Curia Regis 9/10/17 - Brunch for Curia Regis of the Midrealm, which incuded the Royal Family and the great officers of state and serves as the official advisory board.

Curia Regis Brunch — Midrealm

Brunch for Curia Regis of the Midrealm — a mostly period breakfast for the Royal Family and Great Officers of State.

I had the opportunity to cook brunch for Curia Regis of the Midrealm, which includes the Royal Family and the great officers of state and serves as the Crown’s official advisory board. I am truly honored and humbled that I was asked to do this, and it was my pleasure to provide a mostly period breakfast for them. As usual, I did not take pictures of the full spread — but here is the menu.

Savory Dishes

• Egges yn Brewte (Gentyll Manly Cokere, MS Pepys 1047, c. 1490)
• Savoury Tostyde (Kenelm Digby, 1669)
• Gammon of Bacon (A Book of Cookrye, 1591)
• Eisands with Oatmeale Groats (A Book of Cookrye, 1591)
• Funges (The Forme of Cury, c. 1390)
• Chawatteys (Harleian MS 279, c. 1430)

Shellfish

• To Stew Shrimps (being taken out of their shells) — adapted from “To stew Cockles…” (The Accomplisht Cook, c. 1660)

Griddle & Grain

• A Fryed Meate (Pancakes) in Haste for the Second Course (The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected, 1682)

Fruit & Pickle

• Compost (The Forme of Cury, c. 1390)

Banqueting Dishes

• To Dry Peaches — The Queen-like Closet (1675), CCXV
• Orange Marmalade — The Queen-like Closet (1675), LXXXVI
• Rose Conserve — The Queen-like Closet (1675), LXXXVIII
• Comfits of Anise, Caraway and Fennel — Delights for Ladies (1609)
• Succades of Lemons and Oranges — The Treasurie of Commodius Conceites and Hidden Secrets (John Partridge, 1573)
• To Make Quidinia of Quinces (Quince Paste) — Delights for Ladies (Sir Hugh Platt, 1600)

About banqueting dishes: In the 16th–17th centuries a “banquet” referred to a service of sweetmeats, conserves, comfits, and preserved fruits — often served after the main meal or as a separate small entertainment.

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Part of the Curia Regis Brunch series — explore the full menu:

• Egges yn Brewte
• Savoury Tostyde
• Gammon of Bacon
• Eisands with Oatmeale Groats
• To Stew Shrimps
• A Fryed Meate (Pancakes) in Haste
• Funges
• Chawatteys
• Compost
• To Dry Peaches
• Orange Marmalade
• Rose Conserve
• Comfits of Anise, Caraway & Fennel
• Quidinia of Quinces (Quince Paste)

As I update each recipe to my modern format, you’ll see side-by-side originals, ad breaks, 🥕 dietary notes, and fresh interlinking.

Sources

• Gentyll Manly Cokere, MS Pepys 1047, c.1490 — transcription via Google Books.
• Kenelm Digby, The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digbie, Kt, Opened, 1669 — UMich EEBO.
• A Book of Cookrye, 1591 — transcription at jducoeur.org.
• Robert May, The Accomplisht Cook, c.1660 — text via Project Gutenberg.
• The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected, 1682 — facsimile at Library of Congress.
• The Forme of Cury, c.1390 — edition online at Medieval Cookery / PBM.
• Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery Books: Harleian MS 279, c.1430 — EEBO / Austin edition.
• Hannah Woolley, The Queen-like Closet, 1675 — text via UMich EEBO.
• Sir Hugh Platt, Delights for Ladies, 1600 / 1609 — transcriptions online; see Medieval Cookery for related texts.
• John Partridge, The Treasurie of Commodius Conceites and Hidden Secrets, 1573 — PDF at Medieval Cookery.