What kind of food was served at medieval royal feasts?

by Tendy777

Let's say I'm the king of England, and I want to hold a lavish feast. What kind of meat would be there? What spices would be used?

Searocksandtrees

Hi, hopefully one of the medieval or food historians will drop by with more info, but meanwhile, you may find these earlier threads interesting

costumed_baroness

Two Fifteenth Century Cookery Books_, Thomas Austin ed., Transcribed by Cindy Renfrow in A thousand eggs or more lists the following Royal feast:

The resultant feast, given for King Richard II by the Bishop of Durham, at Durham House, London, on September 23rd, 1387:

The First Course.

  • Veneson with Furmenty. [venison]
  • A potage called viaundbruse.
  • Hedes of Bores. [wild pig]
  • Grete Flessh. [great flesh?]
  • Swannes rosted. [swan]
  • Pigges rosted. [pork]
  • Crustade lumbard in paste. [dried cruid and custard pie]
  • And a Sotelte.

The Second Course.

  • A potage called Gele.
  • A potage de Blandesore.
  • Pigges' rosted.
  • Cranes rosted. [crane]
  • Fesauntes rosted. [pheasant]
  • Herons rosted.
  • Chekens endored. [chicken]
  • Breme. [fish]
  • Tartes.
  • Broke braune. [fish]
  • Conyngges rosted. [rabbit]
  • And a sotellte.

The Third Course.

  • Potage. bruete of Almondes.
  • Stwde lumbarde.
  • Venyson rosted. [venison]
  • Chekenes rosted. [chicken]
  • Rabettes rosted. [rabbit]
  • Partrich rosted. [partridge]
  • Peions rosted. [pigeon]
  • Quailes rosted. [quail]
  • Larkes rosted. [lark]
  • Payne puff.
  • A Dissh of Gely.
  • Longe Frutours.
  • And a Sotelte.

Basicly if it isn't a fish day feast its lots of meat, any kind they can get thier hands on, with the rarer dishes served in the later courses after people are full or impressed.

The spices used depended upon both trade, humor theory, and availability. If you stick to saffron, cloves, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, salt, and pepper (various kinds) you are pretty safe.

Cindy Renfrow's book set has a lot of recipes and more feasts listed.