Baronial 12th Night (Spiced apples and pears Chiquart's 'On Cookery’, 1420)

Baronial 12th Night – Spiced Apples and Pears (Chiquart’s On Cookery, 1420)

Apples and pears, gently stewed with sugar and spice, were a familiar comfort in late medieval kitchens. This recipe is based on a technique from Chiquart’s Du fait de cuisine (1420), one of the most detailed early 15th-century cookbooks. While Chiquart’s original method called for baking pears in a sealed clay pot among the coals, this modern version keeps the spirit of the dish while adapting it for the home kitchen.

“Again, pears cooked without coals or water...” To instruct the person who will be cooking them, he should get a good new earthenware pot, then get the number of pears he will be wanting to cook and put them into that pot; when they are in it, stop it up with clean little sticks of wood in such a way that when the pot is upside down on the hot coals it does not touch them at all; then turn it upside down on the hot coals and keep it covered over with coals and leave it to cook for an hour or more. When they are cooked, put them out into fine silver dishes; then they are borne to the sick person.
– Chiquart, Du fait de cuisine, 1420

About Medieval Apples and Pears

Apples and pears were staple fruits in medieval Europe, though the varieties differed from what we commonly find today. Period apples were often smaller, more tart, and sometimes used primarily for cooking or cider rather than fresh eating. Pears ranged from firm and cooking-friendly to soft and juicy. Popular varieties in the 14th–15th centuries included costard apples and warden pears.

Modern substitutions:

• For apples: Try Granny Smith, Braeburn, or Jonathan for tartness, or Honeycrisp or Gala for sweetness.
• For pears: Use Bosc or Anjou for a firm texture that holds up well to stewing.

Spiced Apples and Pears – Modern Redaction

• 2 lbs apples and pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp anise seeds (optional)
• ¼ cup water

Instructions: Mix fruit slices with sugar and spices and place into a baking dish. Add water and cover lightly. Bake at 400°F for 40–45 minutes, or until tender. Alternatively, place ingredients into a crockpot and cook on low overnight for a more intensified flavor.

🍽️ Serving Suggestions

This dish would have been served warm to the ill, the elderly, or simply those desiring something soft and comforting. In a feast setting, it pairs beautifully with crème bastarde, warm bread, or even cheese. It also makes a lovely medieval breakfast or dessert.

Breakfast in the Middle Ages: Stewed fruits were often served warm in the morning — easy to digest, lightly sweetened, and seasonally appropriate.

🍽 Explore More Medieval Breakfast Recipes:

• Rastons – Egg-enriched bread for soaking in broth
• Soupes Dorye – Toasted bread in spiced almond milk
• Lyode Soppes – Early custard-style bread pudding
• Soupes Jamberlayne – Bread soaked in mulled wine
• Egges yn Brewte – Poached eggs in spiced broth
• Eyron en Poche – Poached eggs with herbs in sauce
• Pressmetzen zu Ostern – Spiced Lenten breakfast bread
• Spiced Apples and Pears – Stewed fruit with wine and spice
• Fennel and Bacon Bread – Rustic loaf with herbs and meat
• Frumenty and Venyson – Cracked wheat porridge with game

☕ Looking for even more morning inspiration?
Don’t miss the original article: Breakfast: Five Medieval Banquet Dishes »

Labels: Medieval Recipes, Chiquart, Spiced Fruit, 15th Century, SCA Feast, Apple Recipes, Pear Recipes, Medieval Breakfast Stewed apples and pears with cinnamon and anise, inspired by Chiquart's 1420 cookery manuscript. Perfect for breakfast or dessert.

Baronial 12th Night (Cheese & Nuts)

Cheese & Nuts 

While researching dietary theory, specifically 15th century England, and brainstorming ways that the theory could be applied to modern day feasts specifically for SCA events, I learned that it was customary to serve later in the meal ripened or hardened cheeses (especially after meat) and nuts (after fish). Since I had served both at this event, I put together a "dessert" plate of cheeses, dried fruits and nuts.

For the nuts I used a mixture of walnut, almond, hazel and pistachio nuts. The cheeses included mild cheddar in slices, white cheddar curds, gouda, blue cheese and brie. I also added dried fruit to the tray including raisins and currants mixed together, dried cherries, dried apricots, dates and figs.

Baronial 12th Night (Roasted Chestnuts, Turnips and Sage Le Menagier de Paris, 1393)

Roasted Chestnuts, Turnips and Sage Le Menagier de Paris, 1393 - - Venison of Deer or Other Beast, If you wish to salt it in summer, it is appropriate to salt it in a wash-tub or bath, ground coarse salt, and after dry it in the sun. Haunch, that is the rump, which is salted, should be cooked first in water and wine for the first boiling to draw out the salt: and then throw out the water and wine, and after put to partly cook in a bouillon of meat and turnips, and serve in slices with some of the liquid in a dish and venison.

Item, if you have small young turnips, you should cook it in water and without wine for the first boiling, then throw out the water, and then partly cook in water and wine and with sweet chestnuts, or if you have no chestnuts, some sage: then serve as above.

