New Lecture

Food Culture After the Baltic Crusade

14th May 2022

Join us at Blackfriars Restaurant, in the Banquet Hall, for the 19th lecture on Medieval Food and Food Culture, in partnership. with Durham University’s Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. We’re delighted to welcome as our speaker Professor Aleks Pliuskowski from the Archaeology Department, University of Reading. And of course this comes with a three-course medieval meal!

14th May 2022

We are delighted to welcome Professor Aleks Pluskowski, Department of Archaeology, University of Reading and the talk will draw on a range of archaeological, paleoenvironmental and historical data to explore the food culture of medieval Prussia and Livonia, where the use of native plants and animal stock was combined with luxury foodstuffs imported through the Hanseatic trading network.

The talk will be complemented by a carefully selected menu, emulating some of the foods and flavours of the eastern Baltic following the pivotal events of the crusades.

WHERE: Blackfriars Banquet Hall

TIMES: 11am arrival for 11.30am start

COST: £35 per person including arrival tea or coffee and a suitably medieval-3 course set lunch served communally. Places are only confirmed once paid in full and are non-refundable or transferable. Discounts are available for students (and IMEMS members) – please inquire at Blackfriars

Booking Open Here

Preview some of our online medieval food courses –
Our Courses will show you what to expect!

Medieval Food. Modern Chefs. Online.

Medieval food was one of the great cuisines of the world. Uncover the roots of modern culinary tastes in the company of chefs and scholars and be inspired to try something old to create something new.

Welcome

The north east of England is home to a rich medieval heritage and a lively food scene. Combine the two and something very special happens. Eat Medieval is a flourishing partnership between Blackfriars Restaurant, Newcastle, and Durham University, UK.

Modern food concerns have much more in common with medieval culture than we might think: seasonality, sustainability, and provenance were as important in the 12th century as they are in the 21st.

Our partnership seeks to explore the medieval culinary past – its traditions, its sources, and its broader cultural messages – through a modern lens. Together, we’ll re-discover old flavours, re-trace ancient trade routes, and re-vivify centuries-old dishes for modern palates.

Scholarship and Gastronomy

Combining the expertise of a restaurant and a university is exactly what Andy Hook, owner of Blackfriars Restaurant and Giles Gasper, Professor of Medieval History at Durham University have done.

With chefs and scholars from both places, and friends from further afield, we’ve been working together for the last ten years, supported by Durham’s Institute of Medieval and Early Modern Studies. .

Join us in our passion for food, history, culture, and sharing stories.

Our Courses

What we do, and what you can do with us

Website

The website will tell you about the nature of the partnership. The unusual combination of academic research and practical application provides a creative edge. Knowing what medieval recipes say is one thing, knowing how they might have worked, needs the practical experience of professional chefs.

Online Courses

Why not try one of our online courses? These run every 3 months or so, with repeats (so you won’t miss out). Join us as we move across the European medieval recipe collections, from the 12th to the 15th centuries, and through the seasons and festivals. Log-in from wherever you are – this is global!

Talks, Tastings, and Advice

When life runs as normal we hold a twice-yearly lecture and lunch at Blackfriars. We also run food tastings and experience days for university students and the public, in the UK and abroad. Andy and Giles also offer advice on events that you might want to hold.

Our project is built on new ideas. Scholars, chefs, and anyone with a taste for the past, we’d love to hear from you! Please get in touch if you’d like to know more.