[Sca-cooks] Tableware

[Mercy Neumark]

>The wooden plate thing sort of bothers me personally.  Unless you >were
>dirt
>poor, after the 11th century, most merchant,upper class lords and >ladies
>ether ate off metal plates or had pottery

>Really?  Much of my research indicates that in 12th century England and
>France, they rarely used plates, but used trenchers instead, and that >that
>practice carried over for well over a century afterwards.  Certainly >there
>are trenchers shown in, among other places, the feasting scenes of the >Duc
>de
>Berry's book of hours, which is 14th century, I believe, and depicts
> >banquets
>served for nobles.

My Italian Maiolica book stated this and it was a very generalized
statement.  It was covering england and france as well.  I'll try to get the
UPC for you since the title is Italian Maiolica as my memory serves.  There
are examples in museums of said 11th century plates and later, so while I do
know trenchers were used, perhaps they were used on and off because you
wouldn't want a trencher when eating something you are cutting, would you?
I can see stews, soups and liquidy things, but other stuff?  Not sure.

I'll try to find other sources as well, since most of my stuff is onesided
from a potter's POV and you know how WE are. ;)

--Arte

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