Roasted Chestnuts, Turnips and Sage

2 pounds turnips, peeled and quartered
Vegetable broth
1 cup white wine (opt. I used only vegetable broth)
1/4 pound shelled chestnuts
½ tsp. dried sage or 1 sprig fresh sage
salt to taste

Parboil turnips in 4 cups boiling, salted water for five minutes. Drain and recover with remaining cup of water and wine. Add shelled chestnuts and sage and a little more salt and bring back to the boil. Lower the heat and simmer gently for 30 minutes. --Courtesy Pleyn Delit: Medieval Cookery for Modern Cooks, By Constance B. Hieatt, Brenda Hosington, Sharon Butler

Baronial 12th Night (Pickled Barberries (Blueberries/Lingonberries) The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected, 1682)

                                      

Pickled Barberries (Blueberries) The Whole Body of Cookery Dissected, 1682

The copy of this book I have is a copy of the 1682 edition of Rabisha's book. The first edition of this book was printed in 1661. Many individuals have expressed concern on why I would choose to use books that are published after our time period. The answer is simple, despite being published late, many of the methods described were used in our time period, common foods and methodologies were not written down, and it is only later that you find them. To quote Mr. Rabisha, who says it quite eloquently:

"..It hath been the practice of most of the ingenuous Men of all Arts and Science, to hold forth to posterity what light or knowledge they understood to be obscure in their said Art: And the wisest of Philosphers, learned and pious Men of old, have highly extolled these principles, who went not out like the snuff of a Candle, but have left thier Volumes to after-ages, to be their School-master in what they have a mind to practice; which calls back time and gives life to the dead." 

So it is my belief that common items were not written down and that it was not until cooking was given "to the masses" that you begin to see everyday items placed into books so that the art would not be lost. I have no way to prove this theory, however, with careful research, many of the items referenced in this particular book can be found in older manuscripts.

I have access to dried barberries through Amazon. However a friend gifted me with five pounds of the most beautiful wild blueberries, which I used for this pickle. It is delicious and I did take liberties with the spicing for it.

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

Pickled Blueberries

1 cup vinegar (I used white wine)
1/2 cup wine (I used a white moscato)
3 sticks whole cinnamon
1 tsp. coriander
3-4 whole cloves
8 cups blueberries, cleaned, rinsed and drained
2 cups sugar

Make your pickle by heating vinegar, wine, and spices together until it begins to simmer, lower heat and cook for approximately five minutes. Add blueberries and continue to cook approximately ten more minutes. SHAKE the pan--do not stir to keep your blueberries as whole as possible. Remove pan from heat, allow to cool about ten more minutes.

Strain the blueberries over a bowl so that you can preserve your syrup and place into clean sterilized jars. Return the syrup to the pan, add the sugar and bring to a boil, continuing to boil until sugar has dissolved. Be sure to skim off anything that rises to the top so that your syrup is clear. Fill the jars with the syrup. You can continue the canning the process at this point, or store in your fridge. Berries are best when they have been allowed to sit for a few weeks.

Kitchen Adventures – Baronial 12th Night (Guissell- Bread Dumplings Harl. MS 4016, 1450)

Spatchcocked roast chicken served with "farce" balls and giussel along with pickled blueberries (pickled barberries)

Harleian MS. 4016, ab. 1450 A.D. Guisseƚƚ. [supplied by ed.] *. [Taken from Douce MS. ] [folio 15.] Take faire capon̄ brotℏ, or of beef, And sette hit ouer the fire, and caste þerto myced sauge, parcelly and saffron̄, And lete boile; And streyn̄ the white and þe yolke of egges thorgℏ a streynour, and caste there-to faire grated brede, and medle hit togidre with thi honde, And caste the stuff to the brotℏ into þe pan̄; And stirre it faire and softe til hit come togidre, and crudded; And þen̄ serue it forth hote.

Guissell. (Note: Taken from Douce MS.) Take faire capon broth or of beef, and set it over the fire and cast thereto minced sage, parsley and saffron, and let it boil; and strain the white and the yolk of eggs through a strainer, and cast thereto grated bread and meddle it all together with your hand, and caste the stuff to the broth into the pan; and stir it fare and soft till it come together, and curded; and then serve it forth hot.

Guissell- bread dumplings Harl. MS 4016, 1450

2 cups bread crumbs (1/2 cup sage and onion stuffing mix and 1 1/2 cups bread crumbs)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3 eggs
1 small onion minced and parboiled
4 cups broth
1 tsp. sage
1 tbsp. parsley
Pinch of saffron

Served as side dish

Put your breadcrumbs, salt and pepper, (which was added for modern taste) into a bowl, create a well and add in your eggs one at a time until it starts to form lumps. Add your onions, and then enough water to form a smooth stiff "dough". If serving your dumplings dry (not in a flavored broth) add sage, parsley and omit the saffron.

