The Medieval Kitchen Recipes from France and Italy

The Medieval Kitchen Recipes from France and Italy

An English-language edition of La Gastronomie au Moyen Age: 160 Recettes de France et d’Italie, published in Paris in 1993, this volume of medieval recipes adapted for the modern cook is both usable and informative. Redon (Univ. of Paris), Fran?ois Sabban (L’Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales, Paris), and Silvano Serventi, an independent researcher, have combined their knowledge of languages, food, and history to create this fascinating collection of 153 recipes, ranging from soups and pasta to meats, sauces, and desserts. Each recipe is presented in its original form, in translation, and adapted for modern cooks. A brief passage also explains the significance of the recipe and its relation to other dishes. Although it is not the only title covering medieval cookery (see, e.g., Madeleine Cosman’s Fabulous Feasts: Medieval Cookery and Ceremony, LJ 1/15/77), this well-organized and entertaining work is recommended for specialized food or medieval collections in large public and academic libraries.AMary Martin, CAPCON Lib. Network, Washington, DC
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Timeless recipes
This is a well researched and written cookbook. It gives the history of what items were available at the particular time in the Middle Ages and how they were used in various recipes. Other historical culinary tidbits are included and are quite interesting and informative.

The dishes made from these recipes are quite delicious and make it worth hunting out some of the more difficult to find ingredients. Where possible, alternative ingredients are suggested. It is especially enjoyable - when your guests exclaim their pleasure over a tasty dish - to inform them of the antiquity of the recipe.

This book makes an excellent gift for those cooks who especially enjoy history. I highly recommend The Medieval Kitchen to anyone with an adventuresome culinary spirit.

4 Stars Delightful but incomplete
This book is as good as all the other reviewers say, but didn’t they eat breakfast in the Middle Ages? The book should be retitled - Medieval Dinners.

5 Stars An excellent resource
My mother gave me The Medi