Wortes and all: Medieval cooking

This article is from Current Archaeology issue 422

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REVIEW BY RP

Have you ever wondered about the ancestor of the quiche? How about the origins of French toast? Who do we need to thank for the improvement of English cheese-making? Emma Kay has been foraging for tasty titbits about culinary traditions throughout the medieval period, and has served up this interesting morsel of a book. The short volume is divided into sections based on food types, taking the reader through a banquet that begins with a soupy starter – served with a side of bread – before negotiating meats, sauces, and vegetables, and making sure to leave room for a final chapter on dessert. While there are some occasional editorial issues, this book is an interesting and informative introduction to medieval food. And, if all this culinary talk has got you hungry for more, the book is full of recipes to try, supplemented by images of the author’s own efforts at making the medieval meals she has dedicated her research to!

Wortes and all: Medieval cooking
Emma Kay
Amberley (£15.99)
ISBN 978-1398110991

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