Sephardic Food and Identity in Medieval Spain
This talk explores what foods were recommended by Sephardic authors as part of a healthy and spiritually rewarding lifestyle, as well as how Sephardic cuisine had a prominent place in the literary and cultural imagination of medieval Christian Spaniards.
The Miracle of the Unspilled Beer
Was not spilling beer important enough to be considered a miracle? For one seventh-century writer it was!
“God Sends Meate but the Devill Sends Cookes”: Cooks Working in French and English Great Households, c.1350-c.1650
This dissertation analyzes newly uncovered archival data and printed primary-source material related to French and English cooks employed in great households between 1350 and 1650.
The Medieval Vegetarian
The idea that it was wrong to meat in the Middle Ages was certainly not widely held. Most people would consume meat from cattle, sheep and other animals without any vexation. However, one well-known 11th century poet was not only a vegetarian, but also a practicing vegan.
Medieval European Medicine and Asian Spices
This article aimed to explain the reasons why Asian spices including pepper, ginger, and cinnamon were considered as special and valuable drugs with curative powers in the Medieval Europe.
Beekeeping from Antiquity Through the Middle Ages
Beekeeping from Antiquity Through the Middle Ages By Gene Kritsky Annual Review of Entomology, 2017. 62:249–64 Humans and honey bees have a long history…
Nutrition and the Early-Medieval Diet
The food supply of the temperate lands of early-medieval western Europe, and the ways in which its peoples dealt with the central problem of feeding themselves, has been subjected to a variety of interpretations in recent years.
Medieval Manuscripts: Bread in the 15th-century
The manuscript ‘Tacuinum Sanitatis’ shows modern readers how medieval bakers prepared bread.
What to eat in (and at) Medieval Times
If the Renfair people can get this right, how does the Medieval Times menu perform?
The Delectable War between Mutton and the Refreshments of the Market-Place: Rereading the Curious Tale of the Mamluk Era
At some point in XV century, Ahmad Ibn Yahya Ibn Hasan al-Haggar composed a curious narrative titled ‘Kitab al-harb alma suq bayna lahm ad-da’n wa-hawadir as-suq’ (‘The Delectable War between Mutton and the Refreshments of the Market-Place’).
The Twelve Types of Drunkenness
Oswald von Wolkenstein gives us twelve examples of what happens to drunk people.
Medical and Dietetic References in Medieval German Cookbooks
Medical and Dietetic References in Medieval German Cookbooks By Marialuisa Caparrini I castelli di Yale online, Vol.5:1 (2017) Abstract: This article aims at…
The Medieval Magazine (Volume 3, No. 14) : Historic Selfies!
In this issue: Historic selfies with the medieval kings of France, and in Renaissance coins, the Anglo-Saxon fenlands, and how DNA research on chickens is linked to medieval diet and fasting traditions. We visit Anne Boleyn’s childhood home and look at the Holy Spirit in female form.
Brewing Viking beer — with stones
There’s nothing archaeologists like better than piles of centuries-old rubbish. Ancient bones and stones from trash heaps can tell complex stories. And in central Norway, at least, the story seems to be that Vikings and their descendants brewed beer by tossing hot rocks into wooden kettles
The Medieval Magazine (Volume 3, Issue 8) : Mother’s Day Issue
In our latest issue: Celebrating Mother’s Day. Mothers Who Weren’t: Wet Nurses in the Late Medieval Mediterranean
Motherly advice from the ninth century, Sex in the Roman Empire: In Bed with the Romans! Feast, Famine, and Food in Medieval Russia, Books: A trip through Welsh past in Mysterious Wales and much, much more!
Fish on Friday III: From Fish Weir to Table
It’s no mystery that medieval people ate fish. The fish industry was a vital element of the medieval European economy, and fueled lots of movement around the continent. However how did they get onto the trestle tables and trenchers?
Fish on Friday II: Monastic Meals
In the Middle Ages, fasting and Lenten traditions were highly evident in the monastic houses. The different Rules and Orders (take your pick…
Fish on Friday I: Economic Blessing or Dietary Sacrifice?
A lack of red meat on the medieval table meant the diners were having a humble meal, and fish was a convenient substitute protein.
Old Food was Never Better: Augmenting event authenticity at a medieval festival
Initially, an exploratory ethnographic study was conducted at a pre-festival medieval banquet to explore dimensions of food and beverage apparent in the literature. This informed a resultant survey which was administered at the festival tournament.
Nothing Lovelier than Spring (Gardening) in 14th-century Paris
Wondering what to plant in your garden this year? Take some advice from an elderly gentleman living in a big city!
Tea Perceived: From a 9th-Century Shipwreck to a 19th-Century Snuff Bottle
The growth of tea as a beverage in China began under the influence of Buddhism during the medieval period and then was legitimized among the population at large through the efforts of Lu Yu (733-804)
Material Culture in the Geniza Society
Miriam Frenkel examines the Cairo Geniza records as a source of Jewish life in the Middle Ages.
BOOK REVIEW: A Year in the Life of Medieval England by Toni Mount
Author Toni Mount is back again, but this time with an in-depth look at daily life in Medieval England. Her book, A Year in the Life of Medieval England, explores war, medicine, marriage, disputes, work, and cooking. A fascinating almanac of bits and bobs about Medieval England from the most most mundane, to the most important events in its history.
Places to See: London in 7 Drinks
Can you tell history through a pint? Or a cup of coffee perhaps? According to Dr. Matthew Green you can. The historian and author turned his passion for history into Unreal City Audio: London Walking Tours.