Moretum Recipe – Ancient Roman Herbed Cheese Spread

Moretum – Ancient Roman Herbed Cheese Spread (Roman Feast Recipe)

This dish was served as part of the Push for Pennsic 2004 – Early Roman Feast.

Originally published: June 29, 2025 | Updated: June 5, 2026

Updated 6/5/2026: This post has been expanded to current Give It Forth standards with additional historical background, Roman dining context, feast and camp service notes, a recipe scaled for 8 diners, dietary notes, FAQ, internal feast links, and structured recipe data.

What is Moretum? Moretum is an ancient Roman herbed cheese spread made by pounding cheese, garlic, herbs, vinegar, and olive oil together in a mortar. It is pungent, salty, green, sharp, and excellent with bread as part of a Roman gustum, or appetizer course.

Moretum – Roman Herbed Cheese Spread

Course: Gustum (Appetizer)
Origin: Ancient Rome
Served: Cold or Room Temperature
Event: Push for Pennsic 2004 – Early Roman Feast

Moretum is one of those ancient dishes that feels startlingly immediate. Garlic, salty cheese, fresh herbs, vinegar, and olive oil are pounded together until they become a spread strong enough to wake the appetite and simple enough to serve with bread. It is not delicate food. It is rustic, fragrant, sharp, and lively, the kind of dish that makes a table feel inhabited rather than merely decorated.

For a Roman feast, Moretum works beautifully as a first taste. A small spoonful spread onto flatbread gives diners salt, fat, acid, herb, and heat all at once. It is also deeply practical for modern feast cooks: no stove is required, it can be made ahead, and it travels well if kept cold. That makes it especially useful for camping events, dayboards, and Pennsic-style service, where flavor, safety, and simplicity all have to sit at the same table.

Historical Background

Moretum was a common Roman dish combining fresh herbs, garlic, cheese, vinegar, and olive oil. The recipe appears in a short Latin poem once attributed to Virgil, describing a farmer preparing this flavorful spread as part of his daily breakfast. Its name likely comes from the mortar used to pound and mix the ingredients.

Did You Know?
The Moretum poem details the rustic preparation of this dish and includes an ode to garlic. It offers a vivid look into the humble meals of rural Romans.

For an English translation of the Moretum poem, see the Poetry in Translation version here.

The poem gives us more than a list of ingredients. It preserves a small domestic scene: a farmer rising early, grinding garlic and herbs, mixing cheese with oil and vinegar, and eating the finished spread with bread before beginning his work. That makes moretum especially useful for interpretation. It is not an elite showpiece dish, but a practical food with strong flavors, simple ingredients, and deep roots in everyday Roman eating.

This is part of what makes Moretum so valuable for historical cooking. Many surviving Roman recipes are associated with elite households, banquet culture, or the literary world of refined dining. Moretum, by contrast, feels close to ordinary life. It belongs to bread, work, garden herbs, dairy, and the mortar. It reminds us that historical food is not only peacocks, sauces, and spectacle. Sometimes it is a bowl of cheese and garlic eaten before a long day begins.

Garlic, Mortars, and the Roman Table

The name moretum is generally connected to the mortar, or mortarium, used to pound the ingredients together. This matters because texture is part of the dish. Moretum is not meant to be a delicate modern dip whipped into perfect smoothness. It is a pounded spread: coarse enough to show herbs and cheese, but unified by olive oil and vinegar into something that can be scooped up with bread.

A mortar changes how the ingredients behave. Garlic becomes softer, stronger, and more aromatic as it is crushed. Herbs bruise and release their oils. Cheese breaks down and absorbs the sharper flavors. Vinegar brightens the mixture, while olive oil softens the edges and helps bind everything together. A food processor is very useful for feast preparation, but the mortar helps explain the original character of the dish.

The flavor should be bold. Garlic gives the dish its heat. Cheese provides salt and body. Herbs bring freshness and color. Vinegar keeps the spread from becoming heavy. Served beside flatbread, olives, cucumbers, sausages, vegetables, and wine, Moretum makes a Roman appetizer board feel complete.

🏛️ Roman feast note: Moretum works beautifully as the flavorful center of a Roman dayboard. A small amount goes a long way, especially when paired with Piadina, olives, cucumbers, sausages, and other gustum dishes.

Moretum in the Gustum Course

In a Roman meal, the gustum served as the opening course, meant to wake the appetite and prepare diners for what followed. Dishes in this part of the meal might include eggs, olives, salads, cucumbers, small sausages, fish sauces, herbs, and bread. Moretum fits beautifully here because it is assertive without being heavy.

For modern diners, it also has an advantage: it is familiar enough to invite tasting, but different enough to feel historical. People understand bread and cheese. The surprise comes from the intensity of the garlic, the green herbs, and the vinegar. That balance makes Moretum a useful teaching dish. It lets the cook introduce Roman food through something approachable while still preserving a flavor profile that feels older than a modern cheese ball or party dip.

At the Push for Pennsic Roman feast, Moretum helped establish the tone of the meal. It gave the table a rustic, herbal, communal beginning and worked well beside the other opening dishes. Diners could take a little, spread it on bread, taste it with olives, or use it as a sharp counterpoint to richer foods. That is exactly where this dish shines.

Modern Interpretation

This version uses pecorino romano and fresh herbs like coriander and celery leaf to evoke the original blend. It is simple, pungent, and perfect with bread.

Pecorino romano is salty and assertive, which makes it a good modern choice for this dish. Fresh coriander, or cilantro, gives the spread a bright green herbal quality, while celery leaves echo the bitter-green flavors often found in older herb mixtures. If cilantro is not liked by your diners, parsley may be substituted, though the flavor will be milder.

The goal is a spread that tastes alive: garlicky, salty, herbal, tangy, and rich. If it tastes flat, add a little more vinegar. If it feels too harsh, add olive oil or a bit more cheese. If the garlic seems overwhelming, let the spread rest overnight. The flavors will settle and knit together, though the garlic will still remain the herald at the gate.

