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Originally posted by Peter Lyon:

I am wondering if anyone can give more details, utensils, recipes and techniques, links etc for details of campsite cooking, especially appropriate to the period 1350-1390.

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Theres tons of fun and tasty recipes for the 14th century...what country? what other things do you want to take into account? (ie class, season, location of the event, etc)

Fortunately, ALL medieval recipes are perfectly suited to fire cooking, since thats what they did!

--Anne-Marie, who does a 14th century event once a year in Canada

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Cauldrons, redware frying pans, kitchen knives, ladels, slotted spoons...

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This medieval “macaroni and cheese” makes a great side dish and is especially popular with those who swear they hate medieval food! Simple to prepare, this is a great dish for events.

"Take good broth and do in an erthen pot. Take flour of paynedemayn and make erof past with water and make erof thynne foyles as paper with a roller; drye it harde and see it in broth. Take chese ruayn grated and lay it in dishes with powder douce and lay eron loseyns isode as hoole as you myght and above powdour and chese; and so twyse or thryse & serue it forth." The Forme of Cury- Cookbook compiled around 1390 by the master-cooks of King Richard II

Boil in salted water until al dente or a bit softer
--16 oz pasta (wide egg noodles or lasagne)

While pasta is cooking, mix any -2- of the following cheeses together:
--16 oz ricotta cheese
--16 oz. cottage cheese or
--16 oz Fontina or other soft cheese
--1 1/2 t. pouder douce

When pasta is cooked, drain well, place in a casserole and add the following if desired
--3 T. butter or marg.

Conventional oven method: Add the cheese mix to the pasta in the casserole and mix well. Cook in a 350* oven for 30 minutes or until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to stand for a few moments to set before serving.

Campsite/fire method: Place ceramic pot at the side of the fire to heat. Begin with the pot far from the heat and bring it closer as it gets warmer. Do not allow it to overheat while empty, or it will crack. NEVER place a ceramic pot over open flame, or overheat while empty or it *will* crack. Allow 20-30 minutes for the pot to preheat before adding food. The pasta may be cooked ahead of time and the dish mixed at the event. In this case, undercook the pasta slightly and Coat pasta with butter or margerine after cooking and before storing to prevent it from turning into a solid mass. Reheat at the event in a small amount of boiling water. Allow cheeses to come to room temp while pot is warming and pasta is heating. Mix ingredients and add to ceramic pot. Allow an hour to finish, as the ceramic pot will need to come up to temp slowly to avoid cracking.

Serves 6-8
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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- a French manuscript dated to circa 1393)

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.

Campsite/fire method: Place ceramic pot at the side of the fire to heat. Begin with the pot far from the heat and bring it closer as it gets warmer. Do not allow it to overheat while empty, or it will crack. NEVER place a ceramic pot over open flame, or overheat while empty or it *will* crack. Allow 20-30 minutes for the pot to preheat before adding food. The lamb may be parboiled and browned with or without the onions ahead of time and the dish mixed at the event. Never add cold ingredients to a prewarmed ceramic pot, as it will cause the pot to crack. Ingredients can be brought up to temperature by heating stock and pouring over lamb, then adding to ceramic cooking pot. Allow 2 hours to cook, as the ceramic pot will need to come up to temp slowly to avoid cracking.

Serves 4-6
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Bring the bread, campfire baking is not for beginners.

You couldn't go wrong roasting it on a spit. Otherwise, you might try stewing it.

I think we tend to get carried away at reenactments with attempting to cook recipies that would be more properly cooked up in a lords kitchen. The common soldier would have had to make due, with pottages of vegetables, and what we would consider stews today (sans potatoes and other anachronisims).

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What some folks have done, is actually set up a covered area and set their fire underneath to keep the weather off.

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(Hint to Gwen there-include a small section of mail in some of your cooks specials sets for the dishwashing!)

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sorry folks!

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Eric, I can most heartily vouch for both Tod's and trinity court's wares, I own some pieces from both. Both will do bespoke work to the very highest quality.

Tod has just made me a special tool, I only ordered it Sunday. I also find any excuse possible to buy Trinity court's stuff too, it is soooo right for what we do, just the rigth level of finish, just right. I was deeply saddened when a very old favourite costrel was broken by my ten thumbed friend Mark Griffin (yes you!!!), it was only clay after all, but.

I know HE sell some TC stuff in the states.

Best of luck and happy cooking.

Hi Andy, nice to meet you at the weekend

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