French Food Before Taillevent

GENERAL

The most common modern image of medieval cuisine began to be established in this period by Taillevent's Viandier and by Le Menagier de Paris (supposedly by a rich burgess, but possibly by a noble). But both represented the cuisine of the upper classes, even if some aspects of this began to “trickle down” over time (not least because of the popularity of Taillevent's (probably not very original) work). Food for most people was far different and remains under-documented today.

Aristocratic food seems to have continued advancing in complexity and sophistication even as disasters ravaged much of France. The recipes in the Viandier already differ from those of the lesser-known earlier works in several regards, for instance in “refreshing” the meat before cooking it and in using a wider range of thickeners, whose production was described in more detail.

Charles V and Charles VI had complex household staffs, reflecting elegant dining. Forks are mentioned in an inventory of Charles V's silverware; but these would not come into general use for centuries. When Charles VI's wife arrived in Paris, the royals were given a wide selection of tableware, all in gold.

MEAT, DAIRY, FISH AND GAME

Pork consumption remained high. But consumption of pork by the upper classes began to decline; beef and lamb began to be more popular and would be mentioned more in the coming centuries. Butchers sold both beef and pork, though others began to sell the latter and later had to be restricted. Statutes regulated the languayeurs (“tonguers”) who checked for pustules under pigs' tongues (called "leprosy" at the time) and marked the ears of pigs who had them.

GENERAL AGRICULTURE

The ravages of war and the attendant taxation, extortion, etc. particularly impacted peasants and sometimes even drove them from their land, greatly disrupting agriculture at times. In general, the lot of peasants (which had largely improved over the previous centuries) would get no better over future centuries. A long series of natural disasters – frosts, heat waves, shortages, etc. - added to the other troubles of the times.

Records mention “common peas” (which were mature, and so white, at the time) and “white peas” (which were beans (haricots) ).

Evidence of “improvement” (probably draining) of marshes in Normandy begins to appear. Hazelnuts, rarely mentioned earlier in Normandy, are mentioned more often. One load of manure was sold in Normandy for a golden ecu (crown).

At Dieppe, the executioner received five pears or apples out of those brought to the town market; he had similar rights on cherries, plums and nuts (the Paris executioner later had a similar right). Figs (probably from the south) were popular at Rouen and Dieppe; a fig tree is also mentioned in Normandy itself.

Orange trees and oranges begin to be mentioned.

Truffles were popular at court.

GRAINS AND BAKED GOODS

The number of grain measurers in Paris markets was regulated.

Several laws addressed the weight and price of bread, the difference between baked and unbaked dough, and who would inspect it. In Rouen, the authorized weight for a loaf changed in accordance with the price of wheat (as opposed to later practice in France when the price of a loaf of a standard weight changed).

Trenchers are increasingly mentioned, and distinguished from pain de bouche (“bread for the mouth”).

In 1365, a Council at Angers forbade using butter and milk in bread during Lent, showing that both were already in use. In 1396 Parlement set prices for bread.

The bread of Chailli was the best (as that of Gonesse would be later) in the Paris region. Millet bread was now said to “not be in the French nature” (though the grain was probably still eaten in some regions). Breads were mentioned in Alsace that went beyond a man's knees when set on his feet – i.e., long loaves, unlike the round loaves more commonly known in France.

Ovens were authorized in Amiens for tarts, flans and other pastries, showing both the difference in heat needed for these and that pastry had become important beyond Paris.

DRINK

Wine merchants and wholesalers were regulated; the number of wine merchants was limited. In Limoges, sale of wine from elsewhere was banned for part of the year. Duguesclin is said to have drunk three wine soups before going to fight the English.

Cervoise was taxed in Paris.

Cider began to replace beer as the dominant drink in Normandy.

Charles the Bad, wrapped in a brandy-soaked cloth for medical reasons, was burned to death when it caught fire.

A work on alchemy suggested putting gold flakes in one's drinking water.

SPICES, HERBS AND OTHER SEASONINGS

Spices of Taillevent: Anise, cinnamon, clove, costmary, cumin, galanga, ginger, mastic, nutmeg, paradise seed, pennyroyal, pepper (long, yellow, and black; “bitter pepper” was probably cinnamon and ginger together), saffron, and sage. (Note the absence of costus and nard, both popular under the Romans, and zedouary, the ginger-like root, that only made a brief appearance in French usage.)
Duke's powder (sometimes simply “powder”), a blend of some of the key Oriental spices which varied by household, begins to be mentioned. One mention for a public (ie, not aristocratic) meal suggests it might have been an economic alternative to using the individual spices.

STRICTURES AND STRUCTURES

Philip the VI established the gabelle on salt in 1343, by one account prompting Edward I to call him “the king of Salic law”. Charles the V later made it a perpetual tax. Salt became a state monopoly.

In 1351, the council of Beziers insisted monks observe abstinence on Saturdays; in 1368 another at Lavaut reiterated this with stronger sanctions.

In 1365, the Council of Angers forbade milk and butter for everyone during Lent “even in bread and vegetables”.

In 1367, a local law forbade ovenmasters from demanding “tips” (in bread, flour, etc.) for baking bread (which suggests the custom had existed for some time before being banned).

Kings began to reclaim the right of granting fairs.

A Rouen law forbade dumping manure or trash in local streams (manure from the archbishops' stables was often thrown in the Seine).

SAMPLE MEALS OR LISTS

Shepherds' food described by satirist:

“Dark bread, sloe [like plum] and buds [?],