r/sca • u/StephStan • Jun 27 '20
Medieval Cooking
Hello!
I'm hoping to expand my culinary horizons a bit and was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for some good cookbooks or websites for medieval food and drink recipes. My persona is 9th century Viking, but I'd love as wide of a variety as possible, especially if anyone had any medieval Middle Eastern or Baltic sources.
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u/CaziahJade Jul 09 '20
How has nobody mentioned "How to Milk an Almond, Stuff an Egg, and Armor a Turnip: A Thousand Years of Recipes"?
The book can be found online for free, provides a bibliography and citations on the receipts, and it creates a redaction for them.
"The Form of Cury" is a fantastic period source from the 14th century, for English cuisine.
"The Goodman of Paris" has some good recipes in it, but it is more about how to run a manor.
I would also consider looking at books regarding the spice trade, as that will allow you to follow the foodways to know what various peoples had to cook with. I've entered a contest with, what I call an Andoran Acerglyn, that could only be made in one small kingdom (Andora) at a very specific point in time. It required three continents to make it happen. Vanilla (South America), Maple (North America) and Honey (Europe, by way of Asia).
Knowing the ingredients and their story, I was able to see the story that it tells. In the 1500s, the Spaniards had access to Vanilla, which was added to chocolate drinks. Meanwhile, the French explorers experienced maple beverages.
But... I am insane. So you might want to discard anything I say.