⚖️ Humoral note: In later medieval dietary theory, garlic was considered strongly heating and drying, while cheese could be heavy and moist depending on age and type. Vinegar and fresh herbs help sharpen and balance the dish. Although Moretum is Roman rather than medieval, the practical flavor balance is clear: rich cheese, hot garlic, bright herbs, sharp vinegar, and smoothing olive oil.

Cold Roasted Crane (Chicken Adaptation) – Domenico Romoli’s Carnivale Feast (1560)

Cold Roasted Crane (Chicken Adaptation) – Pollo Arrosto alla Maniera di Gru

Cold Roasted Crane, adapted with chicken: a period-style reconstruction for the Primo servitio posto in tavola from Domenico Romoli’s 1560 Carnivale banquet.

Originally prepared for the Carnivale Feast project. This dish belongs to the Primo servitio posto in tavola, the first service set upon the table in Domenico Romoli’s 1560 banquet plan. In the printed menu, the dish appears as grue arrosta fredda, or cold roasted crane. Since crane is neither practical nor appropriate for a modern kitchen, this version uses chicken while preserving the table logic, method, and service style of a large roasted bird served cool or cold as part of a Renaissance first course.

At first glance, “cold roasted crane” may sound like the sort of ingredient that sends modern cooks quietly backing away from the recipe. Yet that strangeness is part of its value. Crane was not everyday food. It belonged to the same world as swan, peacock, heron, capon, and other impressive birds that appeared on elite tables as signs of wealth, access, skill, and spectacle. A bird like crane was food, certainly, but it was also theater. It told the guests that this was not a household supper. This was a table laid for display.

For this reconstruction I used chicken, not because chicken is identical to crane, but because it allows the modern cook to reproduce the structure of the dish: a large bird, briefly boiled, roasted, cut into pieces, dressed with a saffron-colored onion and wine sauce, and served over softened bread. In that sense, the dish is not merely “roast chicken.” It is roast chicken wearing crane’s court clothes.

Why Crane?

Crane appears in medieval and Renaissance dining as one of the large birds associated with noble or courtly service. It was a prestige item, not a humble barnyard bird. Even where a full prescriptive Italian recipe has not been found in the sources I have available, the culinary treatment is not mysterious. Large birds were boiled, roasted, sauced, carved, and served according to the same family of techniques used for other game and domestic fowl.

This matters because historical cooking often requires us to distinguish between an exact ingredient and a period method. The crane is the prestigious ingredient. The method is the recoverable part: parboil, roast, sauce, cut, arrange, serve. Chicken cannot replicate the social status of crane, but it can preserve the practical and culinary logic of the dish.

How Was a Crane Carved?

One of the clearest reminders that crane belonged to formal table service comes not from an Italian recipe, but from an English carving manual. The Boke of Kervynge, printed by Wynkyn de Worde in 1508, gives specific instructions for carving crane:

“A crane syse the wynges fyrst & beware of the trumpe of his brest.”

In modern terms, the carver was instructed to take the wings first and to take care around the “trump” or central breast structure. This sort of instruction reminds us that large birds were not simply cut apart in the kitchen and carried out anonymously. They could be part of formal service, handled with specialized knowledge and presented in ways that showed refinement. The full text of The Boke of Kervynge may be read at Wikisource, and a digitized copy is also available through the Cambridge Digital Library.

Although this is an English source, not an Italian one, it is useful comparative evidence for late medieval and early Renaissance table culture. It shows that crane occupied a recognizable place among ceremonial birds, and that diners and servers understood it as something requiring proper handling.

The First Service: Cold Meat, Sharp Flavors, and Display

The Primo servitio posto in tavola was not a random scattering of dishes. It was a carefully arranged opening act, designed to delight the eye, stimulate the appetite, and set the tone for the feast to follow. Cold meats made sense in this setting. They could be prepared ahead, arranged attractively, and served alongside salads, relishes, preserved foods, sauces, and breads.

In this Carnivale first service, the cold roasted bird sits among bitter chicory salad, sweet-sour carrot salad, dressed citron, capers, cold pork testa, capon in sopromenti, and Bolognese sausages. The logic is beautifully balanced: bitter, sharp, rich, aromatic, salty, and sweet. The chicken provides a familiar savory center, while the onion, wine, saffron, and bread connect it to the more formal sauce-and-sop traditions of period dining.

That bread is important. To modern diners, sauce-soaked bread often reads as “soggy bread.” To a period diner, it could be part of the point. Bread was not just a side item. It absorbed broth, fat, wine, and spice. It became the edible foundation of the dish. In medieval and Renaissance cookery, sops were a well-established way to carry flavor and make sauce substantial.

Period-Style Reconstruction

I was unable to locate a prescriptive crane recipe in the 14th to 16th-century Italian culinary sources available to me. This reconstruction is therefore style-faithful rather than a direct transcription from Romoli. The method is based on period Italian culinary practice and service conventions for large birds: brief boiling, roasting, cutting into portions, simmering briefly in sauce, and arranging the meat with bread and sauce for service.

The source menu comes from Domenico Romoli’s La singolare dottrina, first printed in 1560. Digitized copies of Romoli’s work are available through Google Books and the Bayerische StaatsBibliothek.

📜 Period Italian, Style-Faithful Reconstruction

Italian

English Translation

Pollo arrosto alla maniera di gru Togli un pollo grande ben mondo, et fallo bollire alquanto in una pignatta grande. Poi mettilo allo spiedo, et rostiscilo bene, ma non ripieno. Togli una cipolla, et tagliala minuta, et friggila bene in sugna, et colorala con zafferano. Abbi pane tagliato et alquanto tostato, et vino bono, et fa’ bollire il vino con la cipolla. Taglia il pollo a pezzi, et fallo bollire brevemente nel detto vino. Nel brodo magro della salsa ammorbidisci il pane. In un tagliere grande ordina la salsa, le spezie et la carne con ordine, et alla fine metti sopra un poco del grasso della salsa, et servi.

