[Sca-cooks] medieval words for breakfast, lunch and dinner

[Ariane H]

phelpsd at gate.net wrote:

> Does anyone recall if there are any breakfast references in the 
> Heptameron?
>
>I've read it in translation and have a copy in a box still yet to be
>unpacked but I do not recall one way or another.
>
>Daniel
>

Funny you should ask...I had to read it this semester. :)  (Although 
"medieval" doesn't apply so much here, it's definitely a Renaissance 
text.)  In the prologue, it says:

"Si tost que le matin fut venu, s'en allerent en la chambre de madame 
Oisille, laquelle trouverent desja en ses oraisons.  Et quant ilz eurent 
oy une bonne heure sa lecon et puis devotement la messe, s'en allerent 
disner a dix heures, et apres se retira chascun en sa chambre pour faire 
ce qu'il avoit a faire."

"Early in the morning, they went into Lady Oisille's room, whom they 
found already at her prayers.  And when they had heard the readings for 
a full hour and then devoutly heard mass, they went to dine at ten 
o'clock, and after that each one retired to his room to do whatever he 
had to do."  (I have to admit that I haven't read the entire book, ony 
the novellas that were assigned for school...none of those mentioned 
food, but there could be references elsewhere.)

So there's a large meal late in the morning (which is also what 
Boccaccio describes) - but if they awoke around sunrise, they would have 
been active for a few hours already by then...  And "diner" is the word 
for eating a substantial meal, not a light breakfast.   On the other 
hand, there's nothing to say that these people (especially since, in 
this case, they are travellers and would have had some provisions with 
them) didn't keep a bit of wine and some bread or biscuits in their 
rooms for snacking on occasionally.  I don't think we can really know 
without finding more explicit references.


Vittoria