With most of the people I talk with about things medieval,
any glimmer of interest they have is satisfied by a sentence or two of
describing research I’ve done, books I’ve enjoyed, or
places and people I find intriguing. If I go on, more often than not their eyes
begin to glaze, they feel a sudden need for something from the kitchen, or spot
another person they meant to talk with. Papal politics of the late 13th
century seems to leave them cold.
I shared my excitement with some friends after attending the
International Congress on Medieval Studies in Kalamazoo, Michigan as a treat
for my fiftieth birthday. One friend stared, incredulous, as I described the
delights of the world’s largest gathering of medieval historians. “When I
turned fifty,” she said, “I went to Disneyland.”
Same thing, really. To me.
Count Thomas the Heartless Bastard and Lady Winnifred the Longsuffering, with Brother Vern and the hostess, Lady Alessandra of Frykhaven |
Perhaps you should know that I don’t take readily to playing
dress up myself. My husband is the actor—in fact he is on stage tonight in the
leading role of a play about Vince Lombardi, the legendary football coach. But
I was determined to be as medieval as I reasonably could, and began sewing a
bodice as the basis of a costume I planned to wear. Then I found some maroon
Naugahyde and made a hat, and ordered a costume Vern chose: a Franciscan monk’s
robe.
The menu was developed mainly from sources on the internet,
and was provided to the guests.
* First Remove *
Bread, butter, blackberry jam
Cheese selection
Figs and dates
* Second Remove *
Roast Chicken with Cameline Sauce
Wortes in Marrow Boats
Gingerbread and walnuts
* Third Remove *
Pork loin with Blackberry Sauce
Frumenty
Brie Tarts
Pickled onions
Sotelte
* Fourth Remove *
Blackberry-Apple Crumble
Blackberry Pie
Apple Rice Pudding
St. Michael slaying the dragon; Source - Wiki Commons |
The menu called for some additional explanations of medieval
food. What is frumenty, anyway? It’s a cracked wheat dish, something like
bulgur, though I omitted the porpoise one recipe called for. Cameline sauce? A
spicy wine sauce thickened with bread crumbs. Wortes are green leafy
vegetables, and I served them in giant zucchini (marrow) boats.
The costumed revelers enjoyed the feast perhaps a bit more than the others! |
Perhaps you are wishing—I certainly am!—that I had taken photos of the food, but sadly I did not. I was distracted by the demands of serving a four course meal to 35 guests. But neither the guest list nor the menu need to be so elaborate, to create a fun evening when your medieval enthusiasms can have free reign. And there are plenty of feast days throughout the year to play with.
I also prepared a quiz of ten questions about Michaelmas.
1. Michaelmas has been
celebrated since:
a. Daniel prophesied about
Michael (Daniel Chapter 10).
b. he appeared to an
Italian bishop in 492 on Mount Gargano.
c. the French chivalric
“Order of St. Michael” was founded in 1469.
d. Michaelmas daisies were
discovered in Africa.
2. The traditional meat for
Michaelmas is:
a. rabbit stew b.
wild boar c. goose d.
venison
3. Michaelmas was one of
the medieval “quarter days” of the year when:
a. rents were collected
b. debts were paid
c. fairs were held
d. all of the above
4. The angel Michael is
known for:
a. leading the worship of
God in heaven.
b. announcing Mary’s
pregnancy to her.
c. wrestling with Jacob.
d. casting Satan out of
Heaven.
5. Michaelmas marked:
a. the end of fishing
season.
b. the completion of the
annual harvest.
c. the beginning of winter
curfew.
d. the time to hire new
servants and laborers.
6. True or False? Michael is recognized in Christian, Jewish,
Islamic, and New Age religions.
7. True or False? The name Michael means “Who is like God?”
8. True or False? Michael is commonly depicted is artwork with
a raised sword, holding Satan to the ground with his foot on Satan’s neck.
9. True
or False? “Harvest Moon” is the full
moon nearest to Michaelmas.
10. True or
False? Michael is the patron saint of
England, grocers, paratroopers, the German people, soldiers, the city of
Brussels, Papua New Guinea, and the Archdiocese of Seattle, Washington.
The kitchen staff, Vassal Braden von Dungeness and Sir Soren of Queen Anne, provided vital help with serving the meal. |
(Answers to the quiz: 1-b, 2-c, 3-d, 4-d, 5-b, 6-T, 7-T, 8-T, 9-T (but keyed
to equinox, not the feast), 10-F (but yes to grocers, paratroopers, Brussels, and
Papua New Guinea)