[Bryn-gwlad] forks and fingers

[Marlin Stout]

Coblaith Mhuimhneach wrote:

>We mustn't forget that Rahil's family is Arabic.  When forks made their 
>way to Italy, it was through contact with the Arab world, where they'd 
>been used in one way or another for quite some time.  
>  
>
And, if memory serves me correctly, forks were kept out of Europe for 
some time after Europeans discovered them because some Pope or another 
declared them a 'pagan decadence', or some such. He believed that 
anything God created is good enough to eat with one's fingers.

Silly Popes...

>Most foods can be neatly managed 
>without utensils; the skill requires very little practice.  I've so 
>consumed mashed potatoes and gravy, rice, and cole slaw, for example 
>(not all in one sitting) without making a mess.  They're not period 
>examples, but I doubt pottage would be any different.
>
Also keep in mind that about half of the medieval diet was bread of one 
sort or another. Bread makes a good utensil for soaking up soups or 
other liquid foods, and a good hard bread crust makes a darned good 
spoon. It's practically ideal for soups or stews, and works pretty well 
for oatmeal as well, says the guy who got to an event once and realized 
he forgot spoons...

Charles