As a self-proclaimed ‘foodie’ with a thirst for historical knowledge, the evolution of our dining table has always fascinated me.
Throughout this blog series, I’ll be delving into the best and worst of our culinary past, looking for historic recipes and eating habits of yesteryear; from the packed banquet halls of Henry VIII to the famine of the French Revolution.
Come with me as I take you on an edible journey through time, exploring the customs and traditions of the time.
Tudor period
We are beginning our Time Series with the Tudor period; or specifically the reign of Henry VIII.
1509-1547
We are all familiar with perhaps the most famous monarch in history. His reign saw England secede from Rome, the formation of Parliament, the foundations of our modern Royal Mail and, of course, his six wives.
But what happened to the English palette in the 36 years that Henry VIII ruled?
When Henry succeeded his brother to the throne in 1509, he inherited a united country behind the monarchy, stable finances, and his brother’s wife.
Fruit was a constant feature on a Tudor table, with options ranging from those that could be grown in England, such as apples, pears, cherries, plums, and strawberries, to those that were imported from Spain after the arrival of Queen Catherine. from Aragon.
The pomegranate became the symbol of his house and was instrumental in the popularity of oranges at court. Records show that Henry, in particular, loved oranges; have them readily available to eat fresh and preserved like jam.
Cardinal Wolsey cultivated orchards at Hampton Court for the King’s consumption.
English food may not have appealed to the new Spanish queen, who would have been used to Mediterranean tastes and cuisine, heavily influenced by the Moorish community and their use of exotic spices and fresh vegetables.
In my search for recipes from this period, I have come across this one from 15th century Andalusia; the autonomous community in southern Spain near Katherine’s native Granada.
Recipe for Thumlyya, a dish with garlic
An Andalusian recipe from the 15th century
Taken from ‘How to Milk an Almond, Stuff an Egg, and Assemble a Turnip: A Thousand Years of Recipes’
by David Friedman and Elizabeth Cook
Ingredients:
5 oz garlic 1 cup ginger
1 h ¼ t of cloves
6 tablespoons of oil of 15 saffron threads
½ teaspoon salt ½ cup whole almonds
½ teaspoon of pepper? c crushed almond
1 cup of cinnamon ¼ cup of murri
2 tablespoons of lavender -1 cup of flour – water
‘Take a chubby chicken and take out what’s inside, clean it and put it aside. Then take four uquias (ounces) of peeled garlic and mash them until they are like brains, and mix with what comes out of the interior of the chicken. Fry in enough oil to cover, until the smell of garlic comes out. Mix this with the chicken in a clean pot with salt, pepper, cinnamon, lavender, ginger, cloves, saffron, whole shelled almonds, both crushed and whole, and a bit of murri (there is no modern recipe for murri, which is similar to Chinese soy sauce). Seal the pot with the dough, place it in the oven and leave it until it is ready. Then take it out and open the pot, because its contents are on a clean plate and an aromatic smell will come out of it and perfume the area.’
As Henry’s reign progressed, his well-documented affair with Anne Boleyn began. Anne spent much of her youth at the French court, first accompanying Henry’s 18-year-old sister Marguerite on her journey to France to marry King Louis XII.
Henry and Anne’s affair lasted for seven years before their infamous break with the Roman Catholic Church and their eventual marriage. His French influences would have played an important role in the changing tastes and customs of the court.
In the 15th century, bread and cheese were a staple in French cuisine, meats and fruits were considered fit for royalty, and vegetables were considered a peasant fare.
Pears stewed in wine were often eaten as a “finale” to a meal, which may have been adopted by the English after Anne Boleyn became queen.
A day in the life of Henry VIII’s stomach
Henry often started his day with pike, plaice, roach, butter and eggs and chose to eat with 30 of his courtiers around 10 a.m.
So Henry would have had the choice of at least 13 freshly cooked dishes at every lunch and dinner, choosing from a wide variety of cakes, meats, porridges, jellies and fritters, all cooked by his personal chef, Pero Doux.
One of the staples of Tudor cooking was spit-roasted meats. Pig, lamb, venison: they would be on the spit day after day, ready to serve the king and his court.
More unusual meats were reserved for banquets and occasions such as swan, peacock, heron, and venison.
Despite his growing stomach, Henry and England adhered to the strict rule of fasting on Fridays and Saturdays and sometimes on Wednesdays, which prohibited eating meat and only allowed fish. During the Lenten period (March 2 – April 14) butter, eggs and dairy products were also prohibited.
To disobey the rule of fasting was to risk a charge of heresy, however, fasting did not mean that Henry ate less than usual.
