[Sca-cooks] Spanish menu

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

On 17 Oct 2002, at 10:21, Mark Calderwood wrote:

> I'm having a little trouble working out what order a menu from
> renaissance Spain would follow
{snip]
> Anyone have any sources or know how this works?
>
> Giles

Well, yes.  Nola has this to say:

On How You Ought to Put Foods on the Table

The first thing that you should put on the table is the saltcellar, and
then the napkins and the knives; and this is after the lord has
finished washing.  And remove the towel with which he dried his
hands, with a very gracious bowing of your knee, well executed.
And on a plate put the bread, and a napkin; and a knife, kissing it if
the lord is of a rank to have tasting done for him.  And if other
gentlemen are eating at his table, give each one his napkin and
bread without bowing to any of them, except the lord.  Except if the
eldest son or sons of some grandees are eating with him, for you
should bow to such as these, and serve their dishes covered.  And
kiss the napkin, and give it to him.

And you ought to change the lord's napkin each time he drinks,
bringing the plate covered.  And at the time that give the napkin,
uncover the plate, and kiss the napkin.  And give it to him.

You also should give a napkin with each pottage.  And serve the
foods degree by degree, it is to be understood:
First the fruit, and after it the pottage, and then the roast.  Then
another pottage, and the boiled dish after the pottage -- unless it is
blangmanger, because this pottage should be served at the
beginning, after the fruit.

There are some lords who eat the boiled dish at the beginning, and
then the roast; if there is a fritter, it should be served as the
dessert, according to what it may be, and then the other fruit, and
this is the form and manner of service, according to the custom of
the court of the king my lord.

--------

You might also want to look at the menu posted here:
http://www.jimena.com/cocina/apartados/nobleza.htm#menu

I am planning to do something similar at my feast in January.  Note
that "Comer higos a la francesa" (Nola recipe #100) is
recommended as a good dish for the beginning of a meal.









































































Brighid ni Chiarain *** mka Robin Carroll-Mann
Barony of Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom
rcmann4 at earthlink.net