Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-11-28
OLDEST ENGLISH COOK BOOK.
A Three Course Banquet Which In
volved Wholesale Slaughter.

VOWED Wholesale Slaughter.
From the Gentleman's Magazine
The oldest English cookery book of which
we have any knowledge was first printed
and published In the year 1850 from a manu-
script formerly in the possession of the
Earl Of Oxford. The printer was one s.
Pegge. who edited the book and wrote a
very interesting preface for it.
The original manuscript, which Is en-
titled "Forme of Curry" contains 1876 recipes
| and was written about the year 1890 by
one Of the master cooks of King Richard
II, who is said by the author to have
been 'one Of the best and royalist viands
(epicures) of all Christian kings"
After reading the ''Forme of Curry we
are inclined to adopt the cooks estimate
OF his royal master. Certainly the recipes
are In a royal style for the cook is hidden
to take pigs" to take hens" to take
geese" to take rabbits. (here called con-
ynges or coneys) with a vagueness as to
quantity that is wholly delightful and a
sublime disregard of domestic economy.
A vast deal of incidental information is
to be picked up from the study of this old
book. For instance. we gather that the
art OF carving was unnecessary, therefore
unknown till quite the end of the twelfth
century; consequently no knives were re-
recipes are mostly for soups, broths, pot
ages hashes. hotchpotches and ragouts.
Neither animals, birds nor fish were
ever brought to table whole or in Joints.
but were cut up In the kitchen into pieces
called "gobbets." The pestle and mortar
played SO important part In the prepare
ton OF food that many dishes were called
mortars" from it, and were eaten either
with the fingers or with a spoon
Forks were not generally used at table
until the reign of James in England. They
were, however. known in Europe long be-
fore this. The first fork mentioned in his
tory belonged to a Byzantine lady. who. on
coming to Venice as bride in the middle
OF the eleventh century, brought with her
golden prong" as 1t is called in the
pamphlet describing it.
This fork, which probably had only two
prongs, evidently caused a great sensation,
Tor st. Peter Damian, afterward bishop of
Ostia, mentioned it in a sermon, wherein
he severely rebuked the lady for her luxury
and extravaganza in actually taking IN
her food with golden prong when God
had given her fingers for that purpose.
About the middle Of the twelfth century
many Joints and birds were served whole
the art of carving began to be practiced
and knives consequently We're introduced
put even In the days OF Richard II Joints
were not common. and English people lived
much more after the French fashion IT
was not until EliZabethan times that Eng
land became celebrated for it's roast beef.
In the fourteenth century food came to
table cut up In these gobbets
The whole country is set agog NOWADAYS
by the giving of a 800 a plate banquet
But such an affair seems pretty tame when
Judged by fourteenth century standards.
For example, the bishop Of Durham gave
q feast to Richard II in 1887. at which
there were only three courses. But this was
the third one:
Potage Bruete Of Almonds. stewed Lumbarde.
Roast Venison Roast Chicken. Roast Rabbits.
Roast Larks Payne Pun little ioaVes Of braad,
Dish Of Jelly. Long Fritters. And a subtlety
The first two courses. by the way, in
cluded. roast herons pigs cranes nbaa.
ants. swans. boars' heads and ended in
each case with "a subtlety"
These "subtleties" were devices in sugar
pastry and jelly of great size, representing
all sorts OF things. Sometimes they were
categorical and religious. sometimes thew
represented hunting scenes and wild ami
mals-lions, tigers, leopards and SO forth
were modeled-and sometimes the interior
OF church. with its affairs.
They were intended to be eaten-at any
rate. on some occasions. though perhaps
they did duty at more than one feast.
Each course ended with subtlety, called
also warner. because it gave warning of
the next course
was the duty of these medieval cooks, and
they laid great stress on the garnishing of
their Dishes which they called '.fourishing''
or "strewing." They often gilded or sill
vered the leaves they used for decorating
their dishes.
They were also very fond of colorine and
"endoring," or gliding. the food itself For
this purpose saffron. mulberries, sandal
wood. sunfiower. alkanet and starch were
used. The subtletes were both colored and
gilded. and comfits Of every color were
used.
Both red and white wines were drunk.
some were home made, some came from
France and Greece. and Rhenish wine was
also much drunk. Beer or "bere' Is first
mentioned in 1904. but ale is used In some
Of the master cooks recipes