Author Archives: rvmatthews

Nucato: Candied Ginger Honey Nut Clusters

Mele bullito co le noci, detto nucato: Of honey boiled with walnuts, known as nucato. – Libro della cucina del secolo XIV, 77 This is my adaptation of a 14th century Italian recipe for nucato, a ridiculously more-ish snack of crushed walnuts cooked in honey and spices, and cut into bite-size squares. Walnuts have been eatenContinue reading “Nucato: Candied Ginger Honey Nut Clusters”

Planting a Medieval Garden in Hamsterley Village

This weekend Hamsterley village, a tiny, beautiful place located between Teesdale and Weardale, celebrates its annual Flower Festival with a twist. ‘Magna Flora’ is a two-day event to coincide with the celebrations surrounding the 800th anniversary of Magna Carta and in honour of all things medieval, the village have transformed a corner of their MilleniumContinue reading “Planting a Medieval Garden in Hamsterley Village”

Dining at The Jews House, Lincoln

Locating modern restaurants housed in medieval buildings is a great game, but the rules are strict. For a restaurant to sweep the board, the building has to have both retained its medieval character and be well thought out as a modern dining space, and it goes without saying that the food has to be good.Continue reading “Dining at The Jews House, Lincoln”

St Peter Stiftskeller: A dining experience 1200 years in the making

A recent week in Austria to celebrate a friend’s wedding ended with a final evening in Salzberg. Having spent the day soaking up another medieval and early modern palatinate complex in the form of the Festung Hohensalzburg and the incredible cathedral below, and making all sorts of noises about potential comparative studies with Durham’s ownContinue reading “St Peter Stiftskeller: A dining experience 1200 years in the making”

Long Pepper: A short-ish history

Piper longum: ‘We only want it for its bite – and we will go to India to get it! Who was the first to try it with food? Who was so anxious to develop an appetite that hunger [alone] would not do the trick? Pepper and ginger grow wild in their native countries, and yetContinue reading “Long Pepper: A short-ish history”

Medieval food, Scandi-style

Like any medievalist worth their salt, a visit to Stockholm wouldn’t be complete without a peek into the Medeltidsmuseet, the Museum of Medieval Stockholm, located under the Norrbro bridge between the Royal Palace and the Opera House. The museum tells the story of medieval Stockholm from the mid-thirteenth century, and comes complete with excavated graveyard, warship,Continue reading “Medieval food, Scandi-style”