Show medieval dishes that called for condiments an important reason for the apparent vast thirst of the english of medieval times william edward mead explains in his volume the english medieval feast Is found in the dishes common to their tables wherein condiments and spices played a major part loaded with pepper cubebs mace saffron cloves ginger cinnamon nutmeg cult cummin imbi licorice aniseed and other tart ingredients they prone to inspire the consumer to frequent draughts from the ale keg or beer mug here again the element of necessity entered for the author points out fashion had in reality little to do alt with the extensive use of these elements our ancestors he reminds us had not yet begun to breed beasts and poultry tor for the table except that the value of the capon was remembered from former days mutton was apt to be stringy beef tough and men made use of food from sources that today would be avoided with a shudders shudder in the hope then of securing an aid to digest digestion ionas as well as to disguise the exact nature of many dishes the spice box came frequently to hand as aa the cook worked for natural crudeness cried aloud for mitigation even at the feasts where kings ate crowned and bishops dined la in cope and miter |