Medieval Feasts essays

Medieval Feasts essays When I say the word medieval, what is the first thing that comes to mind? No, I am not talking about anything that has to do with the devil. I am referring to the time period long ago. Youve heard of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table right? In the middle ages, people came together and had great feasts. The food in the Middle Ages was very different from the food today. Their dinnerware was quite different too. They also had different ways of being entertained at these great social events. Hop in to that time machine because we are about to go into the past to experience a feast of royal proportions. Feasts were always held in the Great Hall in a kings or lords castle or manor and usually began around eleven in the morning. The tables were full of color and decoration. Beautiful tapestries hung from the walls. The Great Hall at one end had a raised platform (like a stage) called a dais. On the dais there would be a table where the lord, his family, and the most important guests sat. All the other tables were set perpendicular to the dais. Musicians (called minstrels) sat in a gallery ( a type of balcony facing the Great Hall) and played a fanfare as the food was brought in by an army of servant. There were three servants that are the most important of all: the carver, cupbearer, and sewers. The carver cut up the different meats while the cupbearer carried the cup to anyone who wanted a drink. Only the lord had his own cup, everyone else shared. Sewers served the food and made sure everyone was near a trencher, a plate made of stale bread from which everyone ate their food. The food was divided into portions called messes and shared among several people. Very important people had their own portions. The Middle Ages was not the cleanest time period in history. Usually, when a cook gave instructions, it included the phrase put your hand into ...