Now is the height of summer and many summer fruit and veggies are at the most abundant in Burgundy. Leave the dried stuff home and do what your medieval ancestors would have done and enjoy the bounty of the season. Grapes, cherries, apricots, plums, berries and melon (stick to cantaloupe type melons and away from watermelon) are all fruits known in medieval Burgundy. Carrots, lettuce, a wide array of herbs, gourds (substitute zucchini for medieval young gourds and pompeons), fresh peas, and spinach are all available now.

“Le Ménagier de Paris”, a book on domestic economy written by a bourgeois husband for his young wife in 1393 notes that white cabbage and headed cabbage can be eaten in June & July; parsnips and turnips start being available in May; the seeds of pot greens are sown in April and May for eating in June & July, and that radishes are available in May.

Celebrate the season!

This has been a public service announcement from your local medieval foodie.

Likelyhood of actually doing it? Nearly nil.

I don't really have anything profound or noteworthy enough to put in print. Besides, there are plenty of other ways to become famous, and I'm too busy doing them to write a book.

Gwen

is that book available in any current form? I would be extremely interested in seeing it.

Thank you!