[Sca-cooks] Bayeux Tapestry (wasGrilling was Sweating meat)
JIMCHEVAL at aol.com
JIMCHEVAL at aol.com
Mon Apr 15 20:23:25 PDT 2013
The relevant portion appears here, and is reasonably well-explicated.
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/domesday/world-of-domesday/food.htm
Otherwise, starting at left there is what might be a cauldron, though it's
not being black raises the possibility that it might be part of the animal
itself being used to cook - several groups, including the early Scots, did
this when on the march.
The next servant is holding a tray and a flesh hook - used to retrieve meat
from the pot. These are old enough to be mentioned in the Bible and could
be ornate enough to suggest their use as something like a scepter:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flesh_hook
The portable stove between him and the next servant probably was not a
grill (that is, a gridiron), but I admit I'm fuzzy on these, beyond they're
allowing small items to be heated when no permanent hearth was available.
I tend to think of a spit as being a more substantial construction, though
I suppose the arrows here used to cook the fowl would be considered spits
as well (is there no word for a smaller one?).
One interesting touch is that the roast fowl are being handed off to men
(no doubt lords) who are using their shields as tables.
Behind them a servant is "horning the water" - that is, summoning people
to wash their hands and eat.
The fact that the King and bishop etc are seated at a sigma (curved table)
is interesting, but it's been suggested that this echoes iconography from
Byzantine imagery and perhaps should not be taken literally. Note that even
these high-status people are eating completely with their hands - some with
amusing alacrity, despite the royal presence.
And of course there's a wine-bearer (echanson) in the foreground. Very
often these were beautiful young boys (including one future saint), make of
that what you will.
The servant's raised hand no doubt has a specific meaning - that the task
is unfinished?
Beyond that, anyone who REALLY wants to dig into this has their pick of
works:
_https://www.google.com/search?q=%22bayeux+tapestry%22+&btnG=Search+Books&tb
m=bks&tbo=1_
(https://www.google.com/search?q="bayeux+tapestry"+&btnG=Search+Books&tbm=bks&tbo=1)
Jim Chevallier
_www.chezjim.com_ (http://www.chezjim.com/)
A History of Coffee and Other Refreshments in Early Modern France
by Pierre Le Grand d'Aussy
In a message dated 4/15/2013 12:29:12 P.M. Pacific Daylight Time,
t.d.decker at att.net writes:
The Bayeux Tapestry shows what appears to be grilling and spit roasting.
It
also shows what appears to be a two prong fork for handling meat.
Bear
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