[Sca-cooks] Anyone into Hanseatic traditions?

Terry Decker t.d.decker at att.net
Thu Jun 6 21:46:43 PDT 2013



> Giano asked:
> <<< Is anyone here (other than me) pursuing research into Hanseatic 
> cookery? I got a copy of a museum catalogue (Die L?becker K?che,. L?beck 
> 1985 covering medieval to contemporary, with strong emphasis on 1350-1600) 
> looking for a good home.? >>>
>
> I'm not, but can you define for me what you mean by "Hanseatic cookery"? I 
> thought the Hanseatic League was a set of different cultures and groups 
> spread across the Baltic that was more a trade organization than a single 
> culture. What is unique among these groups to be a culture? How far back 
> from the coast did it extend?
>
> Thanks,
>   Stefan

The Hanseatic League was a trade organization originating in Lubeck formed 
primarily of German merchants from independent German cities technically in 
fealty to the Holy Roman Emperor.  The Hansa negotiated trade treaties (with 
the occasional warfare) with the Scandinavian countries and dealt with 
German colonies in Latvia, Estonia (all of the major cities of the Livonian 
Confederation became members of the Hansa) and Russia.  England had isolated 
Hansa factories (much like the foreign compounds at Shanghai).  Belgium and 
Holland had some cities that joined the Hansa.

Hanseatic influence extended at least as far inland as Cologne and Dresden.

Hanseatic culture was that of an international guild operating under a 
general set of guidelines and rules, but without strong oversight and 
enforcement.  The key element tying all of these member cities together was 
trade and the language of trade, Middle Low German.

The catalog above, rather than being generally Hanseatic, is specifically 
for Lubeck, the central city of the Hanseatic League.

Bear 




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