Any other day was considered a ‘meat day’. Below is an example of what Henry would have expected to see on sale.
DECLARATION OF THE PARTICULAR ORDINANCES OF RATES FOR ALLOWANCES
TO BE SERVED TO THE HIGHNESS OF THE KING, TO THE GRACE OF THE QUEEN, AND TO THE SIDES,
WITH THE HOME, AND THEREFORE.
THE DIET FOR THE KING’S MAJESTY AND THE QUEEN’S GRACE, OF EQUAL FARE,
IN ALL TWO MESSES, AS FOLLOWS.
ON A DAY OF MEAT
DINNER. SUPER.
Cheat Bread and Manchett, 16 Cheat Bread and Manchett, 16
Beate and Ale, 6 Gal Beate and Ale, 6 Gal
wyne wyne
Meat for Stew 8 Meat for Stew 8
Loins of Beef 8 Chickens at Crimary, Larkes
Rammeners in Stew, or Cap 6 Sparrows or Lambe,
Venison in brewz or mult 4 stewed with 13 chynes
Reed Deere 2 Lamb Pestles
Lamb 6 Giggots of Lamb or Venison
Carps or Yong Veale in — -son, stopped with Cloves 6
Arm’, forced 1 Capons 4
Swanne 1 Conyes 2
Capons 2 Phesant, Herne, Shove-
Conyes 1 – Bacon 4
Fryanders, baked carp 1 Roosters, plovers or seagulls 2
Custard with garnish 12 Sweet Dowcetts or Orange 10
or fritters 8 quinces or pipes 2
Along with recognizable options, the Tudors enjoyed many delicacies that would raise an eyebrow or two today.
Grilled beaver tail would be served on most Fridays, as the Tudors classified the beaver as a fish. The whale and porpoise were boiled or roasted and were Catherine of Aragon’s favourites.
From fast to peasant
When the king and the people of the court consumed an immeasurable amount of calories, the poorer people of England had a much simpler menu.
Meat was in short supply for the everyday Tudor peasant, so fresh vegetables, bread and ales were the staples. The stew arises throughout history in many varieties, and the meatiest stew is even served to the King.
Basic vegetable and porridge porridge would have been a regular sight at the dinner table for those not at court. Similar to our stews today, the recipe is simple and easy to follow.
Soup
Ingredients:
½ onion
Vegetables (the ones you prefer: carrot, parsnip, cabbage, leek, etc.)
300 ml broth (or just warm water for the average farmer)
Herbs (such as parsley, mint, rosemary, thyme, and sage, which were readily available)
1 teaspoon pepper
4 tablespoons oatmeal porridge
bread (optional)
method
Prepare the vegetables (peel them and cut them the thickness you want).
Soften the onions in a skillet before adding other vegetables.
Cover with broth or warm water until they begin to soften.
Add a good handful of herbs, salt and pepper.
Raise the heat and let cook.
When the water starts to boil add the oats. Cook for 4-5 minutes until everything is combined.
Eat alone or with bread.
six wives
Wrapping up our Tudor journey, I’ll focus on perhaps the most famous element of Henry VIII’s reign: his wives.
Each wife has her own backstory and tragic life, whether they were divorced, beheaded, died, or survived. But what were her favorite things to eat from her?
Catherine of Aragon. Dec 1485 – Jan 1536 Divorced
In addition to the native fruit from her Spanish roots, Katherine liked to eat boiled whale.
Anne Boleyn Jul 1501 – May 1536 beheaded
It was reported that Anne had a fondness for certain fruits such as damson plums, plums, and strawberries. During one of her pregnancies, she had a ‘raging desire to eat apples’
Jane Seymour 1509 – Died Oct 1537
Henry spared no expense to keep Jane happy. When she had a craving for quail eggs during her pregnancy, Henry had a box festooned with the delicacies sent to her from Calais.
Anne of Cleeves Sep 1515 – Jul 1557 Divorced
One popular German treat that Anne may have enjoyed was ‘Gefuellte Semmeln’. A bread roll, filled with jam/marmalade, covered in sugar and spices and fried in egg yolks.
Katheryn Howard 1523 – Feb 1542 Beheaded
The young queen may not have adapted well to the customs of the court. Described as childish and naive, Katheryn liked to snack on marchpane, little almond balls, a sugary snack similar to marzipan.
Catherine Parr Aug 1512 – Sep 1548 survived
A popular sweet at the time was ‘Maids of Honor’. A predecessor to modern cheesecake, made with cottage cheese, often found at court and possibly enjoyed by the queen.
Look out for my next trip to the dining room tables of days gone by!