About once a month we have a themed family dinner. This month the theme was the English Renaissance. I enjoyed doing the research and finding recipes I could cook and we would like. I did have to make changes in the recipes. These recipes are as I cooked them. The Renaissance started in England after western Europe. I think it started in Italy. There are a lot of good Youtube videos on the history of the Renaissance period including the art, food, and music of the times. I also found some great websites with recipes as they were written and trannslated. Unfortunately, I didn't save my references. I will remember to do that next time.
Renaissance Style Poached Chicken4 chicken thighs
3/4 of a large onion3 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon capers
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground garlic
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 bay leaves
1/2 cup raisins
2 cups water
heat olive oil in large pot. add onion and saute' until translucent. add chicken skin side down and brown it. flip chicken over trying to get most of the onion on top. add salt, pepper, capers, cloves, garlic, rosemary, bay and enough water to almost cover chicken. bring to a boil then lower to a simmer and simmer covered about 30 minutes or until chicken is done. add raisins and simmer uncovered about 15 minutes or until liquid is reduced. Serve with warm french bread.
Renaissance style peas
1 pound frozen peas
1/4 large chopped onion
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon salt1 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
plenty of water
bring onion and peas to a boil in the water. lower to simmer. add olive oil, salt, sugar and turmeric. simmer about 20 minutes. drain.
Renaissance sugar cakes or jambals
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground tumeric
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 stick room temperature butter
1 beaten egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 tablespoon whipping cream
extra sugar (raw if you have it, I didn't so used white)
Mix together dry ingredients. Cut in butter like you would for biscuits until mixture resembles sand. add beaten egg, vanilla anc cream. mix til mixture resembles a paste. you may need to add a few more DROPS of cream. it gets wet fast so go easy. sprinkle extra sugar on cookie sheet lined with parchment or silicone pad. place in mounds on cookie sheet. flatten mounds slightly, sprinkle with sugar, and bake at 350 about 15 minutes until firm. they do not brown by much. let cool.
Poached pears
4 peeled and cored pears
1 small orange cut in half
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup sugar
water to nearly cover pears
Bring water to a boil, add sugar, cloves and cinnamon stick, carefully add pears. lower to simmer and simmer about 30 minutes or until pears are very tender. time depends on how soft the pears are when you start. remove pears from pot, boil remaining liquid until very reduced. pour over pears.
Notes on the Renaissance time period in England
There were no ovens in the houses so women went to the baker every day for bread and to the market or farm every day for the meat and vegetables they didn't grow. Peas were one of the most common vegetables. They also ate a lot of vegetables raw and salads. The rich ate a lot, the poor got leftovers and porridge made with split peas, oats, or other grains.
Renaissance England was basically late 1400's through early 1600's. King Henry VII was one of the influential monarch as was Queen Elizabeth the first. This period of time was the beginnings of easier times for people. They, at least the richer ones, had more food so more time to develop literature, music, and science.
Main points....
King Henry VII made peace with France and Scotland, probably the lack of war is what allowed the renaissance
Protestant Reformation under King Henry VIII
Printing Press was invented. A key invention that changed lifestyles
King James Bible in 1526ShakespeareMusic, poems, theater was important
Beginning of capitalism ... ruling class no longer owned everything
Trade with Russia and the Far East
no sewers or clean water...typhoid, dysentery, cholera, the Plague
the English language stabilized into modern english
navigation and ships improved leading to world exploration
Sir Francis Drake sailed around the world in 1582
the beginning of pirates as riches and spices were brought back from new world
more middle class people
Popular sports and games. People actually had time to play
archery, gambling, card games, chess, backgammon, billiards, marbles, hopscotch, bowling, soccer and volleyball started, hammer throwing, wrestling, cockfighting and other blood sports involving animals
Food mostly cooked over open fire. could use the baker's oven.
Wealthy had big multi course meals twice a day and ate a lot of meat.
poor had leftovers and porridge from grain and water.
food was highly seasoned because spices were a sign you were rich and middle class wanted to copy rich so used herbs they could grow
drank ale and beer, water wasn't safe to drink, wine was imported
No tea or coffee around yet
Turkey was imported in 1525, potatoes in 1580, tomatoes after that sometime
no forks, only spoons and knives.
silver, gold, pewter, wooden dishes, not ceramic.jpeg)
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