Shape your dough into balls (I used a tablespoon) and drop them into boiling broth and remove with a slotted spoon when they begin to float. Serve.

Served as pottage

If you are not serving the dumplings dry, but are serving them in a flavorful broth, heat the broth, sage, parsley and saffron till it comes to a boil and then lower the heat to simmer. Shape your dough into balls, or add the dough in small batches until the dumplings float. Serve with broth.

Kitchen Adventures – Baronial 12th Night (Pickle for the Mallard - Onion Relish Harl. MS 279, 1430)

Capon Farced, Let Lorey and Pickle for the Mallard

PikkyH ipotir le Mallard. ^ Take oynons, and hewe hem smaH, and fry hem in fressh grace, and caste hem into a potte, And fressh broth of beef, Wyne, & powder of poper, canel, and dropping of the mallard/ And lete hem boile togidur awhile ; And take hit fro ]>e ijre, and caste thereto mustard a litul, And ponder of ginger. And lete hit boile no more, and salt hit, And seme it forthe with j^e Mallard.

36. Pickle for the Mallard. Take onions, and hew them small, and fry them in fresh grease, and cast them into a pot, and fresh broth of beef, wine & powder of pepper, cinnamon, and drippings of the mallard/ And let them boil together awhile; And take it from the fire, and cast thereto mustard a little, and powder of ginger, and let it boil no more, and salt it and serve it forth with the Mallard.

Pickle for the Mallard – Onion Relish Harl. MS 279, 1430

2 medium onions sliced
1 tbsp. oil or lard
1 cup beef broth (you should be able to sub chicken or 50/50 beef/ chicken mix)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 tbsp. melted duck fat (I used chicken fat that I had saved after skimming off fat from chicken stock)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard (I used a tsp. of the lombard mustard)
1/2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. salt

In large skillet over medium heat, fry the onions in oil until they are transparent, add the broth, wine, pepper, cinnamon, duck fat, and let the mixture boil until the flavors are mixed, about 10 minutes. Add mustard, ginger, and salt. Stir. Reduce heat. Serve hot with duck (capon, chicken, or goose).

Kitchen Adventures – Baronial 12th Night (Garbage - stewed chicken offal (hearts, gizzards, livers, feet, neck) Harl. MS 279, 1430)

         

Fryer chickens went on sale ($.68/pound) right after Thanksgiving. I purchased 16 of them and much to my surprise on the day I was butterflying them I discovered that they came complete with neck, gizzards, liver and heart. Joy! A "found dish" within the already purchased ingredients that I could offer at the event for those brave enough to try it. I did purchase (on sale) an additional package of livers, gizzards and hearts, and chicken feet.

I have to chuckle because at this particular event, the diner's got to enjoy mortis (mortrews), entrails (trayne roast), compost (pickled vegetables) and garbage (offal) all while being entertained with a boar's head. I'm not sure if anyone else realized it or if I have just let the cat out of the bag, but 12th night had a bit of an accidental darker theme going on :-D

xvij - Garbage. Take fayre garbagys of chykonys, as the hed, the fete, the lyuerys, an the gysowrys; washe hem clene, an caste hem in a fayre potte, an caste ther-to freysshe brothe of Beef or ellys of moton, an let it boyle; an a-lye it wyth brede, an ley on Pepir an Safroun, Maces, Clowys, an a lytil verious an salt, an serue forth in the maner as a Sewe.

17 - Garbage - Take fair garbage of chickens, as the head, the feet, the liver, and the gizzard; wash them clean, and caste them in a fair pot, and caste there-to fresh broth of beef or else of mutton, and let it boil; and mix it with bread, and lay on pepper and saffron, mace, cloves, and a little verjuice and salt, and serve forth in the manner as a stew

Garbage - stewed chicken offal (hearts, gizzards, livers, feet, neck) Harl. MS 279, 1430

1 1/2-2 pounds of chicken offal
1 c. beef broth
2 tbsp. bread crumbs
1/2 tsp. pepper (I used my pepper mix which is made from black pepper, cubebs, long peppers and grains of paradise)
pinch of saffron
1 tsp. mace
1/4 tsp. clove
2 tbsp. red wine vinegar
1/2 tsp. salt

Clean your offal; this means rinsing away blood, cutting gizzards in half and removing anything you find inside of them (it's part of the digestive system and you -don't- want to eat that!), trim away the lining of the gizzard, trimming fat, green parts and membranes from the livers, remove connective tissue from hearts, wash the feet, peel if you want (I didn't), clip the toes if you want (I didn't). Make sure that you clean and sanitize your work surface after. Offal is delicious but it does carry a higher risk of contamination.

Place all ingredients in a pot, bring to a boil, turn down to a simmer and cook until tender. I have to confess that I treated the garbage like I treat a stock and simmered this for about six hours after which I served. What I discovered is the livers mostly disappear, they cook away to almost nothing, flavoring the broth.

Those who tried it loved it, and someone took home the left overs. If rumor is true, chicken feet were a much sought after commodity.