Dishes and Foods from Olden Days and Antiquity

[Les Mains]

From the earliest recorded history, even before the written word, when records exist from pictures and artefacts, Man has laboured to produce foods that are not only sustaining but also pleasing to the palate and eye. Today, some of these dishes sound unusual to the point of being unappetising.

Many years ago I went with a party to a restaurant in London for a 'Tudor Feast' which was billed as being a re-creation of a banquet from the time of Henry VIII. Everything was 'Olde'; Ye Olde Walls sausages, Ye Olde Heineken, Ye Olde Baked Potatoes (from a time in history years before Nutty Walt had returned from the New World with the tubers, to be blessed by Bess) all served by waiting staff in Ye Olde polyester uniforms. The food was fine for what it was, but 'Olde' it wasn't.

Does anyone have a recipe to share that's unusual by today's standards and whose origin can be reliably traced to the olden days or antiquity?

[Dena Profile]

Not that unusual for today but this Wiki article has lots of references to recipes that aren't that different from some of the food cooked today (although this is based on American articles it did pertain to the UK too).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salmagundi ... ry_recipes

You were unlucky in your "Tudor Feast", I was lucky enough to be invited to Coombe Abbey (just outside Bristol) when they first opened and although I'm not sure about the authenticity of the apple crumble I think the rest might have been eaten in Tudor times.
http://www.coombeabbey.com/mediaeval-banquets/menus/

[spotteddick Profile Website]

The earliest known recipe "book" known is The Forme of Cury it was written in the 1300,s by the master cooks of King RichardII
http://www.bl.uk/learning/langlit/books ... sawge.html
A list of recipes (although most are just a list of ingredients)is to be found here:
http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/foc/

I have a more structured book called English cooking through the ages (or something similar as I don't have it too hand at the moment) this does have cookable recipes in it as I have tried quite a few of them. When cooking medieval recipes one should not loose sight that it could be a bit hit and miss (no real measurements no temperature control (in fact no temperature at all)a cook would just know when it was right.
As they had no true refrigeration much of the meats and fish would be termed well past the sell by date in todays H&S fanatical regime.
I have a few other early re-prints of manuscripts and scrolls, but these are also in the main put a handful of this or roast over a hot fire type of recipes. Word of warning, salt was very expensive and only used at the top table, hense "being worth his salt". So much of the fare would be very bland by todays standards, though the docs would be happy.

[Joanbunting Profile]

In Provence the present day dishes are largely hand-downs from former eras.

Our region was influenced by the Greeks and the Romans. We have a long history of using épautre(spelt) said to have been introduced by the Romans. but one peasant dish seems to have survived for centuries.

In Provencal it is called Saussun, which translates into poor man's pâte. There is no real recipe - it is one of those things handed down through the generations.

You pound unpeeled almonds with some salted anchovies in a pestle and motar then add some hot water and stream in some olive oil until you get the texture you need.

I make it in the food processor and it really is good as an apéritif. The old friend who first showed me how to make it 30 or more years ago said it came from Roman times - and as he seemed to have come from the same era himself I wouldn't be surprised !

[hungryhousewife Profile]

Gosh, I like the sound of that Joan!
HH

[Global_Worming Profile]

About 50 yrs ago I was taken to Bunratty castle the first commercial medi/banquet,I asked for a fork to go with my dagger...the serf replied they had not be invented....I replied neither have licensing laws give me some mead

The oldest style of food I have tried was in China from Confucius own recipe book cooked by Mrs Hong a direct descendant

[Les Mains]

Thanks, guys, food for .... I forgot to subscribe to this thread after starting it and have only just seen the replies or I would have thanked you earlier.

[karadekoolaid Profile]

Mincemeat must be at least 400 years old and, of course, was originally made with beef tongue.
Yuk!!

[Joanbunting Profile]

Hi KK

Thought you might like to read a piece I wrote last year re mincemeat.

I can't just do the page but if you go through the paper you'll get to it!!!

http://issuu.com/connexionfrance/docs/na2011-11

[Pampy Profile]

I've got an Italian recipe book which gives recipes from the 16th & 17th centuries, along with modern-day versions. As well as the recipes being interesting, the techniques are too - like de-gutting a trout through its gills.