Roast Chicken in the Manner of Crane Take a large chicken, well cleaned, and boil it briefly in a large pot. Then put it on the spit and roast it well, but not stuffed. Take an onion and cut it small, and fry it well in lard, coloring it with saffron. Have bread sliced and lightly toasted, and good wine; boil the wine with the onion. Cut the chicken into pieces and boil it briefly in the said wine. In the lean broth of the sauce soften the bread. On a large trencher arrange the sauce, spices, and meat in good order, and at the end put over some of the fat from the sauce, and serve.

Humoral and Dietary Context

From a period dietary perspective, this dish is more balanced than it first appears. Chicken was often treated as a gentler, more digestible meat than heavier red meats or strongly flavored game. Wine, onion, and saffron add warmth and aroma. The saffron also gives the sauce a golden color, making the dish visually richer and more appropriate for a feast table.

Served cold or cool, the roasted bird would not have felt as heavy as a hot roast brought straight from the fire. The wine and onion sauce stimulates the appetite, while the bread carries the liquid and fat. In the larger first service, this dish sits between richer meats and sharper accompaniments, helping explain why Romoli’s opening table feels so carefully composed rather than merely abundant.

At Our Table

This dish was good, but it was not the star of our table. I suspect that in period, a cold roasted crane would have been one of the prestige dishes of the service: visually impressive, formally carved, and understood as an elite bird. In our modern recreation, the chicken was pleasant and familiar, but it was overshadowed by the more exciting dishes around it. The capon in sopromenti was more interesting, and the Bolognese sausages were the dish people fought over.

The sops were the hardest sell. Sauce-soaked bread is not something most modern diners are used to eating, although I remember “gravy bread” as a treat when I was younger. For this feast, I used a rustic Italian loaf that I baked in the oven. Everyone tried the bread beneath the chicken, but the reaction was unanimous: to modern palates, it read as “just soggy bread.” This is useful information, not a failure. It shows one of the places where period texture expectations and modern preferences diverge sharply.

The onion sauce was also received as “just okay” at first. I prepared it simply, with onion, saffron, and wine, and did not add additional seasoning beyond the historical flavor base. Diners added their own salt and pepper and liked it better. I also reduced the sauce because it was initially too brothy to cling to the chicken, but the reduction made the flavor more intense. In the future, I might use a slightly different wine, season the sauce more confidently, or add a very small touch of sugar to soften the onion and wine. For my own portion, I used a mixture of lemon juice, water, and a small splash of white wine vinegar instead of the wine sauce.

That is one of the joys of recreating a feast rather than merely reading one. The menu may suggest that this dish should command attention, but the table decides for itself. In this case, the cold crane-style chicken served its role as a familiar anchor, but the surrounding dishes stole the applause.

Still Life of Autumn Fruits and Vegetables — shared image for the Tudor & Stuart Thanksgiving Series, evoking abundance and the early-modern feast.

Home › Tudor & Stuart Thanksgiving Series › Barberry Sauce for Roast Meats (1660)

Barberry Sauce for Roast Meats (1660) — A Tudor & Stuart Alternative to Cranberries

Part of the Tudor & Stuart Thanksgiving Series — exploring how early modern English cooks used tart, jewel-red fruits like barberries to brighten rich feasts in much the same way we use cranberry sauce today.

A Sharp, Scarlet Counterpoint to Roast Meat

Long before cranberries became iconic on American holiday tables, English cooks were using barberries to do a very similar job. These tiny, vivid red berries — the fruit of the shrub Berberis vulgaris — appear in 16th- and 17th-century English recipes as garnishes, pickles, and sharp, “cooling” sauces for goose, pig, pork, and rich pies.

In The Accomplisht Cook (1660), Robert May scatters barberries through pies and dressings, and suggests them in sauces for goose and other roasted fowl. Their bright acidity and ruby colour made them a perfect foil for fatty meats — a role cranberries would come to play later in colonial New England.

Barberries, Cranberries, and the Thanksgiving Table

Barberries in England: Barberries are native to Europe and western Asia. In early modern England they were valued both as a medicine and a culinary ingredient, especially for their sharp taste and striking colour. They were used in pickles, preserves, sauces, and as garnishes on rich dishes, and were common enough to appear repeatedly in British recipe books and household manuscripts.

Cranberries in North America: Cranberries (Vaccinium macrocarpon) are native to North America. Indigenous peoples in New England and the Canadian Maritimes harvested them for food, dye, and medicine. Seventeenth-century English accounts of New England describe “craneberries” being eaten with meat and as part of pemmican-like preparations.

Parallel Uses, Different Histories: While there is no surviving English recipe that says “use cranberries where you would use barberries,” the two fruits occupy very similar roles:

• Both are small, tart, scarlet berries.
• Both were served with rich meats as a sharp, refreshing contrast.
• Both appear in sauces, relishes, and preserves.

In England, barberries remain the canonical choice in the 17th century; in colonial New England, cranberries fill the local niche. For modern historical cooks in North America, cranberries can be a practical stand-in when barberries are unavailable — as long as we are clear that the substitution is modern, not Tudor or Stuart.

Period Sources: Barberries in Robert May’s Kitchen

Sauce for a Goose — Robert May, The Accomplisht Cook (1660)

The following comes from May’s “Sauce for a stubble or fat Goose”, which gives two forms. The second explicitly calls for barberries in a rich apple-based sauce.

Source: Robert May, The Accomplisht Cook (London, 1660), “Sauce for a stubble or fat Goose.” The full text is available via Project Gutenberg and early modern facsimiles.

Sauce for a stubble or fat Goose.
1. The Goose being scalded, drawn, and trust, put a handful of salt in the belly of it, roast it, and make sauce with sowr apples slic’t, and boil’d in beer all to mash, then put to it sugar and beaten butter. Sometime for veriety add barberries and the gravy of the fowl.

2. Roast sowr apples or pippins, strain them, and put to them vinegar, sugar, gravy, barberries, grated bread, beaten cinamon, mustard, and boil’d onions strained and put to it.

To Pickle Barberries Red — Robert May, The Accomplisht Cook (1660)

May also gives directions for pickling barberries, which provide the preserved fruit used in sauces throughout the year.

Source: Robert May, The Accomplisht Cook (London, 1660), section on pickles and preserves (often titled “To pickle Grapes, Gooseberries, Barberries, red and white Currans” and related entries).

