[Sca-cooks] salt trenchers

Terry Decker t.d.decker at att.net
Mon May 2 15:19:39 PDT 2011


Caveat.  The feast for Archbishop Nevill took place in 1466, by which time 
the use of trenchers had declined significantly.  The description of their 
use to hold salt may or may not represent a common use.

Bread trenchers appear between 10th and 11th Centuries.  The use begins to 
decline in the late 13th Century and by the 15th Century it appears to be 
primarily ceremonial.  General use is limited mostly to the great noble 
houses with lesser wealthy persons using them for special occasions.  The 
quadrant of trenchers described in the inthronization of Archbishop Nevill 
is likely similar to the woodcut in the Schatzbehalter.  The use of four 
trencher slices would have been limited to the highest ranking people at the 
feast.

Bear

> Antiquitates culinariae or Curious tracts relating to the culinary affairs 
> ...
>
> By Richard Warner, pp 103
>
> The head of the page says "The inthronization of Archbishop Nevill page 
> 103

> Theadora





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