"Medieval Cooking ~ A Time To Look Back To & To Learn From"

I ran upon some interesting things on Medieval Recipes which I had learned about years ago. I thought it was both unique and also fun to read, and that you all would really enjoy looking at this recipe, and the way in which it was written, as much as I did. :)

"Roast Pheasant"

Serves Six

Fesaunt rost. Lete a fesaunt blode in the mouth, and lete hym blede to deth; & pulle hym, and draw hym, & kutt a-wey the necke by the body, & the legges by the kne, and perbuille hym, and larde hym, and putt the knese in the vent: and rost hym, & reise hym upp, hys legges & hys wynges as off an henne; and no sauce butt salt. (Douce 55.)

2 young pheasants
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small shallots, peeled
2 rashers streaky bacon
A little seasoned flour for dredging
Sea salt

More Modern Instructions:

We were more humane than our ancestors, where slaughtering pheasants is concerned, but the preparation of the birds is probably much the same. Preheat the oven to 400*F. Put half the butter and a shallot inside each pheasant and cover the breat with a rasher of bacon. Wrap each bird in a seperate piece of foil, (**I have no idea what they wrapped them in during the Medieval times ... most likely a cooking cloth). Then place them side by side in a roasting-tin and roast in the oven for 30 minutes. Remove them from the oven, take off the foil, and dredge with seasoned flour, baste and return to the oven for another 10 minutes, by which time they should be golden-brown. Serve with coarse sea salt in small ramekins or egg cups as a condiment or sauce.

Flavorings for Game Birds:

Other "sauces" were sometimes offered with game birds. One for pheasant consisted of white sugar with mustard powder, blended with vinegar until semi-liquid. Another, for a roasted crane, was made by combining ground black pepper, ground ginger, mustard powder, salt, and vinegar. A 'sauce' of minced parsley and onions with ground garlic and vinegar was suitable for pigeons.

All these and several others may have been ways of flavouring leftovers or meat cooked for expediency ~ for example, needing short-term preserving ~ because the flesh was almost always minced before the strong 'sauce' was mixed in.

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** I decided to look up some sites on Medieval Recipes, and the one which I have listed is one that I really enjoyed looking at ... and I hope that you will, also. ~Naomi~ ;)

http://www.godecookery.com
http://www.elizabethan-era.org.uk/old-elizabethan-recipes.htm
http://www.textilegeek.com/cooking.html
http://www.bitwise.net/~ken-bill/med-p1.htm
http://www.homemade-dessert-recipes.com/renaissance-dessert-recipes-glossary.html
http://www.3owls.org/sca/cook/guide.htm
http://www.homemade-dessert-recipes.com/renaissance-dessert-recipes.html

"NomiAnnz Favorite Cookie Recipes" ;)

"Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies"

I love a delicious original Oatmeal cookie, but when you add chocolate to an American favorite, you just can’t go wrong. And as long as you are going to be adding chocolate once, you might as well add it twice and make it a Double Chocolate Oatmeal Cookie! If you try this, I know that you will love it! ;)

1 Cup of Butter
1-1/2 Cups of Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 Cup of milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/3 Cup of Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa
1-3/4 Cup of flour
3 Cups quick oats
1-1/4 Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

1.) Preheat oven to 350F (+25* for higher altitudes). Lightly grease cookie sheets

2.) Combine sugar & butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer at medium speed until fluffy. Then beat in egg & vanilla.

3.) Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda & salt. Stir into creamed mixture. Add oats and chocolate chips. Dough will be very stiff. *Add up to 1/4 C. water if needed. Form tablespoon-size balls and place 2" apart on prepared cookie sheets. Flatten slightly. Bake 10-12 minutes.

Makes 4 dozen.

Tips From Test Kitchen: This batter can be refrigerated for an hour to firm it up before baking. An additional Cup of chocolate chips & 1/2 Cup of chopped walnuts are also good in this soft & chewy cookie.

Tips from Nomi: I would also add 1 Cup of peanut butter chips, instead of the additional cup of chocolate chips. :)

**Nutritional Facts Per Cookie: 100 cal., 5g fat, 2g protein, 13g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 65mg sodium.

