Anglo Saxon Food and Drink
The Anglo-Saxons enjoyed both their food and
drink; often eating meals in the great hall (a building
in the centre of the village). Food was often cooked
over a large fire in the middle of the house. At large
gatherings and feasts, musicians played during the
meal and people told stories. Most Anglo-Saxon
meals included freshly baked bread, which was made
much the same way as it is today. Stew was one of
Saxons cooking their dinner
the most commonly eaten meals by the common
people. It would have been made from whatever
vegetables were available. Some of the meals eaten
by the Anglo-Saxon nobility consisted of up to 12 courses! The Saxons ate with
spoons and sharp knives.
Crops
Most Saxons were farmers, eating their
own crops. Meat was tricky to get as wild
animals could only be hunted and killed by
those whose land they were on. Also
specific hunting tools would be required.
So in order to be self-sufficient, most
Saxons tended to be vegetarians.
Cabbages, carrots, parsnips, onions and
beans were the most commonly used
vegetables being boiled or fried. Parsnips
were used to sweeten food. Although
Did you know carrots were purple in
cereals wheat, rye, barley and oats) were Saxon times?
grown, the potato was unknown to the
Saxons and not part of their diet. The Saxons wanted their food to taste nice so
spices were used to add flavour to food. Some historians think that Dill, thyme and
coriander may have been grown.
Wild fruit such as berries, were popular with the Saxons, along with apples. Some
historians think that apples may have been used to make cider.
Animals
Most meat eaten by Saxons came from animals
which had more than one use. Sheep were kept
for their wool and meat, cows for their milk,
sinews (a tough piece of tissue which attaches
muscle to bone like a tendon or ligament) and
hides (for leather). Their horns were used as
cups, for fastenings and had many other uses.
Even the bone was used for knife handles,
needles, belt ends, pins for hair and clothing!
Goats were mainly kept for their meat and milk.
Only pigs seem to have been raised purely for
their meat. It is not clear whether horses were killed for meat or kept purely as
riding animals and beasts of burden. The act of eating horse meat was regarded as a
pagan thing to do and very much frowned upon. So much so that laws were passed to
prevent this from happening. Rabbits were not eaten as rabbits were not established
in England until after the Norman Conquest in the mid to late 12th Century.
Hens, of course, provided eggs as well as meat for the pot, as did ducks and geese.
Their hollow bones were used for musical pipes and sometimes jewellery. Various wild
birds were eaten too, such as ducks, plover, grouse, herons and geese. Where possible,
deer were hunted for meat, skins and antlers were important trophies, along with wild
boar tusks for the hunter.
Animal fat was prized, Saxons used to make glue and candles from tallow (cooked
animal fat).
Did you know rubbing tallow onto clothing or materials would also ‘waterproof’ it?
Fish
Fish was popular source of food in Anglo-Saxon England and it was eaten fresh, or
preserved by salting, smoking or drying. Most Saxons also ate a lot of shellfish as
well, possibly trading uneaten shellfish to other tribes.
Drink
The Saxons liked to drink ale and mead (a sweet alcoholic drink made
from honey). Historians also thought that Saxons made their own
cider from apples. Wine was expensive as it had to be imported from
other countries and river water was often polluted. Saxons used
decorated animal horns as drinking vessels.
Information sourced from: http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/topics/zjrdtfr/resources/1
http://primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/saxons/who.htm