Medieval Foods and Feasts

January

mending and making tools, repairing fences showers

February

carting manure and marl showers

March

ploughing and spreading manure dry, no severe frosts

April

spring sowing of seeds, harrowing showers and sunshine

May

digging ditches, first ploughing of fallow fields showers and sunshine

June

hay making, second ploughing of fallow field, sheep-shearing dry weather

Month Work that needed to be done Weather the farmer wanted

August Harvesting warm, dry weather

September

threshing, ploughing and pruning fruit trees showers

October

Last ploughing of the year dry, no severe frosts

November

collecting acorns for pigs showers and sunshine

December

Mending and making tools, killing animals showers and sunshine

Month Work that needed to be done Weather the farmer wanted

July

hay making, sheep-shearing, weeding of crops dry early, showers later

Weeding Garden 1,960 Calories in 8 hr

Standing - moderate/heavy work 1,742 Calories in 8 hr

Hauling - water (e.g., on farm) 1,960 Calories in 8 hr

Cultivating Garden 1,470 Calories in 6 hr

Chopping Wood - occupation, fast 5,552 Calories in 6 hr

Farming - animal care, general 2,613 Calories in 8 hr

Sawing - hardwood, by hand (carpentry) 3,266 Calories in 8 hr

Forking Bales of Hay 3,484 Calories in 8 hr

Farming - shearing sheep 2,613 Calories in 8 hr

Farming - chasing livestock, walking 1,524 Calories in 8 hr

Digging - ditches 3,701 Calories in 8 hr

Chopping Wood - occupation, fast 7,403 Calories in 8 hr

Breakfast dark bread (probably made of rye)

ale to drink.

Dinner

ploughman's lunch" eaten in the fields

dark bread and cheesemaybe some meat

flask of ale to drink.

Supper

vegetable pottage with luck some meat or fish

Bread

ale

Breakfast

white bread; three meat dishes; three fish dishes

wine or ale to drink.

Dinner

three courses but each course might have between four to six courses in it!

meat and fish wine and ale

It is likely that only small parts from each dish were eaten with the rest meant to be thrown away -  though the lord's kitchen workers and servants might be able to help

themselves if the lord was not looking!

Supper

very similar to the dinner but with slightly more unusual dishes such as

pigeon pie, woodcock (bird) Sturgeon (fish) Wine and ale

white bread; three meat dishes; three fish dishes

wine or ale to drink.

three courses but each course might have between four to six courses in it!

meat and fish wine and ale

It is likely that only small parts from each dish were eaten with the rest meant to be thrown away - 

though the lord's kitchen workers and servants might be able to help themselves if the lord was not

looking!

very similar to the dinner but with slightly more unusual dishes such as

pigeon pie, woodcock (bird) Sturgeon (fish) Wine and ale

Menu Turkey Legs

Beef and Bean Stew

Roman Macaroni

Bread Soft Pretzels

Turnips Apple Tarts

Invitation:

Please join us at midday on the sixteenth of December to celebrate …..