To Pickle Barberries Red.
When your Barbaries are picked from the leaves in clusters, about Michaelmas, or when they are ripe, let your water boyl, and give them a half a dozen walms; let your pickle be white-wine and vinegar, not too sharp, so put them up for your use.

AI assistance disclosure: This post used AI to help with HTML formatting, SEO/meta, image creation, internal linking, and clarity edits. All recipes, testing, historical framing, and final edits are by the author.

Furikake rice seasoning – made from kombu, bonito, sesame, and seaweed.
Image generated by ChatGPT (© 2025, used with permission).

Basic Recipe – Furikake (Rice Seasoning from Kombu & Bonito)

Context: This simple, fragrant seasoning captures the essence of Japanese umami cooking. Furikake transforms what might otherwise be kitchen scraps—kombu and bonito from dashi-making—into a savory, nutritious topping for rice or vegetables. It’s a perfect example of resourceful cooking in both medieval and modern kitchens.

Kohaku-namasu (Daikon and Carrot Salad)

Kitchen Adventures – Crown Tournament 2019: Kohaku-namasu (Daikon and Carrot Salad)

Kohaku-namasu (Daikon and Carrot Salad)
Photo © Cooking with Dog, used under CC BY-NC 4.0.

Originally published 11/25/2019 Updated 11/6/2025

A symbolic red-and-white salad of daikon and carrot lightly pickled in sweetened vinegar — a bright accent to the first tray of the Muromachi-period Honzen Ryori feast.

Kohaku-namasu represents more than flavor: the colors themselves are auspicious. Red symbolizes joy and protection from evil; white represents purity and celebration. The dish was introduced from China during the Nara period and became a central feature of Osechi Ryori — the traditional New Year’s cuisine of the Heian court.

Crown Tournament 10/19/2019 Mikawa ae (Miso & Sesame Cucumber Pickles)

Crown Tournament 2019: Mikawa ae (Miso and Sesame Cucumber Pickles)

From the Muromachi-period Honzen Ryori menu served at Crown Tournament (October 19, 2019): crisp cucumbers dressed in a miso–sesame emulsion, bright with rice vinegar and shiso.

Mikawa ae — Photo courtesy of Avelyn Grene (Kristen Lynn)

Originally published 11/25/2019 Updated 11/6/2025

This beautifully simple dish was a standout on the first tray. The balance of salt, sweetness, and umami offered a refreshing counterpoint to the grilled and simmered items. The redaction draws on Sengoku Daimyo’s Redactions of Japanese Dishes, aligning with techniques seen in late medieval Japan.

Fukujinzuke – “Seven Lucky Gods” Pickles for Japanese Curry

Fukujinzuke (red pickles for curry) 福神漬け
Photo courtesy of Avelyn Grene (Kristen Lynn)

Originallypublished 10/29/2029 Updated 10/31/2025

Fukujinzuke (福神漬け) is a sweet–salty soy-pickled relish traditionally served with Japanese curry rice (kare-raisu). Its name honors the Shichi Fukujin—the Seven Lucky Gods—each symbolizing a different virtue. A classic preparation uses seven vegetables such as daikon, lotus root, cucumber, eggplant, carrot, shiitake, and burdock.

Though curry and fukujinzuke date from Japan’s Meiji era (1868–1912), these pickles trace their roots to far older preservation arts. Including them in the Crown Tournament Feast provided guests with a glimpse of how Japanese foodways evolved from the Muromachi period’s elegant honzen ryōri to later, modern tastes.

Tsukemono—Japanese pickles—form an essential part of nearly every meal. They cleanse the palate, add color and texture, and reflect regional produce and technique. Methods range from simple salt cures (shiozuke) and vinegar brines (amasuzuke) to soy-based (shoyuzuke), miso (misozuke), rice-bran (nukazuke), and sake-lees (kasuzuke) fermentations.

Our fukujinzuke is a shoyuzuke: vegetables simmered briefly in a soy–sugar–vinegar brine for a glossy, gently candied finish. Commercial versions are often tinted red; traditional homespun ones remain soy-brown. A sliver of beet can replace the food dye for color if desired.

🥕 Dietary Notes: Vegan & vegetarian. Contains soy. For gluten-free, use tamari. Omit candied ginger for low-sugar or allium-free adaptation.

Homemade Vegetable Stock Powder – DIY Bouillon with Historical Tips

Homemade Vegetable Stock Powder – DIY Bouillon & Historical Tips

Learn how to make vegetable stock powder, vegetable stock, and homemade bouillon from scratch. Perfect for medieval-inspired cooking, camp meals, and budget-friendly feasts.

Originally published: 8/9/2025  |  Updated: 10/30/2025

Dietary Notes 🥕: Vegan • Vegetarian • Gluten-Free. Low-sodium: see tips below. Allergen-friendly: no nuts, dairy, soy; skip nutritional yeast if sensitive and sub mushroom powder.

Savoury Tostyde – Digby’s 17th-Century Cheese Toasts (The Closet, 1669)

Savoury Tostyde – Digby’s 17th-Century Cheese Toasts (Curia Lunch)

Savoury Tostyde – Digby’s 17th-Century Cheese Toasts (The Closet, 1669)

Kenelm Digby’s The Closet of the Eminently Learned Sir Kenelme Digbie, Kt., Opened (1669) is a treasure of early-modern foodways—wines, remedies, and practical dishes gathered on his travels. “Savoury Tostyde” reads less like a fixed recipe and more like a method for luxurious cheese toasts: melt “quick, fat, rich, well-tasted” cheese into used, seasoned butter (from cooking asparagus, peas, or meat gravies), optionally fold in asparagus, bacon, onions, chives, or anchovies, and serve molten over white-bread toasts; scorch the top for drama.

