Powder Douce & Powder Forte – Medieval Spice Mixes

Medieval-style spice blends: sweet poudre douce and strong poudre forte.

Quick context: In medieval English and Italian sources, powder mixes are pre-made spice blends used much like modern garam masala or pumpkin spice. The two most common names are Powder Douce (sweet, sugar-forward) and Powder Forte (pepper-forward, “strong”). Exact formulas weren’t standardized—each cook adjusted to taste, budget, and what was on hand.

Powder Douce (aka douce/“sweet”/white powder): typically sugar-heavy with warm spices like cinnamon and ginger; sometimes nutmeg, mace, cloves.
Powder Forte (aka strong powder): pepper-based, sometimes with long pepper, cubebs, grains of paradise; may include cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, coriander/caraway.

Related reading: See Apothecary Weights & Measures for historical measures and substitutions.

Find of the Week

This week we’re highlighting something extra special: a 1,000-Year-Old Italian Sourdough Starter. In medieval and Renaissance Europe, sourdough was the main way to leaven bread long before commercial yeast — so this lets you bring a taste of true period practice into your own kitchen.

👉 Try the Italian Sourdough Starter

✨ Last Week’s Pick

We don’t want you to miss this gem either! The Medieval Monk’s Blend Seasoning adds an instant touch of historic flavor to any dish, sweet or savory.

👉 Medieval Monk’s Blend Seasoning

Weekend Spotlight

Autumn is here, and with it comes the joy of putting up fruit for the colder months. This weekend we’re shining a light on two freshly updated recipes that show how preservation was practiced in the late medieval and early modern kitchen:

Elizabethan Orange Marmalade – Hannah Woolley’s Queen-like Closet (1675) teaches us how to turn oranges, apples, and sugar into a luxurious marmalade once reserved for the wealthy. I made mine with blood oranges, and it vanished almost immediately among taste testers!
To Dry Peaches – From The Forme of Cury (c. 1390), a simpler, earlier preservation method. Drying fruit was practical, delicious, and perfect for adding color and sweetness to a feast board.

Together they show the spectrum of fruit preservation: from everyday dried fruit to the most fashionable banquet marmalade. Both make wonderful largesse or feast-table offerings.

Olive wood honey pot – perfect for serving marmalade.

Serve marmalade in an olive wood honey pot with a matching spoon for a rustic, period-inspired touch.

Medieval Spice Mixes: Powder Douce & Powder Forte

Powder Douce & Powder Forte – Medieval Spice Mixes

Apothecary Weights and Measures: Historical Symbols and Conversions

Apothecary Weights and Measures: Historical Symbols and Conversions

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