Subject: Re: Food from the 1600's

From: [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 01 Jun 1993 23:47:40 EST

Can anyone tell me anything about food from the 1600's (that time period) 
oh, I'm looking at European food. Certain kinds of devices used, upper 
class/lower class, types of foods eaten, foods thought to be bad... 
Anything even slightly related would be great. Thanks.

Dara

Lots of good stuff around. Try Barabra Ketcham Wheaton's SAVOURING THE PAST -
The French Kitchen and Table from 1300 to 1789 (Univ. of Pennsylvania) for
starters. Slightly earlier than your query, but perhaps worthwile is PLEYN
DELIT - Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks by Constance Hieatt and Sharon
Butler (Univ. of Toronto). If you can be more specific about what you are
looking for, perhaps I  can help further.  Bon Appetit, Barry

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From: [email-masked] (Keri Watson)
Date: 8 Jun 1993 01:05:45 GMT

>Dara

You might like this recipe for a `flavor` of the times though it's a
little later than you mention...

Balm Wine	(Yorkshire, 1769)

Put a peck of balm leaves in a tub or large jar, heat four gallons of
water scalding hot, ready to boil, then pour it upon the leaves.  Let it
stand all night, then strain it off through a hair seive.  To every
gallon of liquid put two pounds of fine sugar, and stir up very well.
Take the whites of four or five eggs, beat them very well, put them into
a pan with the liquor.  Whisk it well before it be over hot; when the
scum begins to rise take it off, and keep it skimmed all the time it is
boiling.  Let it boil three-quarters of an hour;  then put it into the
tub.  When it is cold, put a little new yeast upon it, and beat it in,
every two hours, that it may head the better.  So work it for two days,
then put it into a sweet keg, bung it up close, and when it is clear,
bottle.

		... doesn't look like it would fit into today's
nine-to-five workdays too well.  I find these sort of `recipies' very
evokative, probably as near as I'll ever get to time-travel.  Anyway
hope this may be of some interest to you.

Cheers
Keri

--
Keri Watson             Internet [email-masked]
Perth, WA               (09) 385 2227
Australia