SC - Re: Started as viking barley bread- now did Vikings drink milk

[ChannonM at aol.com]

In a message dated 7/12/00 9:39:16 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
owner-sca-cooks at ansteorra.org writes:

> An interesting point. Was milk drunk as a common beverage? I'm sure it
>  was consumed quite a bit in Scandinavian areas (that's one reason why
>  the Innuits wiped out a Viking trading village in Greenland. They had
>  been given milk as a drink and the lactose intolerant natives thought they
>  had been poisoned.) but what about the Continent or England?
>  

When researching a 12th C Irish feast I included the Viking influence and 
read Egil's Saga. There are several food references in it and one that 
touches on milk in particular

Finally, after the death of his sons, Egil discusses with his daughter and he 
says;

<<“So worketh it with one that eateth dulse, thirsteth he aye the more for 
that (water)”
“Wilt thou drink, father?” saith she.
He took it, and swallowed a big draught, and that was in a beast’s horn.
Then spake Thorgerd: “ Now are we cheated! This is milk”. 
Then bit Egil a shard out of the horn, all that his teeth took hold on, and 
there with cast down the horn.>>  


So, milk anyone?

I guess it  wouldn’t be be wise to serve it to this Viking.

Hauviette