[Sca-cooks] oh wow oh wow-- Low Countries Monastery Menu

[jenne at fiedlerfamily.net]

So I was looking through Regional Cuisines of Medieval Europe and
discovered that the article on the Low countries includes Meal Plans of
the ST. John's Commendem, Haarlen, 1570-1572 in translation.

Here's one:
" A nice way of arranging the customary conventual meals:
First, first, whent he mayrers are the gues.
Lay the pull-out table in the great hall which seats 14 people easily.
There are two helpings.
For the first course
1 good piece of salted meat
2 pieces of smoked meat
5 bowls of cow's feet
5 bowls of chopped rumen
5 bowls of rolled rumen
5 bowls of meat hot pot
5 bowls of minced meat
2 bowls of roast spare ribs
1 bowl of bacon
And in case no rumen or cow's feet are available
Sheep's heads and feet are to be served instead. All this as the first
course.
The second course
2 roasted legs of mutton
1 roast aspic[?] or shoulder of mutton
2 roast chickens, 4 roast rabbits
4 bowls of small ducks or other little birds
4 bowls of capers at the banquet [=cold buffet for dessert]
4 bowls of cold pickled pork knuckles
4 bowls of hazelnuts
6 bowls of pancakes and waffles
4 of roasted apples
4 of salad from lettuce or chopped red cabbage
5 bowls of goodies [four seed, literally, but probably a miswriting of the
word for dainties]
3 of thick rice milk, 4 of cake rings
4 of chestnuts
When served this way, it is delicious.

If you can afford this book, go out and buy it. Yes, the Italian and some
of the French articles aren't great. But the others are quite good
secondary sources from what I can see. And the meal plans are worth it.

-- Jadwiga Zajaczkowa   jenne at fiedlerfamily.net
"Words can be your friend or your enemy, depending on who's
throwing the book, so watch your language." Stoppard