Original Text (Digby, 1669)

Cut pieces of quick, fat, rich, well tasted cheese, (as the best of Brye, Cheshire, &c. or sharp thick Cream-Cheese) into a dish of thick beaten melted Butter, that hath served for Sparages or the like, or pease, or other boiled Sallet, or ragout of meat, or gravy of Mutton: and, if you will, Chop some of the Asparages among it, or slices of Gambon of Bacon, or fresh-collops, or Onions, or Sibboulets, or Anchovis, and set all this to melt upon a Chafing-dish of Coals, and stir all well together, to Incorporate them; and when all is of an equal consistence, strew some gross White-Pepper on it, and eat it with tosts or crusts of White-bread. You may scorch it at the top with a hot Fire-Shovel.

From Sauce to Aspic – The 500-Year Journey of Galentyne → Galantine

From hot medieval sauce to elegant cold aspic — the shifting identity of galentyne/galantine.

What’s in a name? Few dishes illustrate the transformations of European cuisine as vividly as galentyne. In the 14th century, it meant a spiced, bread-thickened sauce for meats or fish. By the 19th century, galantine had become a boned, stuffed, aspic-set cold dish — a centerpiece of French haute cuisine. Here we trace that remarkable journey across 500 years, with original recipes and modern adaptations.

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Medieval Origins (14th–15th c.)

Harleian MS. 279 (England, c.1430): Fyletes in Galentyne is one of the best known. Pork is roasted, cut up, and stewed with onions, pepper, ginger, bread, and vinegar, finished with blood or sanders for color.

“Take fayre porke of the fore quarter, and rost hit tyl hit be almost ynogh; … and colour hit with blode, or elles with sandres, and then lat hit boyle up wel, and serve it forth.”

See the full recipe in our updated Fyletes in Galentyne post.

Fylettys en Galentyne - Pork in Spiced Onion Sauce (Stew & Sauce Interpretations, Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)

Fylettys en Galentyne – Pork in Spiced Onion Sauce (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)

Kitchen test photo from the original 2016 post, showing the stew interpretation of Fyletes in Galentyne.

Fyletes in Galentyne appears in Harleian MS. 279 (c.1430) and exemplifies a common medieval pairing: roasted or half-roasted meat finished in a rich, spiced sauce. The “galentyne” is thickened with bread and given depth either by blood (for savory richness) or by sanders (red sandalwood) to tint and flavor. Both are legitimate medieval options, so we present them side by side.

Note on interpretation: When this recipe was first published here on February 11, 2016, I presented it as a stew — simmered pork and onions in a spiced broth. On closer reading, however, the text more clearly aligns with the medieval understanding of galentyne as a sauce for meat: roast pork finished with a thickened, spiced, colored sauce. 

Both versions are plausible, so I’ve left my original interpretation here (Version A) and added the sauce-based version (Version B). The original post has been updated and republished on September 10, 2025 to reflect this correction.

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Original Recipe (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)

Englishe:
“Take fayre porke of the fore quarter, and rost hit tyl hit be almost ynogh; then take and smyte hit in fayre pecys, and caste hit in a fayre potte; then take oynons and shredde hem small, and frie hem in fayre grece, and caste hem to the porke, and stew hit togydre; then take gode broth of beef or motton, and caste thereto; then take powder of peper and of gynger, and caste thereto; and take bred ystepid in vinegre, and strayne hit thorow a straynoure, and caste thereto; and colour hit with blode, or elles with sandres, and then lat hit boyle up wel, and serve it forth.”

Modern Translation:
Take good pork from the forequarter and roast it until nearly done; cut into pieces and place in a pot. Chop onions, fry them in fat, and add to the pork. Stew together with good beef or mutton broth. Add pepper and ginger. Take bread soaked in vinegar, strain it, and add. Color with blood—or else with red sandalwood—and let it boil well. Serve forth.

Medieval French Cooking: Une Vinaigrette (Beef & Onions in Spiced Wine Sauce)

Une Vinaigrette (Beef & Onions with Wine-Ginger Sauce)

“The Feast in the House of Levi” (detail), Paolo Veronese. Used here as period context for a Renaissance savory pie.

Context

Une Vinaigrette appears in medieval French sources and was translated by Terence Scully (1998). The dish layers beef (or lamb) with onions and serves it in a sauce of red wine, broth, breadcrumbs, and warming spices—ginger, grains of paradise, pepper, saffron, and vinegar. The result is both hearty and sharp, showing the medieval palate for savory meats balanced with spice and sour notes.

Humoral Qualities

In humoral theory, beef is heavy, hot, and dry, suited to those with strong digestions or balanced by moistening and cooling elements. The onions and wine add heat and sharpness, while the vinegar offers a cooling, cutting quality to aid digestion. The dish would have been considered appropriate in a main roast course, but could also appear earlier to stimulate appetite.

Provenance

The recipe for Une Vinaigrette comes from Le Viandier, one of the most important medieval French cookbooks. Traditionally attributed to Guillaume Tirel (called Taillevent), master cook to King Charles V of France, the text survives in several manuscripts from the late 14th and 15th centuries. It reflects the refined cooking of the French court, where sauces of wine, vinegar, and warming spices balanced the heaviness of roasted meats. Terence Scully’s 1998 edition (The Viandier of Taillevent, University of Ottawa Press) provides a critical edition of the extant manuscripts and the English translation used here.

Original French

Une vinaigrette. Prenez buef ou mouton et coupez en pièces, puis mettez-les à rostir au gril. Prenez oignons et taillez par rondelles, et friez en sain de lart bien cuit. Puis prenez bon vin vermeil et bouillon de buef, et mettez du pain blanc tosté et broyé pour lier. Mettez gingembre, graine de paradis, poivre et saffran, et un petit de vinaigre. Couliez vostre sausse, et mettez vostre viande et oignons dedans; ou les servez à part, et la sausse en un autre plat.

This passage is the basis for Scully’s English rendering: beef or mutton, roasted with onions, served in a sauce of red wine, broth, breadcrumbs, ginger, grains of paradise, saffron, pepper, and vinegar.

Original Text & Modern Translation

Original (Scully, 1998)

Modern Interpretation

Take beef or mutton and cut it in pieces, then put them to roast on the grill. Take onions and slice them into rounds, and fry them in grease until well cooked. Then take good red wine and beef stock, put therein white bread toasted and ground to thicken it, and season with ginger, grains of paradise, pepper and saffron, and a little vinegar. Strain the sauce and put the meat and onions therein; or serve the meat and onions separately, with the sauce in a dish.

