[Sca-cooks] Yet another German Feast

[Terry Decker]

There are a couple of studies of 14th and 15th Century locales which place 
bread (or more correctly, grain consumption primarily as bread) consumption 
at an average of 2 and 1/2 pounds per person per day.  This is at a time 
when the use of bread trenchers is falling off.  In beer and ale drinking 
regions, add grain equivalent to a gallon of brew per person per day 
average.

Many illustrations from the 11th through the 15th Centuries show loaves of 
bread on the table, often obviously before the service of a course.  At 
least one shows one of the people at the table slicing bread from a loaf. 
Trenchers were cut before being brought to the table.

The idea that there wasn't much bread served at a meal is a statement by 
someone who is either interested in seige dining or hasn't done their 
homework.

Bear

> I have heard of bread being put out early, but was this eatin' bread or 
> platen' bread?
> i.e....for trenchers? I know bread was served at all meals but was it put 
> out before
> for eating or was it just set out for when the food came?
>
> Geez....I'm beginning to sound like Stefan here.
>
> Gunthar