Holidays - modern and medieval

I don't know about you, but I'm gearing up for cooking out with my friends over the 4th of July weekend.  There's nothing so satisfying as a well-grilled burger with chips and good coleslaw and fabulous baked beans.  Not to mention all the tasty desserts people manage to come up with (I'm an oatmeal chocolate chip cookie girl myself).


So it always makes me think - what did medieval people do?  For sure not grilling burgers, especially in Sicily, although the classic movie shot of Henry VIII (was it Charles Laughton?) who was gnawing on a huge animal bone and throwing it over his shoulder ...


But Ysabella and Family weren't doing that, I don't think, although they may have been roasting bits of fried meat as snackies, they certainly had veggies galore and salad stuff (do you think they made honey mustard dressing?  probably not ...) and had lots of desserts made - at least in Sicily - from almonds, pistachios, sugar (yes, they grew sugar there) some of them called Chancellor's Buttocks and Virgin's Breasts.  I leave it to your research ingenuity to find those ...

Sailfish steaks in the market

Vegetable market in Sicily

Peasant dance in medieval times, with aprons

Almond milk - today and in the Middle Ages - no refrigeration

A number of books on medieval cooking, especially in the Mediterranean, refer to the consistent use of almond milk. In my treasure trove of Sicilian cooking called Sweet Sicily by Alessandra Dummone, she shares that simple recipe with us. Latte di mandorle - blend the almonds with sugar to a fine powder. Pour the powder in a saucepan with water and put more sugar in. Heat, but don't boil, cool, then refrigerate. Strain or filter the milk through fine cloth or a strainer. How perfect for a region whose temperatures often sizzle above 90 degrees! Who needs cows?

Almonds, dolce, Sicily, il mandorlo, Troy and legend of Phyllis and Acamas

Anyone who's been to the Mediterranean, and especially Sicily, knows the importance of almonds.  They were important in the Middle Ages, when almond paste was a main ingredient in dolce especially those called pasta reale and when almond milk was practically a staple in the kitchen.  Then, as now, almond milk didn't need to be refrigerated and in a hot climate, that was important.


My wonderful Sicilian friends, Bruno and Lucia, sent me a book for Christmas called Sweet Sicily by Alessandre Damone.  As you might imagine, it's all about desserts.  Yummmmmmy.  And not just recipes - given in Italian AND English - but also the history of it.  As an historian, what could be better?


So here's the history of the almond - the Thracian princess Phyllis fell in love with Acamas, a son of Theseus.  Men being men, Acamas just had to go to Troy and fight.  When Phyllis didn't see her love return, she died of a broken heart.  But he did return, finding his love dead.  Athena, that goddess who loves these kinds of situations, took pity on Phyllis.  You'd think she'd bring her back to life, but she didn't, instead she turned her into an almond tree and every year when Acamas embraced her, she blossomed, giving us the delicious nut we all know and love.


Personally, I think she could have done more, but who's complaining?  And so I would advise you, if you're going to Sicily and indulging in dolce, or perusing this book, check out the biscotti di mandorla which I can tell you from experience - tastes like heaven.

While we're on the subject of food - medieval Corleone and Sicily

If you're wondering about medieval food in Sicily - I ran across this wonderful article that talks about the Arab history in Sicilian cuisine - lemons, oranges, sugar cane, sherbet and sorbets and a few other fascinating things - check out this link - as you know, Corleone is the setting in Book #3 of The Vespers Trilogy that Ysabella & Co. flee to after the cataclysm of Aragon and Angevin in Palermo.


Check out this link - https://www.academia.edu/2292026/Food_in_medieval_Sicily