The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-03-16
DINING A THOUSAND YEAR, AGO.
The Food OF The AuEio-Sn.on Men OF
Wealth Was Served In Abundance

The Food OF The AnEio-Sn1on Men OF
Wealth Was Served in Abundance.
a thousand years ago, whcnthc din
ner WAS ready to be served the first
thing brought into the great lii was /,
table. Movable trcstles were brought,
on which were placed boards and all
were carried away again nj TN close OF
the meal. Upon this was laid Inc table
cloth There is an old Iatinriddlc OF
the Eighth century in which the table
says: Il feed people with rnlny kinds
of food. First. | am quadrpl and
adorned with handsome clothing then
| am robbed of my apparel a1i lose my
legs also
The food OF tho Anglo-d Non wa.
largely bread. The bread wj baked in
round fat cakes, which thu supersti-
ton OF The cook marked VT a cross.
to preserve them from the pE'ils q. The
fire. Milk. butter and chcct were also
beaten. The principal meat vas bacon,
as the acornS of the oak fogsts. which
then covered Il large part i England,
supported numerous drove. of swine.
| Our Anglo-SaSon forcfathcf were not
only hearty caters. but also .ccp drink
| erS
The drinking horns were il first lit
orally horns. and so mu.,t be imme-
diatcly c!nptIrd when fled: later,
when the primitive horn htl been re-
placed by a glass cup. it retained IL
tradition of its rude prcdc, HSor i'm it's
shape. 80 that it, too. Eid To ie
cmpticd at Il draft Each CUES, wa,
furnished with Il spoon, VIII his knife
he always carried in his belt: as for
forks. who dreamed of thel when ma
turc Ind given man ter tigers? But
You will see why a scrvan; With II basin
of water and towel always presented
himself to each guest before dinner was
served and after it was eiiled
Boosted meat was ser I'D on the spit
or rod on which it WAS collctl. and the
guest cut or tore off apiece to suit
himself. BOILED meat VS. laid on the
cakes of bread. or laer. on thicl:
slices of bread called "trenchers.
from Norman word mcning ito cut"
as these were to carvethe meat on.
thus preserving the tale cloth from
the knife. At first thu trenchcr was
eaten or thrown upon ic stone floor
for the dogs who crouchi al their mas
tcrs feet. At Il later daf ii WAS put in
basket and given tothe poor who
gathered at the manor gle
During the latter partf the Middle
Ages the most conspidous object on
the table was the saltcdar. This was
| generally of silver. in he form of "a
ship. 1t was placed in ne center of the
long table ut which he household
gathered. my lord and lIy. their family
and guests being at oncnd and their
rctainers and servants the other. So
ones position in rcgartfo the salt was
test of rank-thc gclcfolks sitting
above the salt .nndthc ycolnunrv
below it.
In the houses of IL great nobics
dinner was served VIII much ccre-
mony. At the hour ;ttatclv process.
sion entered the hall. 'irst came sew.
eral musicians, foilowe by the stew.
ard bearing his rod of flee. and then
came Il long line of saants CARVING
different dishes.
Some idea of the varis and profusion
may be gained from thorovision made
by King Henry III. for IS household ut
Christmas, 1884. This nludcd 81 oxen.
100 pigs. 356 fowls, 30 hes. 30 rabbits.
opheasants. 56 partridg, IS woodcoch.
80 plovcrs and 5000 egg: Many of o;,r
favoritc dishes have desthded from Il,
Middle Ages. Macarooi have serve
as dessert since the da of Charcc:..
Our favorite winter brdk fast, griddle
cake. has come down tus from tns
faraway Britons of Was while the
boys have lunchcd on giierbread and
girls on pickles and jehs since The
time of Edward H.. more ian 800 wear.
ago.-Amcrican Analyst