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Food of the MiddleFood of the MiddleAgesAges

By: Erin SheahanBy: Erin Sheahan

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Methods of FoodMethods of FoodPreservationPreservation

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Food PreservationFood Preservation

During the Middle Ages, there was not a great extent ofknowledge on the topic of preserving food. Although this is true,they had very effective methods of preserving their food.

The purpose of food preservation is to treat the food so that itwould slow down or safely stop the process of spoiling.

Some of these methods would include:-Salting-Smoking-Pickling-Drying-Sweet Preserves-Fermentation-Confits-Freezing

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SaltingSalting

This was the most common method for preserving meat and fish,since it could make it last much longer.

Although it was very effective on meat and fish it was not veryeffective on vegetables and fruits and they would spoil very fast.

There are two methods of preservation when using salt.-Dry Salting: when the meat or fish were buried in salt.-Brine Curing: this is when the meat is soaked in salt water.

When using salt as a preservation method, a permeant salt tastewas left on the meat. To disguise this, the meat was washed off andmixed with spices to mask the pungent taste.

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SmokingSmoking

Smoking was another commonly usedmethod of preservation for pork andmeat. Meat was cut into small stripsand soaked in a salt solution.While it isdrying it is hung over a fire, it will thusabsorb the smoke flavor. The salt

solution is not necessary, but it aids inthe removal of moisture anddiscourages bacteria growth and flies.

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PicklingPickling

Another commonly used practice of preservationis pickling. This is the practice of immersing food(commonly fresh vegetables) into a liquidsolution.

The simplest form of pickling was by using asolution consisting of water, salt, and herbs.Herbs and spices were added to the mixture forflavoring.

The pickling could be done by either boiling thefood in the mixture, or simply leaving the food inthe mixture for long periods of time. After food ispickled, it is placed in a sealed jar, often with the

juice it was marinated with.

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DryingDrying

Drying is one of the most versatilemethods of preservation. Grains could

be dried by sunlight or air before storingin a dry place. Fruits could be sundriedor oven dried depending on weather

and climate. Meat could be sun and/orair dried, either outdoors or under ashelter to keep from flies and elements.

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Sweet PreservesSweet Preserves

Although fruits were normally dried,they could also be sealed into honey.

Honey was not only limited to fruit, itcould also be used to preserve meat.Occasionally fruit might be boiled in asugar mixture, but this was a rare event

because only the wealthiest familiescould afford an expensive import suchas sugar.

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FermentationFermentation

Most methods of preservation slow down orstop decay, fermentation actually does theopposite. It accelerates the decay of foods.

The most common ingredient of fermentationwas alcohol.

Common products made from fermentation:wine, beer, mead, cheese, and cider.

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ConfitsConfits

In the modern day times, confit refers to any typeof food that is immersed in a substance forpreservation. As we all know, the Middle Ages

were a very different time. During the Middle agesa confit referred to potted meat, such as fowl orpork.

The meat was salted and then cooked for anextended period of time in its own fat, it thencools, causing sealing. When stored in a coolplace it would last for months.

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FreezingFreezing

Freezing was a very rare method ofpreservation, but it was not unheard of. In

castles and large homes equipped withcellars, an underground room packed withwinter ice could keep foods cool formonths.

An ice-room was labor intensive and wasvery uncommon, but on rare occasionsthey were present.

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Food of the DarkFood of the DarkAgesAges

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BanquetsBanquets

A banquet in this time consisted of 6 courses.

There were strict rules of table manners, howpeople ate, and where they sat.

They used spoons and knifes for eating, forkswere considered scandalous at the time.

Instead of plates, they used hard pieces ofbread called trenchers. These soaked upblood and liquids from food.

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Upper Class vs. Lower ClassUpper Class vs. Lower Class

There was a vast difference in the daily mealsbetween the Upper Class and the Lower Class.

Many of the ingredients used for the meals of theUpper Class were extremely expensive and couldnot be afforded by the commoners.

Travel by the Crusaders prompted a new interestin beautiful objects and elegant manners.

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Daily MealsDaily Meals

Both the upper and lower class had on average 3 meals a day.

The upper class would always eat food with silverware, sometimeseven gold dishes.

Lower class would eat from wooden or horn dishes. Every personhad their own knife, spoons were rarely used because most liquidswere drunk from a cup.

Meal times (for upper class):-Breakfast: Food and drink served between 6-7 oclock in themorning.

-Dinner: Food and drink served between 12-2 oclock during the day.-Supper: Substainstial meal with food and drink and entertainmentserved between 6-7 oclock at night.

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Meals for the Upper ClassMeals for the Upper Class

The daily meals for the upper class consisted of ahuge variety of food. Vegetables were limited,this was because the food grown on the grounds

were peasant food and were not fit for thenobility. Only a few vegetables were fit to gracethe table of the nobles.

Only the nobles could hunt boar, deer, andrabbits and hares. These were used often in the

meals.

Their food was highly flavored with expensivespices.

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Meals for the Lower ClassMeals for the Lower Class

The usual diet of the lower class wouldinclude pottage, bread, milk, cheese, beef,pork, and lamb.

Since only the nobles could hunt certainanimals the punishment for poaching wasvery serious. If caught poaching, it couldresult in having your hands cut off or evendeath.

The poor could not afford the spices enjoyedby the upper class, so usually their food wasvery bland.

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FastingFasting

The people of the Middle Ages werevery religious, and in their religion they

were sometimes banned from eatingmeat.

Certain religions banned eating meat

on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays,lent, advent, and on the eves of manyreligious holidays.

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DrinkDrink

The people of the dark ages loved to

drink, and seeing that the water wasoften unclean it was a necessity.

The lower class drank ale, mead, and

cider while the upper class drank manydifferent types of wine.

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Unhealthy DietUnhealthy Diet

The diet of the people of the middle ageswas very unhealthy, especially the nobles.

They ate very little fruits and vegetablesbecause they were wary of foods that werenot prepared. Usually vegetables would onlybe found in stews, while fruits would only be

found in pies and other deserts. Dairyproducts were also considered a commonersfood. Little was known about nutrition and

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Staple Diets of the ClassesStaple Diets of the Classes

Lower Class:

Rye or barley bread

Pottage

Milk

Cheese

Beef, pork, and lamb

Fish (if they had access to river)

Homegrown vegetables and fuits

Nuts

Honey

Upper Class:

Manchet bread

Variety of meats

Variety of fish

Shell fish

Spices

Cheese

Limited fruits and vegetables.

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CookingCooking

If you were apart of the upper class then yourcastle would have a great kitchen with manyserfs and servents. The poor had to cook in

their smalls huts over an open fire. Methods of cooking:

-Spit roasting-Baking-Boiling-Smoking-Salting-Frying

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Work CitedWork Cited

Jon. "Food in the Middle Ages." Kyrene SchoolDistrict - Redirect. Web. 12 May 2010.."Middle Ages Food." Middle Ages Food. Web. 9May 2010. .

Snell, Melissa. "Medieval Food Preservation."About. Web. 7 May 2010..