Food in medieval times / Melitta Weiss Adamson.

ISBN:

9780313321474

Title:

Author:

Adamson, Melitta Weiss.

Personal Author:

Adamson, Melitta Weiss.

Publication Information:

Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2004.

Physical Description:

xxiii, 256 p. : ill. ; 25 cm.

Series:

Food through history

Series Title:

Food through history

Contents:

1. Foodstuffs -- 2. Food preparation -- 3. Cuisines by region -- 4. Eating habits and food ideas -- 5. Food and religion -- 6. Concepts of diet and nutrition.

Subject Term:

Cookery, Medieval.

Cookery -- Europe -- History.

Format:

Books

Electronic Access:

Table of contents http://www.loc.gov/catdir/toc/ecip0419/2004014054.html

Publication Date:

2004

Publication Information:

Westport, Conn. : Greenwood Press, 2004.

Available:*

Shelf Number	Material Type	Copy	Shelf Location	Status
641.300940 ADA	Book	1	Standard shelving location	Searching... Unknown

Students and other readers will learn about the common foodstuffs available, how and what they cooked, ate, and drank, what the regional cuisines were like, how the different classes entertained and celebrated, and what restrictions they followed for health and faith reasons. Fascinating information is provided, such as on imitation food, kitchen humor, and medical ideas. Many period recipes and quotations flesh out the narrative.

The book draws on a variety of period sources, including as literature, account books, cookbooks, religious texts, archaeology, and art. Food was a status symbol then, and sumptuary laws defined what a person of a certain class could eat--the ingredients and preparation of a dish and how it was eaten depended on a person's status, and most information is available on the upper crust rather than the masses. Equalizing factors might have been religious strictures and such diseases as the bubonic plague, all of which are detailed here.

Author Notes

MELITTA WEISS ADAMSON is Professor of Modern Languages and Literatures at the University of Western Ontario.

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

Food as part of everyday life in the Middle Ages brings life to the times and culture. Although most of the existing data related by Adamson (modern languages and literature, Univ. of Western Ontario) is concerned with what the upper classes did, she does include some information on peasant life. Fascinating information on available foodstuffs, their uses, and their cookery is contained in this engaging, readable book. Expressions and cultural traditions in use today that are lost in food history are brought to life here. The work is based on careful review of a number of original texts and sources, which include literature, account books, cookbooks, religious texts, archaeology, and art. The quotes from literature and examples from art, archaeology, and religion give life to the writing. This book is heartily recommended as informative, interesting reading. ^BSumming Up: Highly recommended. All levels. J. M. Jones College of St. Catherine

Acknowledgments	p. vii
Timeline	p. ix
Introduction	p. xvii
1 Foodstuffs	p. 1
Grains	p. 1
Legumes	p. 5
Vegetables	p. 6
Herbs	p. 11
Spices	p. 15
Fruits	p. 19
Nuts	p. 24
Condiments	p. 26
Domestic and Wild Animals	p. 30
Fish	p. 39
Dairy Products	p. 45
Beverages	p. 48
2 Food Preparation	p. 55
3 Cuisines by Region	p. 83
Britain	p. 90
France	p. 101
Spain	p. 115
Italy	p. 124
Germany	p. 131
The Low Countries	p. 141
4 Eating Habits and Food Ideas	p. 155
5 Food and Religion	p. 181
6 Concepts of Diet and Nutrition	p. 205
Conclusion	p. 233
Glossary	p. 237
Suggested Further Readings	p. 239
Subject Index	p. 245
Recipe Index	p. 257

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Author Notes

Reviews (1)

Choice Review

Table of Contents