Cut beef or lamb into chunks and roast or grill until done, but not overcooked. Slice onions into rounds and sauté them in butter, oil, or lard until golden. For the sauce, simmer red wine and beef broth with breadcrumbs until smooth. Add ginger, pepper, grains of paradise (or allspice), saffron, and a splash of vinegar. Strain the sauce and serve it either mixed with the meat and onions, or on the side as a dip. Excellent served on its own, or with rice or pasta.

Capoun in Consewe – Medieval Chicken in Almond Broth (Harleian MS. 279)

Capoun in Consewe (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430)

Capoun in Consewe – a luxurious, restorative pottage of chicken in almond broth.

Serving note: For a period-forward table setting, consider this handmade red clay tableware set featured in the image above. (affiliate)

Capoun in Consewe appears as recipe no. lxiiij in Harleian MS. 279 (c. 1430). The word consewe likely draws on Old French roots with the sense of “to comfort/strengthen,” which suits the dish: a nourishing chicken pottage scented with parsley and savory, enriched with almonds (or egg yolks), and finished with sugar.

A capon (a castrated rooster) signaled luxury; almonds and sugar were costly imports. Together they elevate a simple boiled fowl into something fit for feast tables and restorative cookery. In humoral terms, parsley and savory (hot & dry) balance the warm, moist qualities of chicken and almond milk—this is flavor and medicine in tandem.

Herbs in Context

Parsley was praised for aiding digestion and “opening the stomach.” Savory brought a peppery sharpness and was used to correct heaviness and “wind.” Their pairing keeps the dish lively and balanced.

🍲 Did You Know?

Capoun in Consewe functioned much like modern chicken soup: gentle enough for the sick or weak, yet refined enough for feast service—especially with the luxury of almonds and sugar.

⚖️ Ingredients in Humoral Balance

• Capon / Chicken – Warm & moist; gentle, nourishing flesh.
• Parsley – Hot & dry; aids digestion, “opens the stomach.”
• Savory – Hot & dry; sharp corrective for heaviness/wind.
• Almonds / Almond milk – Warm & moist; luxurious richness, easily digested.
• Egg yolks – Hot & moist; fortifying thickener (optional).
• Sugar – Warm & moist; balancing sweetness, a mark of elite dining.
• Salt – Cold & dry; flavor enhancer and practical preservative.

Together these create a restorative, balanced pottage—truly medieval “chicken soup for the soul.”

Side-by-Side Recipe

Original (Middle English)

.lxiiij. Capoun in consewe.—Take a Capoun, & make hem clene, & sethe hym in Water, percely, Sauereye & Salt; & whan he his y-now, quarter hym; þan grynde Almaundys. & temper vppe wyth þat brothe of þe Capoun; or ellys take þe ȝolkys of Eyroun, & make it chargeaunt, & strayne þe Almaundys & boyle it; take Sugre a goode porcyoun, & do þer-yn; & when it ys y-boylid, ley þe Capoun in þe dysshe, & put þat Sew a-boue, & strawe þer-vppe-on Sugre, & send it yn with alman̛.

Modern Translation

Take a capon and clean it well. Boil it in water with parsley, savory, and salt. When it is cooked, cut it into quarters. Grind almonds and mix them with the broth from the capon (or else thicken the broth with egg yolks). Strain the almond mixture and boil it. Add a good portion of sugar. When boiled, place the capon in a dish and pour the sauce over. Strew sugar on top and serve it with almonds.

Modern Recipe

The Allesso Course: Fricasseed Rabbit and Black Broth from Scappi’s Renaissance Kitchen

The Allesso Course: Fricasseed Rabbit and Black Broth from Scappi’s Renaissance Kitchen

In Renaissance Italy, the Allesso course was far more than a collection of humble boiled meats. Derived from the Italian lessare (“to boil”), allessi were dishes of poached or stewed meats and vegetables, prepared with care and often elevated through refined presentation or garnishes. In the kitchens of Bartolomeo Scappi, personal chef to Pope Pius V, even the simplest allesso was transformed into a work of culinary art.

Unlike the more theatrical roast course that often followed, the Allesso course was meant to be soothing, nourishing, and elegantly restrained. It reflected Galenic medical principles, which emphasized balance, moisture, and ease of digestion. During our 12th Night 2024 feast, this course included two complementary dishes prepared by Catherine Greenwood: a savory fricassee of rabbit and a rich, dark brodo nero—a black broth flavored with fruit, spices, and wine. These dishes were served together to highlight the contrasting techniques of sautéed and boiled preparations under one thematic course.

Epityrum – Seasoned Olives from Ancient Rome (Apicius)

Epityrum – Roman Herbed Olive Spread

Course: Gustum (Appetizer)
Origin: Ancient Rome
Served: Cold
Event: Push for Pennsic 2004 – Early Roman Feast

Historical Background

Epityrum is a Roman olive paste found in De Agri Cultura by Cato the Elder. A mix of olives, herbs, and vinegar, it was served as a flavorful appetizer. It highlights the Roman love of seasoned preserves and showcases the Mediterranean pantry of antiquity.

Did You Know?
Cato writes: “Lucanicae are so called because soldiers learned to prepare them from the Lucanians...” Oops! That’s for sausages. For Epityrum, he writes: “Pound green, black, or mottled olives. Add oil, vinegar, coriander, cumin, fennel, rue, and mint.”

Read the digitized text at the Perseus Digital Library – Cato’s De Agri Cultura.

Modern Interpretation

This version captures the herbal punch of the original while using accessible pantry ingredients.

Ingredients

• 1 cup pitted black or green olives (or a mix)
• 1 tsp white wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• ½ tsp dried coriander
• ½ tsp ground cumin
• ¼ tsp fennel seed
• Pinch of dried mint
• Pinch of dried rue or substitute arugula
• Salt to taste

Instructions

1. Crush the olives roughly using a mortar and pestle or food processor.
2. Add oil, vinegar, and all herbs/spices. Mix into a coarse paste.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning. Store with a thin layer of olive oil on top.

