Old Cookery Books and Ancient Cuisine

Boiled, and perhaps fried meats were served on silver; but roasts might be brought to table on the spit, which, after a while, was often of silver, and handed round for each person to cut what he pleased ; and this was done not only with ordinary meat, but with game, and even with a delicacy like a roast peacock. Of smaller birds, several were broached on one spit. There is a mediaeval story of a husband being asked by his wife to help her to the several parts of a fowl in succession, till nothing was left but the implement on which it had come in, whereupon the man determined she should have that too, and belaboured her soundly with it. At more ceremonious banquets the servants were preceded by music, or their approach from the kitchen to the hall was proclaimed by sound of trumpets. Costly plate was gradually introduced, as well as linen and utensils, for the table ; but the plate may be conjectured to have been an outcome from the primitive trencher , a large slice of bread on which meat was laid for the occupants of the high table, and which was cast aside after use. Etiquette of the Table. 263 Bread served at table was not to be bitten or broken off the loaf, but to be cut ; and the loaf was sometimes divided before the meal, and skilfully pieced together again, so as to be ready for use. INDEX. Acton, Eliza, 17 1 Addington, Surrey, 23a Aigredouce, 57 Albans, St., Abbey of, 208, 233-4 Ale, 183, 205 — Cock, 152 — Elder, 152 — Kentish, 205 Alfred and the cakes, 54 Al-fresco meals, 253-4 Alfric, Colloquy of, 57 Amber puddings, 29, 83 Angelica, 135 Anglo-Danish barbarism, 3 Anglo-Celtic influence, 52 Anglo-Saxon names of meats, 181 Animal food, 8-9, 34 Anthropophagy, 5-7 Apicius, C., 12 Apuleius, 65 Arms and crests on dishes, 42 Arnold’s Chronicle, 61 Arthur, 56, 182, 184-5 Ashen-keys, pickled, 143 Asparagus, 84 Assize of ale, 205 Australian meat, 172 Babies’ Book, 257 Bacon, Lord Keeper, 251 Bag pudding, 184-5-6 Baker, 28, 197-8 — Parisian, 197-8 Bakestone, 35, 21 1 Banbury cake, 29, 83 Bannock, 33 Banquet, order of a fourteenth century, 43 Barba, M., 15 Bardolf, a dish, 57 Bardolph, 245 Bartholomew de Cheney, 232 — St., Hospital of, at Sandwich, 236 Battalia pie, 109 Beef, powdered, 187 — Martlemas, 188 Index , Beer, 26-7, 204-5 — composition of the ancient, Bees, wild, 8 Bellows, 213, 215 Birch wine, 204 Bit and bite, 218 Blackcaps, 85-6 Bolton, Charles, Duke of, 82 Book of St. Albans, 61 Books of demeanour, 256 Branderi, 211 Brass cooking vessels, 21 1 Brawn, 187 Bread, 8, 25-6, 195-7, 2 62 Britons, diet of the, 8 — Northern and Southern, Brittany, 3 Broach or spit turner, 236-7 Broom-buds, pickled, 144 Broth, 3, 23 Bun, 28 Butler, ancient duties of the, 234 Butter, 198 Caerleon, 183 Caesar, evidence of, 9-11, 16, 17 Cakes, 35, 127-32 Calais, 194 Calves, newly-born — removal of, from the mother, while in milk, 8 Cannibalism, 5-6 Carps’ tongues, 13 Carving, terms of, 12 Castelvetri, 199 Caudles and possets, 132-4 Caviary, 199-200 Charlet, 23 Chaucer, G.. 246, 251 Chaworth’s (Lady) pudding, 29 Cheesecakes, Mrs. Leed’s, etc., 29, 127, 191 Cheeses, 125-7 Chimney, kitchen, 210 ChiDa broth, 84