[Sca-cooks] Lenten oils, was Honey Butter?

[A F Murphy]

This brings up a question I had.

What did people in the north use as cooking fats during Lent? They
couldn't use either butter or lard, which I think were otherwise the
standards. The only oil I know about in period (my knowledge not being
extensive) is olive oil, and while that might have been available, how
common would it have been?

Of course, this actually raises another question. As I write this, I
realize I take it for granted that they needed to brown onions, sauté
some foods, pan fry fish...  Did they, actually? I haven't read many
recipes yet, but it occurs to me that I don't think I have encountered
these techniques much, if at all, yet. (Which means nothing, as I said,
I have read very little so far. And I may just be forgetting something.)

Anne



Stefan li Rous wrote:

>
>
>
>I earlier than the 14th Century I would go with something else. In
>southern Europe, you might consider olive oil instead of butter. In
>general butter was a northern Europe item while olive oil was more
>common in the south. This caused some trouble within the Church
>between the North and the South, since butter was resticted at times,
>whereas olive oil wasn't.
>
>