So what was dinner time like in the Middle ages?
Well maybe for some, but for most people most of the time manners were actually very important
if a little different than our manners today. So to bone up on my Medieval manners
I am making a 15th century recipe for stewed beef ribs with sauce. So thank
you to Bright Cellars for sponsoring this video as we mind our Medieval
manners this time on Tasting History. So I don't believe that any culture ever since we started walking upright has been completely
devoid of some sort of mealtime etiquette. As far back as 4,500 years ago
the Egyptian Vizier Ptahhotep wrote about proper conduct at court and at meals. My favorite instruction being "Be silent for
it is a better gift than flowers." The gift of silence has never really been
something I've been able to give. But many of our modern table manners at least in the Western
world find their origins in Medieval Europe where they were written down in courtesy books,
the Emily Post of the 13th through 17th century. That was actually Amy Vanderbilt's etiquette
book that we used when my mom sent us to Miss Manners when I was a kid. I went with my mom, my
brother, and my cousins, and let's just say it did not go well. I actually cannot even say everything
that happened without getting flagged on YouTube but safe to say we did not get invited
back for a second lesson and I'm guessing it would have been in that second
lesson where i would have learned how to mannerly eat ribs because ribs
are one of my favorite foods but when I eat them I'm a bit like a
velociraptor so that's why I chose to test my Medieval manners with this recipe from
the 15th century from the Harleian manuscript. "Stewed beef. Take fair ribs of fresh beef, and
(if thou wilt) roast it till it be nigh enough; then put it in a fair possenet; cast
there-to parsley and onions minced; raisins of currants, powder pepper,
canel, cloves, saundres, saffron and salt; then cast there to wine and
a little vinegar, set a lid on the pot, and let it boil soakingly on a
fair charcoal till it be enough; then lay the flesh in dishes and the syrup there
upon, and serve it forth." So this is definitely going to have that sweet and spiced flavor paired
with something savory like meat that is so common in Medieval and Renaissance cuisine yet a flavor
combination that we typically eschew today except with barbecue, and probably a few other things,
but barbecue is the thing that comes to mind. A sweet and tangy sauce slathered on meat. So I'm really curious to see if they
kind of have a similar flavor profile. So for this recipe what you'll need is: a three to four pound or one and a
half kilogram rack of beef ribs, short ribs will work as well. A half cup or a handful of minced parsley, a
couple medium onions diced, one cup or 150 grams of currants. So let's talk about this ingredient
currants for a second because it actually causes a lot of confusion there are two things with the
same name. These are often called zante currents, and then there are the currents of the ribose
plant but until fairly recently if a recipe calls for currants what they mean are the
zante currants which are made from grapes. They were originally called raisins
of Corinth as they came from the dried grapes of the Greek city of Corinth, and as
time went on they became raisins of Corauns as we can see in the recipe today
and then eventually just currant. The berries sometimes erroneously called true currants didn't begin being
cultivated until the 16th century and they took on the term currant likely because when dried they look very similar
to the raisins of Corinth. So it's not always easy to tell which one they're talking about in a recipe unless
if that recipe is before the 1600s then it's definitely a currant, the zante currant, but if it's afterward then if it's being juiced then it's probably the berry otherwise
it's actually usually the dried currant. One teaspoon black pepper, three quarters
teaspoon cinnamon, a quarter teaspoon cloves, one teaspoon red sandalwood powder. So this is the saundres in the recipe
and sandalwood was actually a very popular ingredient in a lot of medieval
cooking but it doesn't have a very strong flavor especially when put up against things
like cinnamon, but it's there to add a red color so if you don't have it you can skip it and
it's not going to change the flavor that much. A pinch of saffron, 1 teaspoon of salt, a
quarter cup or 60 milliliters of wine vinegar , and two cups or 475 milliliters of white wine. And two cups is just the perfect amount
as it still allows me to enjoy a glass of this Silverscape verdejo that i got
from today's sponsor Bright Cellars. It almost has a tartness to it like a
tart granny smith apple and it just- it really dries your- dries your
mouth but it's also very light it's crisp it's perfect for summer.
