[Sca-cooks] Newspaper reporter needs help with story

[Pat]

Hail, Lord Mael.  We met briefly at Gulf Wars.  
1.) That it was common practice in the Middle Ages for cooks to cover the taste of rotten food/meat with spices.
A. It is unlikely because
B. It doesn't work and 
C. Spices cost more than fresh food.
2.) That most diners in the Middle Ages were unmannerly, unclean louts.
A. Then, as now, most people did their best to observe the manners of the day.  There were schools of manners for pages, and books on the subject.
B. Cleanliness was important to most noble diners.  They often carried their own napery, and handwashing was an important ritual beginning to many feasts.  
3. Due to concerns about cholesterol, modern diners consume a lot less meat than diners did then.
4.) In 14th century France, or indeed throughout most of the time and geograpy of the period, steak was available at most meals, you simply needed to tell your host or your squire what you wanted carved from the roast.

Patrick ODonnell <patrickscribe at yahoo.com> wrote:
1) What would you consider the main mundane misconceptions about medieval food?
2) What is the most common -but wrong - way medieval feasts are depicted?
3) What is the true most important difference between modern food and medieval food?
4) What is the closest thing to a steak available in the Middle Ages? If we need to be specific, try 14th C France)

Patrick/Mael Patraic 



Pat Griffin
Lady Anne du Bosc
known as Mordonna the Cook
Shire of Thorngill, Meridies
Mundanely, Millbrook, AL