Food in the Middle Ages: By Class

1. Food in the Middle Ages: By Class By AnnaV

2. The Scope of the Middle Ages • The term “Middle Ages” encompasses not only a lot of time but a lot of land too. In an era when travel was difficult and preservation was hardly existent. Therefore the food and norms vary greatly from region to region • This presentation will cover universal generalizations between regions.

3. The Classes • There were three classes of people in the Middle Ages • The land owning nobility • The Clergy • And the dirt under their feet--serfs

4. Generalizations • Bread was very important to every class • Wine was the beverage of choice; beer was only drunk in the North • There were many religious limitations on eating. • For instance, meat was forbidden for a third of the year • Contrary to modern belief, Medieval food was not over spiced or rotten ,and rarely toxic.

5. The Serfs • The Serfs worked for the nobles on the condition that they would not be killed • Their diets were very basic, not only because they were dirt poor, but also because it was believed that coarser, cheaper food was healthier for people who did a lot of manual labor • Their bread was made out barley. In fact their most of their food was made out of barley. • Their wine was usually second or third pressing white or rose wine • Pork and chicken were the most common meats • Soup was the most common meal • They supplemented their diet with vegetables whenever they could.

6. The Nobles • The Nobles ate bread made from wheat • And they had first pressing red wine • Nobles liked to have feasts to flaunt their importance • The spectacle was very important. • For instance, poultry was served with a liquor doused rag in its mouth. The rag was then lit on fire • This class enjoyed more international food

7. The Clergy (Adapted From St. Benedictine’s Rules) • Monks were allowed two meals a day, with two cooked dishes for each meal. • They had about half-pint of wine each • “Flesh meat” was prohibited to all but the weak • Pound of bread a day, regardless of how many meals there were • More might be allotted in proportion to how hard the work had been • However there a frequent cautions against gluttony • It was advised that one monk read through the dinner.

8. Seasonings • Spices • Due to cost, only the rich ate spices • Common Spices: • Black Pepper • Saffron • Ginger • Cloves • Sugar • Herbs • For everyone else, there were herbs. • Common Herbs: • Parsley • Mustard • Dill • Fennel • Mint

9. Two Dishes You Might Not Want to Try • Almond Milk: very popular as a substitute for real milk when that was prohibited by the Church, this dish is healthy and tasty. Provided you use sweet, not bitter, almonds • Live Goose: what it sounds like, goose cooked and eaten while it is still living. Undesirable for obvious reasons

10. Bibliography • Wikipedia.org • A Boke of Gode Cookery.com • The Food Network. • Benedictine’s Rules for monks • THE INTERNET!!!!