SC - Charlemagne - long quotes

[allilyn at juno.com]

>From Einhard: #24.  "He was moderate in his eating and drinking , and
especially so in drinking; for he hated to see drunkenness in any man,,
and even more so in himself and his friends.  all the same, he could not
go long without food, and he often used to complain that fasting made him
feel ill.  He rarely gave banquets and these only on high feast days, but
then he would invite a great number of guests.  His main meal of the day
was served in four courses, in addition to the roast meat which his
hunters used to bring in on spits and which he enjoyed more than any
other food....snip...
He was so sparing in his use of wine and every other beverage that he
rarely drank more than three times in the course of his dinner.  In
summer, after his midday meal, he would eat some fruit and take another
drink;...nap...

EINHARD AND NOTKER THE STAMMERER, TWO LIVES OF CHARLEMAGNE.  Translator,
Lewis Thorpe, Editor: Betty Radice, Penguin Classics, 1969.

There are other references to generous hosting, which implied food in
that time, and for his grand-son, to giving up 'dainty foods' during time
of fasting

Notker, #15.  "Once, when making the same journey, Charlemagne visited
without previous warning a certain bishop whose palace was on his direct
route.  It was the sixth day of the week, and on that day he was not
prepared to eat the flesh of animals or birds.  By the nature of the
place the bishop was unable to provide fish except by previous
arrangement.  He ordered an excellent cheese, white with cream, to be
served to the Emperor.  Charlemagne, who was always moderate in his
demands and ready for anything, no matter what the occasion, ...snip...
He picked up his knife, threw away the skin, which, so he said, was not
edible, and began to eat the white cheese.  Then the bishop, who stood
beside the Emporer to wait upon his wishes, took a step forward and
asked: 'Why do you do that, my Lord Emperor?  You are throwing away the
best part...." snip.....put a piece of the skin in his mouth, chewed
slowly and swallowed it as if it were butter."

.Emperor tries it, agrees [Brie, anyone?]  orders 2 cart-loads for every
year, as good as this cheese.  Bishop doesn't know how to choose the
best, C. says cut in half and check, rejoin with skewer, "collect them in
your cellar..."  [After 3 years, the bishop gets a rich estate for the
church "from which the bishop and his successors could draw as much corn
[grain] and wine as they...need..."

Notker, talking about a greedy bishop, describes a bit of banquet:
""Every imaginable variety of drink, mixed with all kinds of flavoring
and coloring-matter, garlanded with herbs and flowers, which set off the
gleam of the jewels ...snip... At the same time pastry-cooks, roasters of
meat, bakers of fine bread and stuffers of chickens were striving to
stimulate their appetite with the viands which they had prepared with
such artistry;..."

So, you may not use much in the way of spice, except mustard, but there
are herbs--know I have a list somewhere--find it tomorrow, maybe--and
there were stuffed chickens, fine cheese, butter, pastries, breads, game
and other meats, birds, etc.  Decorated as nicely as you like--these were
very civilized people.

Regards,
Allison,     allilyn at juno.com


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