Serving Suggestions

Serve with rustic bread, Piadina, or crackers alongside cheese and Roman sausage for a full gustatio experience.

Sources

• Cato – De Agri Cultura 119: Perseus Digital Library
• Apicius – De Re Coquinaria: LacusCurtius

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🍷 Want more recipes from this feast?

Explore the other dishes served at the Early Roman Feast – Push for Pennsic, July 9–11, 2004:

• Cucumeres (Braised Cucumber)
• Lucanicae (Grilled Sausages)
• Moretum (Herbed Cheese Spread)
• Piadina (Flatbread)
• Petaso paro Mustacei (Smoked Ham with Sweet Wine Cakes)
• Erebinthoi Knakosymmigeis (Chickpeas with Saffron)
• Krambe (Roman Cabbage)
• Itria (Sesame Seed Biscuit)
• Basyniai (Fig and Walnut Cakes)

Cold Roast Chicken with Sauce Options – Collegium Lunch Tavern (2016)

 Cold Roast Chicken with Sauce Options – Collegium Lunch Tavern (2016)

As part of the 2016 Collegium Lunch Fundraiser Tavern, this cold roast chicken dish provided a reliable, prep-ahead protein that paired beautifully with multiple historical sauce options. It was designed for efficient service, minimal equipment, and flexible flavor pairings for a large crowd.

While the chicken itself was seasoned simply with salt, pepper, olive oil, and garlic and roasted at 350°F, the real variety came from the sauces served alongside it. Each guest could choose from three distinct historical condiments—each with unique flavor profiles suited to different palates.

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Chicken Preparation (Basic)

• Chicken seasoned with salt, pepper, garlic, and olive oil

• Roasted at 350°F until cooked through

• Served cold, sliced, or whole depending on setting

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White Garlic Sauce

A rich, nut-based sauce using almonds, broth, and breadcrumbs.

Ingredients:

• 2–3 garlic cloves, crushed

• ½ cup slivered almonds

• 2 tbsp breadcrumbs

• 1–2 cups chicken broth

Instructions: Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and grind until smooth. Strain through a sieve for better texture. Serve cold.

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Cold Sage Sauce

Herb-forward and lightly spiced, this green sauce offers an earthier option.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup fresh parsley

• 1 cup fresh sage

• 1 cup hot chicken broth or bouillon

• ¼ cup white wine vinegar

• 2 hard-boiled egg yolks (optional; omit for simpler version)

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ tsp ginger

• ¼ tsp grains of paradise or cinnamon

• 2 slices white bread, crusts removed

Instructions: Blend parsley and sage with hot broth. Separately mash egg yolks with vinegar and combine. Add spices and slowly incorporate bread until desired thickness. Serve cool.

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Must Sauce

A sweet-tart grape-based sauce with warming spices.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup grape juice concentrate

• ¼ to ½ cup water

• ½–1 tsp cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ginger

• 1 egg, beaten

• 1 tbsp honey

• ½ tsp grains of paradise

Instructions: Heat juice and water, add spices, and bring to a simmer. Temper in egg, then stir to thicken. Add honey and simmer gently. Serve chilled.

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Historical Notes

While the exact manuscript sources for these sauces are unclear, they reflect ingredients and methods consistent with late medieval and early modern English cookery. Almond-thickened garlic sauces, herb purées with vinegar, and spiced must-based condiments appear in sources such as The Forme of Cury, A Book of Cookrye (1591), and similar compilations.

Serving Notes

Each sauce was prepared the day before the event and held well overnight in sealed containers. Guests appreciated the variety and the ability to customize their plates. These sauces can also be paired with pork, veal, or vegetables depending on the setting.

Pork Pie with Mustard – William Rabisha (1682)

Pork Pie with Mustard – William Rabisha (1682)

This hearty, spice-layered pork pie was served at the Collegium Lunch Fundraiser Tavern in 2016 as the primary meat offering. Designed for easy transport, room-temperature service, and strong period flavor, this pie drew inspiration from The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected by William Rabisha (1682). Though technically outside the pre-1600 SCA period, Rabisha’s work reflects culinary techniques and seasonings in use during the Elizabethan and early Stuart period—and is commonly used by feast cooks for "late period" interpretations.

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Original Recipe (Historical Source)

“Take a Loin of Pork and bone it, and cut thereof into thin collops beaten with the clever... season your Pork with pepper, salt, and minces sage... season your Veal with cloves, mace, nutmeg and minced Thyme... then a laying of pork... and then a laying of your veal... so continue... beat it well into a body, put it in your coffin... bake it: when it is cold, fill it with clarified butter.”
— William Rabisha, The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected (1682)

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Modern Interpretation

Yields one 9-inch double crust pie

Ingredients:

• 1 lb pork loin, boned and trimmed of fat

• 2 egg yolks

• 1/8 tsp pepper

• 1/2 tsp salt (divided)

• 1/4 tsp sage

• 1/4 tsp thyme

• 1/8 tsp mace

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1/8 tsp ground cloves

• 3 tbsp butter, diced

• 2 pie shells (top and bottom crusts)

Instructions:

1. Slice the pork as thinly as possible.

2. Mix half the pork with pepper, sage, thyme, 1 egg yolk, and 1/4 tsp salt.

3. Mix the remaining pork with mace, nutmeg, cloves, 1 egg yolk, and 1/4 tsp salt.

4. Layer seasoned pork into the pie shell, alternating between the two mixtures.

5. Dot each layer with butter.

6. Seal the pie with the top crust, crimp edges, and vent.

7. Bake at 450°F for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake an additional 25 minutes.

8. Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled. Do not refrigerate if you’re aiming for period presentation.

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Serving & Sauce Notes

This pork pie was served with mustard—a classic pairing in both period and modern service. Choose stone-ground, whole grain, or period-inspired must sauces. A sweet-and-sharp balance pairs beautifully with the warm spices in the pie.

For historical flair, explore “To Make Mustard Divers Ways”, which includes several period options, including preparations with vinegar, ale, and spices. These make excellent accompaniments to late-period pies or tavern fare. This pork pie was served with mustard—a classic pairing in both period and modern service. Choose stone-ground, whole grain, or period-inspired must sauces. A sweet-and-sharp balance pairs beautifully with the warm spices in the pie.

