We’ll delighted that our online course A Taste of the Past opens tomorrow – and thank you to everyone one who has signed up! We have a week working through recipes from the 12th century – which is very early tradition for medieval culinary collections. And we’ve gone to the 13th century for some sweeter recipes for dessert.
We have over 15 recipes of various sorts to accompany a wide range of meats, and we have supplied vegetarian alternatives – and these all prepared by the Head Chef of Blackfriars Chris Wardale. We have 10 films on the wider history of medieval society and culture in the period of the recipes from Professor Giles Gasper, Dr Sarah Gilbert, Katherine Holderith, and Charlotte Spencer. And we have daily introductions and summaries from Andy Hook and Giles. All of the filming was done by Alan Fentiman – whose patience is matched by his skill.
We hope very much that everyone enjoys the course, and it’s designed to be very flexible – it can be followed according to day, or the order can be broken up and you can focus on the material that you like. There are live cookery sessions and zoom meetings for question and answer, and sharing experiences. So, we are really looking forward to this – it’s been a joy putting the course together, and we can’t wait for people to get stuck in!
The combination of academic research and culinary practice allows these recipes, from 850 years ago, to come to life, and to inspire modern cooking. And as well they are a fascinating insight into how people lived, and ate, in the past.
eatmedieval 