Have you ever wondered what life was like for a Medieval Cook? There was a lot of hard work involved, but with it came some amazing and interesting facts.
Discover the ingredients they used, to the birds and fish they cooked, to the staple foods they served – life as a Medieval Cook was full of surprises. In this article, we will explore interesting facts about the Life of a Medieval Cook.
Medieval Cooks typically worked in town kitchens, castle kitchens or royal kitchens, depending on their social status. In some cases, they had access to a central open hearth in the towns, but usually castles and noble houses had their own stoves and ovens.
Medieval cooks who worked in the large manor houses and castles of nobility and royalty commonly referred to cook books such as the first medieval cook books, like the “Liber de Coquina”, to reference different recipes.
These cook books provide us with valuable insights into what people ate in the Middle Ages!
Medieval cooks were paid for their labour, with wages varying depending on the size of the kitchen and the status of the lord or family that employed them.
Cooks working in the royal kitchens and castle kitchens were the most highly paid and were often considered to be part of the aristocracy.
Central open hearth cooking was the main form of cooking in medieval times and cooks were expected to know how to read the first medieval cooking books and follow medieval recipes. Thus, they were generally paid more than other servants working in the kitchen, since their skill set was more specific.
Medieval people diets usually consisted of a combination of fish, birds, meat, vegetables, grains, and sometimes desserts.
Medieval cook books became popular toward the end of the 13th century. From these recipes, we can get a good idea of what people ate in the Middle Ages.
Medieval cuisine was primarily based on staples like grains, vegetables and fruits. However, the wealthy could afford to include more luxurious ingredients like spices, game birds, fish and other meats in their meals.
Desserts were also available, although they may not have been as sweet as what we know today.
Drinks such as mead and beer were served, as well as wine imported from southern Europe.
The tools used by medieval cooks varied depending on their location. Royal kitchens were the most elaborate and had access to the most sophisticated tools.
Knives were essential for any cook, both in preparing ingredients and carving food at the table.
Iron cauldrons and pots were used for boiling or simmering food. Ovens were used for baking breads and pies, although some could also roast large cuts of meat.
Wooden spoons, pothangers, dishes, pans, and platters were also common kitchen items during this period.
Cooks were expected to wear clean clothes, typically an apron made of wool.
The kitchen staff of large noble or royal courts occasionally numbered in the hundreds, including
*Pantlers *Bakers
*Waferers
*Sauciers
*Larderers
*Butchers
*Carvers
*Page boys
*Milkmaids
*Butlers
*Scullions
These individuals held a prominent position in society, respected for their hard work in preparing meals for nobility and royalty alike.
Food preservation was a major challenge during the Middle Ages, with limited options for transporting food over long distances.
Cooks were able to preserve food through the process of boiling, roasting and baking. The first medieval cooking books, such as “The Forme of Cury”, contained many medieval methods of food preservation techniques, such as salting, pickling and smoking.
Medieval recipes also included curing meats, which could be stored and consumed throughout the year.
Staples of the medieval diet included grains, dairy products, fruits and vegetables. Birds, fish and meat were commonly served in wealthier households, while less privileged members of society relied on plant-based foods for sustenance.
Other items such as honey, almonds, spices and wine were also incorporated into many medieval recipes.
In Medieval times, the poor relied heavily on foods that were easy to store and lasted for long periods. Staple foods of the poor included grains such as wheat, oats, and barley, vegetables like carrots, onions, and turnips, and fruits like apples, plums, and pears.
Bread was a major staple food of the poor in Medieval times, being made from wheat or barley flour. Other staples of the Medieval diet for the poor included beans, lentils, eggs, dairy products such as cheese, and fish if it was available.
Poor people also had access to some spices and herbs to flavor their dishes.
Central open hearth cooking was also a popular way to prepare meals in foo poor people commonly known as peasants. People would cook whatever meat, vegetables, or grains they could get hold of over and throw it into a large pot over an open fire pit.
All of these foods combined helped create the traditional Medieval stew type dishes that are still popular today.
In Medieval times, the wealthy elites had access to a variety of exotic and luxurious foods that were unheard of by the average person.
In royal kitchens and castle kitchens, the first medieval cooking book recipes were followed which contained detailed recipes for making dishes with the available ingredients.
Royal kitchens, castle kitchens, and central open hearths created dishes from the first medieval cooking books and recipes.
Elites were able to enjoy dishes that were spiced and flavored with exotic ingredients like saffron, cloves, nutmeg, pepper, and cinnamon, as well as expensive items like almonds, capon, and venison.
They also had access to sugar, which was an incredibly expensive commodity at the time.
Dried fruits such as figs, dates, raisins, and currants were also used to create desserts and drinks for the upper classes.
The wealthy enjoyed exotic dishes such as blancmange, a sweet almond milk pudding, beef or lamb roasted with spices and fruit on a spit over the fire, and various types of soup made with fresh vegetables and herbs.
While people in the lower classes ate mainly staples such as grains and legumes, the wealthy could afford to enjoy much more decadent meals.