[Sca-cooks] seagulls

[Johnna Holloway]

C, Anne Wilson in Food & Drink in Britain mentions that they ate various
gulls in pre-historic England. They also ate the eggs of course.
This practice of eating gulls
continued until  roughly the 18th century. By that time tastes had 
changed and gulls,
cranes, and herons were found to be too fishy.
Places long associated with eating gulls and other seabirds were those
communities on the coast and those that lived in the islands off 
Scotland of course. St. Kilda gets mentioned.
Mason & Brown in Traditional Foods of Britain note that black-headed 
gulls' eggs
are still gathered. It requires a special license and the season runs 
for 4 weeks
in late March.

Johnnae


Stefan li Rous asked
> Were seagulls eaten in period? I assume they were, but I imagine they  
> taste like fish considering their environment. But apparently weren't  
> considered fish under the medieval fish day restrictions.
> But then I've not eaten Pelican, either.
> Stefan
>