Transcript expo renaissance

Renaissance Cookery
Medieval and Renaissance
cooking was not, as is so
easily assumed today, a
dubious
practice
that
produced inedible dishes filled
with strange spices and
dangerous ingredients. Cooks
of the time used many of the
same type of foodstuffs that
are in use today, in addition to
forms of food preparation that
would be familiar to any of us.
The dishes and recipes they
prepared were neither inedible
nor dangerous, but extremely
delicious and tasty products
that employed the finest
meats, grains, fruits, and
vegetables their society was
capable of developing. Then
as now, mankind knew what
tasted good, and the sauces,
stews, pies, roasts, and soups
that satisfied the 14th century
family are just as wholesome
and enjoyable today.
Indeed the hardest part of creating Renaissance food is often
understanding the recipes. The measurements, if any, are
unfamiliar as is the spelling and at times the terms used. Look
at this recipe, what do you think it is for?
fayre
clean; nice; fairly good; fairly
large; moderate-sized; pretty;
fresh.
paynemayn brede
bread of the manor, lordly
bread, the finest white bread.
stere
stir.
boylenge
boiling.
sklyse
type of spoon.
vessell
vessel.
saundres
sandalwood spice.
tempere
mix; season.
boyste
A boxlike container.
strawe
strew; sprinkle; scatter.
clowes
cloves.
Many foods of our time have been discovered, developed or introduced
since the Renaissance. Indeed, the Renaissance did bring many new
foodstuffs to Europe, but it took considerable time for many of these things
to become generally accepted and known. Here is a list of some of the
foods which did not come into use until late or after the Renaissance.
Allspice,
Artichokes,
Broccoli,
Chili
Peppers,
Chocolate, Cocoa, Coffee, Cranberries, Green Beans,
Green Peppers, Lettuce, Indian Corn, Kiwi fruit,
Margarine, Peanuts, Pineapple, Potatoes, Red
Peppers, Yellow Peppers, Shortening, Tea,
Turkey, Tomatoes, Vanilla Bean.
Here is an example of a Renaissance wedding feast, as you can see the
flavors are varied. You will notice that there is a lot of meat served, meat
was not necessarily on your everyday diet, but was served on special
occasions. It is likely that little meat was eaten on a daily basis, and that
occasions such as these were used to display the largesse of the host. A
good thing too as this food is observably heavy in fats, proteins and stuff
guaranteed to make your capillaries scream for mercy.
It has been established that the Renaissance had fine fresh food,
but the way it was prepared is what made it special. Using an array
of spices, Renaissance dishes included stews, roasts, soups,
sauces, and pies. Most recipes were complicated in their
communication of measurements of ingredients, but this made for
delicious meals.
The Renaissance was known for its grand
feasts held at weddings and government
parties. They served an abundance of food
spread out over three or more courses.
Just as one would begin to feel fool after
the first course, another would arrive
Lets not forget the
dessert.
Renaissance
desserts
included the best tarts,
sulfates, and cheeses. One
might be puzzled by a cheese
dessert, but different varieties
of cheese offer strong, subtle,
and crisp flavors. Mixed with
the right fruits or nuts, they
make the perfect dessert to
refresh ones palate after a
long meal (Culinary Practices
of the Renaissance).
Renaissance food was rich and natural. Though it
may have been high in fat and sugar, it was much
better than the processed foods one eats today.
Studying about how food was cooked during the Renaissance makes
one think about today’s over priced and mass produced food market.