[Sca-cooks] I Tried a Medieval Diet, and also watered wine

[Solveig Throndardottir]

Noble Cooks!

> Actually, I doubt that most water was boiled before use. Fuel for fires was expensive so you didn't use it for something that didn't immediately have a use - food, heat, laundry, etc.  In addition, we don't find instructions to boil water before using it for parts of recipes - but we have accounts of people buying and selling water that was presumably potable.

I very much agree about the expense of fuel. However, I would discount the use for laundry. I suspect that a lot of laundry was done with cold water. I have helped wash dishes with cold water and rice husks in modern Japan. Basically, you would not burn fuel without good and sufficient cause.

Your Humble Servant
Solveig Throndardottir
Amateur Scholar