Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-07-06
SIXTEENTH, CENTURY COOKING,
description of a Swell Dinner of the Middle
Ages

Description of IA Swell Dinner of the Middle
Ages.
In a general way, cooking among the
arlstocratlc and wealthy has undergone
many manifest changes during the last
two centuries. Our most popular caterers
would be likely to stand amazed if they
could be for brief hour trans planted
into the slxteeth century to witness one
of the swell banquets of that period
Then prlncely tables were arranged with
an eye single to splendor. Notwithstand-
ing this, they used to have delicious
things to eat Moreover, their table
manners of that age must have been
superior to ours in many respects, for
one was required to possess a sort of in :
tuitive knowledge of the many dishes
prepared simply for shows sake-to be
seen, not eaten.
Let US single out, for illustration, the
elaborate menu of dinner given after
the funeral of Duke AIbrecht ", of
Bavaria, in 1909, at the royal palace in
Munich. The show dishes represented
the seven ages of the world, commencing
with that notorious couple, Mr.. Adam
and Miss Eve. Between the twain stood
a green tree, aud around it was coiled g.
very snaky looking serpent with tempt
ing looking apple in its mouth, its head
lowered before Miss Eve. On the sides
of this quaint looking dish were con-
tections of sugars and almonds which
were eaten.
The second dish was a boiled pigs
head. The third consisted of boiled meat
with capons, fowl, and smoked fish.
The fourth was a figure depicting the
second sge of the world-vIz.: Noah's
ark, surrounded with waters baked in
sugar. Hot salmon and graylings com
posed the fifth course. The next dish
brought on the table was garnished cab
bage. The seventh course represented
the third age of the world-that is to say,
Abraham's sacrifice, including q town
CONSTRUCTED out of sugar and almonds.
The eighth dish was high transparent
jelly disclosing within picked fish. The
ninth was fresh cooked and picked
game. The tenth, representing the fourth
age-David staying Goliah-was eucir-
cled with sweet waters which one now
ancient chronicler hints were nibbled at.
The eleventh dish was composed of
vegetables. The twelfth, picked stur-
geOn. The thirteenth showed the fifth
age-the Tower of Babel, with houses in
the background rising out of vegetable
connection. The fourteenth course was
picked bird pie. The fifteenth was leg
of mutton. A facetious historian here
remarks that the company was just be-
ginning to get hungry. Course No 16
represented the sixth age-the birth of
Christ; Mary, with the child, oseph, the
manger, etc, were all depicted out of
white narch-pane. The seventeenth
course comprised bear pie and vegetables.
TIE eighteenth, picked birds. The
nineteenth symbolized the seventh age
by conception of doomsdays, with the
Savior sitting under rainbow, the virgin
on his right and on his left st. John in
kneeling position. The twentieth cours 2
consisted of picked carp and shad fish.
The twenty first, roast pheasant, wood
cock, and cartridges. The twenty-secend
course represented the funeral Of Duke
Albrecht or rather his tomb in the
Church of Our Lady, decorated with flags
and banners of the kingdom surmounted
by the recumbemt image of the duke
holding a banner in one hand and a
drawn sword in the other. The twenty
third course, coming late in the evening,
was cake IN the shape of an oven, from
which, when it was cut open, flew forth
living birds.
dinnsr like this, given by one of the
Nanderbilts for instance, would be likely
to create sensation and lack of ap
petite among the invited guests.