat on Wednesdays, Fridays Saturdays, and during
Advent. In Lent eggs were not allowed. Fish replaced the prohibited food.
Breakfast.
Noble
households. The lord and his lady, if he was married, their most important
guests and senior officials broke their fast with bread, cheese, ale or
buttermilk. In accordance with the belief that servants became lazy if they ate
too much so they were not served breakfast.
Dinner.
This
opulent main meal was served between approximately between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. After
the priest said prayers, fresh fruit stimulated the appetite. Two people shared
food on a stale bread trencher that soaked up juice and sauce. First, the lord
helped himself first to food. After he sampled the dishes, they were passed to
his guests.
The first course numbered a variety of
meat dishes; to name a few, meat pottage flavoured with herbs, spices, and
wine, or one containing, for example, savoury chicken, pheasant or swan with
boiled meat, and venison seethed in almond milk and other ingredients. Some
dishes were a combination of sweet and savoury. Four courses followed. The
second with a variety of roasted, expertly carved, exotic meats, among others
stork, peacock, heron, and larks. The next with small birds and cooked fruit,
maybe baked, stewed in wine, or cooked in sugar syrup etc. A last course of
fruit, nuts, cheese, and sweet and savoury wafers accompanied by spiced red wine ended the meal.
On days when eating meat was prohibited,
they ate four fish courses of fish cooked in different ways, for example, fresh
fish, smoked fish, shellfish pickled in brine, salt fish and stewed fish.
Vegetables were incorporated in pottages
and other recipes.
Large and small sweet and savoury pies,
some called coffins because of their shape.
Supper. Served at sunset,
at the castle or manor for those seated on the dais supper was a light meal,
Usually with one main dish, maybe white bread, side dishes and cheese. After
supper sometimes they danced, or professional entertainers such as acrobats,
jongleurs, minstrels and storytellers performed. If not a knight or the lord’s
lady might recite a story. Sometimes a squire played an instrument and sang.
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