Vegetarian Alternative – Fridayes Pye (c. 1615)
If you’re feeding a mixed crowd or observing a meatless Friday, consider pairing the pork pie with a vegetable-based option. A Fridayes Pye, also attributed to early 17th-century English sources, uses greens or beets, apples, currants, and ginger for a sweet-savory blend that bakes beautifully in a single crust. It offers a flexible meat-free addition for dayboards or taverns.

Need a Meat-Free Pastry?
For vegetarian pies like A Fridayes Pye, try a butter-based or vegan crust suitable for Lent or no-flesh days. See below for options.

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Bonus Recipe: Vegetarian & Vegan Pie Crust Options

Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian Crust:

• 2 ½ cups flour

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup cold butter, diced

• ¼–½ cup cold water

• Optional: 1 tsp vinegar or orange flower water

Cut butter into flour and salt, add water gradually, and chill before rolling. Suitable for both savory and sweet pies.

Vegan-Friendly Crust (Modern Adaptation):

• 2 ½ cups flour

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup refined coconut oil or vegan butter substitute (cold)

• ¼–½ cup ice water

Mix as above. This crust mimics period fasting-day pastes while meeting modern dietary needs.

Historical Note: While vegan diets weren’t defined in period, oil-based crusts were used during Lent and no-flesh days. These adaptations maintain historical intent with modern clarity.

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Historical and SCA Notes

While Rabisha’s work dates to 1682—technically post-period for SCA documentation—it captures pre-Civil War culinary practices, including layering meats, seasoning with spice blends, and enclosing pies in coffins for preservation. Many cooks use Rabisha’s recipes when looking for transitional or late-period English fare that bridges into the 17th century.

Looking for a fully period alternative?

Pork pies of similar construction appear earlier, notably in A Book of Cookrye (1591), which includes a Gammon of Bacon recipe using layered pork or bacon, spices, and pastry coffins. This version is solidly within SCA period and makes an excellent substitute if documentation is a concern.

Onion Pottage with French Bread and Cheese – Robert May’s 17th-Century Comfort Food

This rich, onion-based pottage was a hit during a lunch fundraiser at a SCA Collegium event, where it helped raise funds for Arts & Sciences in celebration of the SCA's 50th anniversary. Easy to prepare, completely meatless, and packed with deep, savory flavor, it's a classic piece of "tavern fare" that works beautifully for both period events and modern autumn or winter meals. The original recipe hails from Robert May's The Accomplisht Cook (1660), a cornerstone text of early modern English cuisine.

Original Recipe (Historical Source):

"Fry good store of slic't onions, then have a pipkin of boiling liquor over the fire, when the liquor bils put in the fryed onions, butter and all, with pepper and salt: being well stewed together, serve in on sops of French bread."

— Robert May, The Accomplisht Cook (1660)

Modern Interpretation (Serves 4):

Ingredients:

• 3 tbsp olive oil
• ½ lb onions, peeled and sliced ¼" thick
• 4 cups vegetable stock (or broth of choice)
• 1 tsp salt
• ⅛ tsp black pepper
• Toasted French bread (for serving)
• Cheese (optional for serving)

Instructions:

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
2. Add sliced onions and sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden.
3. Meanwhile, bring the vegetable stock to a boil in a separate pot.
4. Add the sautéed onions, including the oil, to the boiling stock.
5. Reduce heat and simmer for 10–15 minutes.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
7. To serve, place toasted slices of French bread in bowls, ladle the hot onion broth over top, and add cheese if desired.

Feast/Event Notes:

This dish was one of several warm, filling options served during our Collegium fundraiser tavern lunch. As a vegetarian-friendly option, it was ideal for feeding a crowd. Easy to prepare in advance, it holds well when kept warm in a crockpot or kettle. Paired with rustic bread and cheese, it offers satisfying, stick-to-your-ribs nourishment.

Earlier Onion-Based Variations:

This recipe from The Accomplisht Cook reflects a later stage in the evolution of onion pottages; earlier forms also appear in medieval English manuscripts. For example, Harleian MS 279 (c. 1430) includes Soupe Dorroy, a richer onion soup thickened with egg yolks, and Oyle Soppys, a simpler version that uses oil and broth over toasted bread. These earlier dishes demonstrate how cooks adapted flavor, texture, and fat sources over time and across regions.

Historical Context & SCA Use:

Robert May trained in the kitchens of English nobility during the late Tudor and early Stuart periods. Although The Accomplisht Cook was published just after the SCA's traditional 1600 cut-off, it remains an essential source for "period-adjacent" fare, especially for those exploring the evolving foodways of late-period England.

May's recipes straddle medieval and modern tastes, capturing a unique culinary crossroads. This pottage exemplifies those characteristics: hearty, rustic, and comforting, yet straightforward and adaptable for contemporary kitchens.

📜 Note for SCA Context:

Many in the SCA community recognize this dish as a reliable choice for "late period" events, especially when authenticity is a priority. It showcases the shift in English cuisine from medieval traditions to more modern techniques, making it ideal for immersive experiences, educational demos, and fundraising taverns.

Context & Menu Placement

This onion pottage was served as the opening course of our Collegium Lunch Fundraiser Tavern, a midday meal designed for easy service, rich flavor, and historical ambiance. The full menu featured a balance of meat, vegetarian options, and accessible ingredients, suited to both reenactors and newcomers.

Menu Highlights Included:

– Pork Pie with Mustard
– Cold Roast Chicken with Garlic, Sage, or Must Sauce
– Cold Lentil Salad
– Roasted Root Vegetables
– Pickles & Olives
– Fresh Fruit (Apples, Grapes, Oranges)
– French Bread & Cheese
– Water & Soda

You can view the full event menu here.

Each dish was selected to reflect late-period culinary traditions while remaining practical for modern kitchen crews and feast planners.

Labels:

17th Century | Onion Dishes | Pottage | Robert May | Tavern Fare | SCA Fundraiser | Vegetarian Friendly