medieval food
-
It’s always amusing to look at compilation articles, such as in this case (https://www.lovefood.com/galleries/amp/581128/the-most-lavish-british-royal-feasts-of-all-time-ranked), when a list of particularly lavish past coronation feasts is considered. Well, Richard III was bound to feature, because his coronation feast is still renowned for its extravagance. The usual inference to be drawn is that he was trying to justify…
-
Grantham’s Medieval Onion Fair is here again on 10th October, courtesy of Richard III having granted permission back in 1483. You can read more about the fair here: https://tinyurl.com/3khw8syv Good Old Richard! Thanks to him a lot of fun is still to be had here in the 21st Century. Mind you, he might have been…
-
Mediaeval people cherished chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium) for spring cleansing, digestion, and boosting the mood, symbolising new life with its flavour, similar to anise. It was used in soups, particularly Lenten ones, teas, and as a digestive aid, sometimes as a magical form of protection . It was called ‘myrrhis’ because it smelled similar to myrrh,…
-
Feverfew (Tanacetum parthenium) was an important mediaeval herb. It is a bushy perennial with feathery, bright green leaves and small, daisy-like white flowers with yellow centres, similar to chamomile but its flowers are flat-topped. Its name, feverfew, or ‘fever reducer’ derives from the Latin febrifugia, meaning ‘to put fever to flight’. It was used, as…
-
With permission of Kim Harding A last-minute change of speaker meant the frosty weather chimed perfectly with Kim Harding’s talk on ‘Medieval Winter’ on Monday 18th November 2025. Our centrally-heated homes and internet-driven prep for Xmas can’t compare to the hardships endured by medieval folk: a poor harvest, limited food storage and bitter cold meant…
-
All the best Christmas feasts included a Greyt Pye. It could contain many different meats, so you can choose for yourself which you include. Serves 6-8 Ingredients 450g/1lb shortcrust pastry (I suggest using ready rolled!) 1 egg white, beaten until liquid 450g/1lb boned and skinned chicken breasts (or other fowl such as duck or pigeon)…
-
Lovage (Levisticum officinale), a tall, leafy perennial with a strong scent, was popular in mediaeval times, used for medicinal purposes, in cooking and famously, in love potions because of its name, from Middle English ‘love-ache’, where ‘ache’ meant parsley. Its use dates back to the 12th century. Medicinal Uses- Medieval people used all the parts…
-
Vervain (Verbena officinalis) is another fascinating medieval herb with a rich history! Here are some interesting facts about vervain: Magical and Superstitious Uses Sacred herb: Vervain was considered a sacred herb in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and was associated with the gods. Protection and purification: The herb was believed to offer protection against evil…
-
In medieval times, dittany, now more commonly known as dittander, Lepidium latifolium, a perennial herb native to parts of Britain, was used for hot relishes. It suffered a culinary decline by 1650 when horseradish took its place. The spiciness of both its leaves and root are suggested in its common name, poor man’s pepper. It…
-
If, like me, you like to browse around websites about life in the past, you might be interested in this link, https://tinyurl.com/2tk5meck, which takes you to a website called Old & Interesting. You’ll soon realise that not everything in the site dates back to the medieval period, but it’s very interesting all the same. I…
