Thank you!

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Here's an article I wrote about powder forte/ powder douce.

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Of all of the arcane ingredients used in medieval cookery, powder douce and powder fort can be counted among the most confusing. Perhaps as many as 40% of medieval recipes list one of these spices as an ingredient, yet their actual composition is a subject of great debate.

What we do know is that both douce powder and fort powder are a mixture of spices. Sometimes it was available pre-mixed from the spice merchant, much as we are able to find “poultry seasoning”, “pumpkin pie spice” and “curry powder” on the shelf of our local supermarket.

The composition of these spice mixtures has been a source of speculation since 1790, when Samuel Pegge published an annotated transcription of a culinary manuscript in his collection, calling this transcription “The Forme of Cury - A Roll of Ancient English Cookery”:

“Powder- douce...has been thought by some... to be the same as sugar, and only a different name for it; but they are plainly mistaken...I take powder-douce to be either a powder of galyngale...or a compound made of sundry aromatic spices ground or beaten small, and kept always at hand in some proper receptacle. It is otherwise termed good powders...white powder-douce...blaynche powder, and bought readily prepared, in Northumb. Book, pg. 19. It is sometimes used with powder forte... Powder-forte... seems to be a mixture likewise of the warmer spices, pepper, ginger & etc. pulverized... it is called strong powder...”

In a modern cookbook of recipes taken from medieval sources called “Pleyn Delight: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks” authors Constance B. Hieatt and Sharon Butler continue the speculation:

“The evidence as to the nature of the various mixed spice ‘powders’ is even more confused. One recipe suggests ginger and white sugar as an alternative to ‘powdor blanche’ while another suggests ginger, cinnamon and nutmeg - a very different mixture. Further, the latter is very close to the formula suggested elsewhere for ‘powdor forte’, of ginger, cinnamon and mace. Surely a ‘forte’ powder must have been different from one that was ‘douce’ (or blanche’): some recipes call for a little of 2 different kinds. It may be thought that the ‘douce’ varieties always contained sugar, but one must still be careful here, since some recipes call for sugar to be added as well as ‘powder douce’. Our general conclusion is that these mixtures must have varied with the individual cook or commercial supplier just as modern ‘curry powder’ does - and that this is the most meaningful familiar parallel. ...Mixed spices of the kind sold for apple pies may be used for many dishes... there is no reason why others should not vary our suggestions, as long as they aim at a stronger mixture for a ‘forte’ powder as against a ‘douce’ one...it would be inadvisable to add pepper or cubebs to a douce powder, or sugar to a ‘forte’ one. If a recipe calls for sugar, pepper or another spice - such as ginger - as well as powdor douce or powdor forte this does not necessarily mean that there is none in the powder itself; it may simply mean that additional seasonings of the particular type is called for...”.

There is no definative “right” or “wrong” regarding any of these mixed spices, only educated suggestions. Personally, I can’t recommend using either commercial apple pie or pumpkin pie spices, as both contain allspice, which was unknown in medieval Europe. In a pinch however, apple pie spice mixed 4:1 with sugar will do for “power douce” or, for those who enjoy the flavor of anise, Chinese 5 spice powder mixed in the same ratio as the apple pie spice is very nice, especially, I think, in fruit dishes. For “powder forte”, pumpkin pie spice mixed 6:1 with ground black pepper will do.

My own recipes for these mixtures are:

Powder Forte: Grind together- 1 t. black pepper, 1 t. cubebs, 1 t. cloves, 1 T. cinnamon, and 1 t. ground ginger. Use sparingly!

Powder Douce: Grind together 1 T cinnamon, 1/2 of a nutmeg, 2 t. ginger or galyngale, 2 T. sugar.

The recipes in which these mixed spices appear range from elaborate, pate’ like concoctions (“Mawmene”) to simple fruit compotes such as “Applemoy”:

APPLULMOY

“81 Appulmoy. Take apples and seethe hem in water: drawe hem thurgh a straynour. Take almaunde mylke & hony and flour of rys, safroun and powdour fort and salt, and seethe it standyng.” -Forme of Cury

3 lb cooking apples
1 c. almond milk *
1/4 c. honey
1 t. powder forte mix (add 1/4 t. at a time to taste)
1/8 c. rice flour

*To make almond milk: Trader Joe's sells "Almond flour", so if you have access to a TJ's use that. if not, grind 1 cup blanched or slivered blanched almonds in a food processor with 1 t. white sugar until as fine as meal. Place ground almonds in a saucepan with 1-1 1/4 cups water or white wine, bring to a simmer and simmer uncovered until very thick, 15 minutes or so, stirring occasionally

Cut the apples into 1” chunks. Place into a medium saucepan with about 1 cup of water. Bring to a simmer and cover pan tightly. Allow to cook until apples are very soft, about 20-30 minutes. Press resulting sauce through a food mill, strainer of colander to remove seeds, stems and peels.

Place applesauce, almond milk, honey, cream of rice and powder forte into a saucepan; blend thoroughly with a whisk. Bring to a simmer over medium heat; lower the heat and continue cooking and stirring until thickened and flavors have blended, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve warm or cold.

This recipe is wonderful served as a side dish with meat - Enjoy!

©Gwen Nowrick 2004 All rights reserved. No reproduction without the express written consent of the author.
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For a quick sort of medieval-esque meal for an event, you could dust pork or chicken cutlets with pouder douce. Brush with a bit of oil or lard, fry or grill the meat and serve with the applemoy. Yummy! Powder forte is absolutely fantastic on beef!!!

Here's a fabulous late 14th C. recipe from the Menagier. While it doesn't "cook all day", between building the fire, prepping ingredients, cooking, eating and cleanup it can take up an entire day of kitchen related activity.

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40. Haricot of Lamb

Hericot of mutton. Cut it into small pieces, then boil it for a moment, and fry it in lard, and fry with it some onions finely cut up and cooked, and moisten with beef broth, and add mace, parsley, hyssop, and sage, and boil it together. (Menagier de Paris- 148)

1 l/2 pounds boneless shoulder or leg of lamb, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
3 medium-large onions
3 cups beef broth
1 heaping tablespoon lard
4 tablespoons chopped parsley
5 or 6 leaves fresh sage, chopped
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
1 tablespoon chopped fresh hyssop, or 1 teaspoon dried (or substitute 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint)

Peel the onions and cut them into 3/8-inch slices, then simmer or steam them for 5 to 7 minutes, until crisp-tender. Briefly plunge the lamb into boiling water, until it turns gray, then drain it well. Melt the lard in a casserole over medium heat; add the lamb and brown it lightly on all sides. Add the onions and saute until lightly golden, then add broth just to cover, plus the herbs, the mace, and salt to taste. Bring to the boil, lower the heat and cook gently, covered, for an hour to 90 minutes. When the meat is very tender, check the sauce for seasoning and serve.

Parboiling the lamb might seem pointless, but it "cleanses" the meat and, rather than diminish its quality in any way, improves it.
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Hope that helps- have fun at your demo!

Gwen

Edited to add a meal suggestion and to clean up the formatting a bit.

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"In Frankfort-on-Oder in 1307 beef consumption amounted to 220 pounds a year per head of the population. In 1397 the inhabitants of Berlin devoured almost 3 pounds per day."

"Paris is reported to have slaughtered 30,316 bullocks, 19,604 calves, 108,532 sheep, and 30,794 pigs in 1394..."