Tudor
FoodFacts
− Foodwasastatussymbolandtherichatethreegoodmealsaday,eachmadeupof
anumberofcourses.Eachcoursecontainedavarietyofdishesfromwhichthe
guestscouldchoose.Theywereallplacedonthetableatthesametime.
− Meatandgamewereextremelypopularwiththerichandtheyateverylittle
vegetables.
− Thepoorhadasimpledietofgrains,vegetables,milkandverylittlemeat.Theyonly
hadonecookedmealaday.Theirmainfoodwasacoarsegreybreadmadeofrye
andbarley
− Fishwaseatenbyrichandpoor,andpeopleatelotsoffreshwaterfish.
− SpiceswereveryimportantinTudorcooking.Theyhidthetasteofthesalty,rotten
orblandmeatandwereastatussymbol.TherewaspepperfromIndia,cinnamon
fromCeylon,nutmeg,maceandclovesfromtheSpiceIslands.
− Vegetablescouldonlybeeatenwhentheywereinseason.Thiswasbecausethere
wasnowayofstoringfood,otherthanpickling.
− Fruitwascookedordried,aspeoplethoughtfreshfruitwasbadforyou
− Thewater,especiallyinthefilthytowns,wascontaminatedwithsewageandtoo
pollutedtodrink,unlessboiled;sothepoordrankwatereddownale,knownas
'smallbeer’,whiletherichdrankwineandsherry.
− Intowns,peoplecouldbuygoodsfrombakers,butchers,fishmongers,brewersand
cooks;however,themajoritypeoplemademostoftheirownfood.
Page1
− Peopleatefrombreadplates,knownastrenchers
Pottage
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ThisisadeliciousbarleyandvegetablestewtypicalofTudorBritain.Thebarley,herbsandroot
vegetablesarethesortofingredientsourancestorswouldhavegrownandeaten.Inpoorhomes,pottage
hadlittleornomeataddedtoit.Inmorewelloffhomes,meatplusspicessuchascoriander,maceand
nutmegwouldhavebeenadded.
2largeleeks,trimmed,washedandsliced
2parsnips,peeledandcubed
2turnips,peeledandcubed
200gpearlbarley
200gspinachorkale
Asmallbunchofparsleyandalittledriedthyme
1tbspbutter
1tspsalt
½tspblackpepper
Waterorstock
1. Heatalargepanoveramediumheatandaddthebutterandleeks.
2. Cookbrieflyuntiltheleeksstarttosoftenthenaddtheparsnips,turnipsandbarley.Addenough
waterorstocktocovertheingredientsandbringtoaslowboil.
3. Addthesaltandherbs,turndowntheheatandcoverwithatightfittinglid.
4. Cookforabout20minutesuntiltherootsandbarleyaresoftthenaddthegreensandcookfora
further10minutes.
5. Finallyaddtheblackpepperandservewithbread
Trenchers
Tudormealswereoftenservedonbreadplatesknownastrenchers.Thesewholemealbreadbowlswere
eithereatenafterthemaindishorweregiventothepoortoeat.
300gwholemealflour
200gwater
3gsalt
3gquickyeast
1. Mixalloftheingredientstogetherandkneadforafewminutesuntilsmooth.
2. Allowthedoughtorisefor2hoursthendivideinto4pieces.Rolleachintoaballandtherollout
orflattentothesizeofasideplate.
3. Allowthistorestfor10minutesthenworkingfromthemiddleextendthedoughtothesizeofa
dinnerplateleavingraisededges.
4. Placetheseontobakingtraysandallowthemtoproveforanotherhour.
5. Preheattheovento200’c
6. Withafork,prickthedoughinapatternstartinginthecentreandprogressingouttotheedges.
Thisstopsthemiddleofthetrencherfromrisingtoomuchintheoven.
7. Bakeintheovenfor25minutesuntilgoldenandset.Trenchersweretraditionallybakedforalong
timesothattheywereveryhard,buttheyaremuchnicerwhensoft.
Frumenty
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ThisisanancientBritishdessertmadefromcrackedwheatorbarley,milkorcreamandfruitsuchas
plums,cherriesorsoftberries.InTudortimesfruitwasgenerallycookedasitwasbelievedtobe
unhealthywheneatenraw...itwouldhavebeensweetenedwithhoneyassugarwasrareand
expensive.
250gcrackedbulgurwheat
500mlmilkorcream
250goffreshplums,cherriesorblackberries
50ghoneyorsugar
1. Inalargepanbringthemilkorcreamtoaslowboilthenaddthecrackedwheat.
2. Cookthisstirringconstantlyfor10minutesandthenaddthefruitandsweetening.
3. Continuecookinguntilthegrainissoftandthenservehotorcoldwithextrafreshfruit.