"NaomiAnnz Favorite Vegetables & Side Dishes"

1.) "Classic Succotash" ~ Scott Peacock

In the South, butter beans are a popular variety of fresh shelled bean, similar to baby limas. Prep Time: 15 min., Cook: 30 min.

2 Cups freshed shelled butter or lima beans
1 tsp. Kosher salt
2 large ears fresh corn (about 2 Cups)
2 Tbsps. unsalted butter
Freshly ground black pepper
1/4 Cup heavy cream
1/4 Cup minced country ham

1.) Place butter beans in large saucepan. Cover with water; add about 1 tsp. kosher salt. Bring to boiling. Skim surface until clear. Cook, partially covered, 30 to 40 minutes, until tender. Strain beans into sieve. Set aside.
2.) Shuck corn. Using clean terry cloth kitchen towel gently rub corn to remove silks. Using sharp knife, cut corn kernels from cobs.
3.) In large skillet heat butter over medium-high heat until melted and foaming. Add corn. Lightly season with salt and pepper, stirring to coat corn in butter. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add beans. Lightly season with salt and pepper. Cook 1 minute more, taking care not to overcook corn and beans.
4.) Add in cream and ham. Cook just until heated through and slightly reduced. Season to taste.

Makes 8(1/2 Cup)servings.
Each serving: 141 cal, 6g fat(4g sat.fat), 20 mg chol, 246mg sodium, 18g carbo, 3g fiber, 5g pro. Daily Values: 5%vit.A, 7%vit.C, 2%Calcium, 4%Iron.

The ideal succotash
... is as good on it's own as it is an accompaniment. Try this pure and simple version, then customize yours with tomatoes, quash, and herbs on hand.
... is flexible and quick. To save time, cook the beans ahead and refrigerate in cooking liquid until read to finish and serve. Frozen beans work well when fresh are not in season.

"NaomiAnn's Delicious Pie Recipes"

"Mom's Southern Pecan Pie" ~ Gladys Espey Rice

**This was a favorite at our home throughout the years! Wherever Momma went folks wanted her to bake her 'pecan pie'! It seemed that she had a special gift to make things look beautiful .... and the taste? My mouth is watering right now just thinking about her gifted baking!

1 Cup flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 Cup oleo

3-4 Tbsps. 'iced water'

1 Cup sugar

3/4 Cup Karo - light

1/2 Cup margarine

3 eggs

1-3/4 Cup pecans

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/8 tsp. salt

Combine flour & salt in a bowl. Cut in margarine with pastry blender (or 2 knives) until mixture resembles coarse meal. Stir in ice water and mix well.

On a lightly floured board, roll out dough to fit a 9" pie plate. Transfer to plate, leaving 1/2" hanging over the edge of the plate. Fold edge under and flute by placing left forefinger against the inside of the pastry rim and pinching the outside with the right thumb and forefinger. Repeat around rim.

Blend sugar, syrup, and 1/2 C. margarine in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a rolling boil. Blend hot mixture, slowly beating in the eggs. Stir in pecans, vanilla, and salt. Pour into pie shell. Bake at 375* about 30 minutes.

"Enjoyable Drinks"

1.) "The Very Best Hot Chocolate"



This is a wonderful hot chocolate recipe which Mom Knox gave us back in 1970, when Coffee Mate first came out. Mom & Dad Knox lived in Amish Country on the east side of Ohio, and this is around the area it was started by the Amish. People (including myself) have played around with the recipe, but always seem to go back to the beginning. Hope you enjoy this as much as we have!!



1 - 16 oz. CoffeeMate (I use the 22 oz.)

1 - 16 oz. Nestles Quik

1 - 3 qt. box Carnation Inst. Milk

1 - C. powdered sugar



Take all of these and mix together well. Store in an air-tight container. When ready to serve, fill mug 1/3 full with chocolate mixture, add boiling water, and stir, Stir, STIR!!! Add either Redi-whip, whipped cream, or marshmellows on top and enjoy!!



**I also love to put 1+ tsp. inst. coffee in with it.

If you like you can add vanilla or butterscotch chips in.