[Sca-cooks] ELIZABETHAN KITCHEN

[Terry Decker]

Although there are a great many variables, I think a better case can be made
for a steadily improving and varied diet (based on economic factors) between
the 14th and 16th Centuries improving the general health followed by an
economically induced decline (general inflation followed by
industrialization) and large scale warfare in the Early Modern period which
continued until the dietary costs were reduced by reducing the costs of
production and transportation in the 20th Century.  Braudel provides the
easiest source for this argument and his bibliography provides more detailed
references.

Bear

>If I remember correctly, one of the things that came out in the book
>was that the physical condition of folks early in the Middle Ages was
>fairly good, deteriorating as folks moved into cities, including
>decreases in height. Then things gradually improved again with the
>greatest gains being in the last century.
>Stefan