SC - Serving Temperature of Food

[Decker, Terry D.]

The thread on Boston Market got me thinking about re-heated chicken.  Many
of the feasts I have attended had prepared dishes re-heated and served, yet
on what evidence is the food served hot?  Chicken today is commonly served
hot or cold.  Why would people in peiod only serve it hot?

A quick run through Platina, yields this from Book IV.21;

"Besides, as in winter we more safely eat warm food, in summer, cold; as in
summer, kid and chicken, acid and cold; in winter, squab, warm and dry; in
autumn, quail and figpeckers; in spring, little birds taken from the nest
after they have put forth feathers; in winter, thrushes and blackbirds."

Considering this in the light of humoral theory, a cook might want to serve
"cold" foods hot to help off-set the humors.  By the same logic, "hot" or
"warm" foods might be served cold.  

Some dishes, like frumenty, are best hot.  Others are best cold. 

What evidence, if any, is there for the serving temperature of foods which
need to be cooked, but can be eaten either hot or cold?

Bear