And it's good for this recipe because verdejo has actually been grown
in Europe since the 11th century mostly in Spain. I don't know that
it was making its way up to England but at least it's in the right period. And the fact that I can get this now is one
of the reasons I love Bright Cellars because along with more traditional varietals like
this Vanishing Act cabernet sauvignon they also have less common varieties like
this verdejo or this Albtraum Zweigelt. It's often compared to a pinot noir though I
find that it has a little more spice to it, and learning these little facts about wine
is something else I really enjoy about Bright Cellars because they send these cards with
all the wines that you get that have information about the the flavor of the wine as well
as little facts and stuff I really enjoy. And by taking a simple 7 question quiz they
can learn a little bit about your palette so the wines they send you are sure to impress
and if you don't like a wine that they send they'll send a replacement
bottle in your next box. And right now Bright Cellars is giving viewers
of Tasting History a limited time offer of 50% off of your first six bottle box. So just click
the link in the description to get started also this wine is kind of perfect
for today's video on manners because my mom always taught me that it's just good manners to bring a bottle of
wine whenever you go visit someone, but before we get to the manners let's make
those ribs. So first if you are using a full rack there is usually a thin membrane along the
back of the ribs that you're going to want to peel off or you can have your butcher take
it off. Either way score the ribs and then remove any chunks of fat then set them in a
roasting pan and season with plenty of salt. Then wrap the pan tight in aluminum
foil and put it in the oven at 325 degrees Fahrenheit or 160
Celsius for two and a half hours. And you can barbecue them on the grill as
well the recipe just says to roast which then could mean several different things but make sure that they don't get entirely done
because they're going in the oven eventually. While they cook add the parsley, onions,
currants, pepper, cinnamon, cloves, sandalwood, saffron, and salt to a bowl
and mix everything together. Then pour in the wine and the
vinegar and give it another stir. Then let that sit by as the ribs continue
to cook and at two and a half hours pull the ribs out then place them in a
clean pot or a casserole dish. What you do want to make sure is that it
fits all of the meat but only just because you want the liquid that we're going to pour in
to really cover a lot of the meat. So pour the liquid mixture in then cover that and return it
to the oven for another 90 minutes to two hours. Now if you're not subscribed
to Tasting History yet now is a fantastic time because it's just good manners though I don't think that they covered
that in the Medieval courtesy books. Now movies would have you believe that a
Medieval feast was completely devoid of decorum when in fact they were often more
strictly regimented than any meal today, and observing someone's table manners was often
the quickest way to clock their upbringing. Now the Medieval period can cover up to a
millennia and Europe was incredibly diverse even more so than today but anything that we
talk about is a "this was often how it was done during certain portions of the period" but it
doesn't by any means cover absolutely everyone. So with the caveat that nothing ever covers
everything we can consider the beginning of Medieval manners at least
those that were written down to have started in 13th century Italy, or
the first was actually written in what's now Southern Germany but done so by an Italian.
And you have to consider that any rule that was important enough to write down was done so because
its opposite behavior was an issue in the past. Like the idea that dogs were always present
at a Medieval feast, rooting around beneath the table looking for scraps. That was actually very common but even in 13th century Italy they decided they needed to put some rules around it. "The third rule after the thirtieth: not to stroke with the hands, so long as thou
eatest at the table, either cat, or dog. It is not allowed unto the courteous to stroke animals
with the hands with which he touches the dishes." These early books of manners were a hit
and they spread like wildfire perhaps because the nobility of Europe was trying to
prove to everyone that they were different than the common man hence deserved their position and
when it came to codifying etiquette nobody did so with more zeal than the English. King Edward IV had a man whose job was to keep track of the manners of those young men sent to the royal court. The
man was meant to report back "How mannerly they eat and drink, and to their communications and other forms of court after the Book of Urbanite." The Book of Urbanite or Urbanitatis being a 14th century
poem about manners many of which took place at the table. "When you are set before the meat, fair and
honestly it eat... nor wipe your nose upon the cloth; to pick your teeth at meat be loth. Nor in the cup
to deeply sink, though ye have good will to drink." All good advice and it clearly shows that there
had been an issue with people wiping their nose on the tablecloth, but we've gotten ahead of ourselves because the manners and etiquette of a meal actually start long before the food ever arrives. In 1460 one courtesy book which were the books of manners mainly directed
toward children to teach them how to behave at court it says that when you get to the hall
you hand over all of your weapons to the porter. This would not include the knife that everyone
carried around with them that was actually just meant for eating, but everything else goes and then you would ask permission to enter the hall and if it's given then "When thou comest the whole
door to, take off thy hood, thy gloves off do. Then you would look up toward the deus or the raised
platform at the end of the hall where the host and the more prominent guests would end up being and if anyone was there make whatever kind of bow you needed to do, and only then would you go to your seat. The more often there was actually nobody up at that table because the higher-ups didn't come in until everyone else was already seated, the origin of being fashionably late. Also before you
sit down and often before you even enter the hall you must wash your hands. It was done before the
meal, after the meal, and often in between courses. Usually servants would go around with basins of
clean water scented with rose petals or herbs as well as fresh linens, and they would make sure that everybody's hands were cleaned before any food was brought out. Oh and it's not just your hands but
"Look thy nails be clean, in truth, lest thy fellow load them, forsooth." So provided you're all fresh and clean now you can finally take your seat, but don't get too comfortable because you are expected to stand up every time somebody more important comes in the hall, and as you wait for the feast to finally begin you might as well check and make sure that you have all of the accoutrement that you're going to require: a short knife which you use to cut food into bite-sized pieces, and at certain times this would also include a spoon. The spoons could be rather expensive and were often
tied to one's belt so it's not to be purloined, and both knives and spoons were actually a great
way to show off your wealth. Instead of a Maserati you had a really nice spoon. The wealthiest used spoons of silver or gold, and one set of knives owned by King Henry VIII were encrusted with emeralds, pearls, rubies, and diamonds. A true flex of the age... or was he trying to compensate for something? Now you wouldn't have a fork because in most of Europe at this time forks were only
used for serving and not for actually eating, and forks for eating really didn't become a thing until the very end of the Medieval era or even into the Renaissance, and then it was in Italy. But in England starting during the reign of the fastidious King Richard II one
was expected to bring a handkerchief or a napkin which was used to wipe your hand. Specifically it
would go over your left shoulder or your left arm, but still before the food arrives there are
pleasantries to be had. You were to speak to anyone who spoke to you. Very rude to ignore
someone just as it is today. Though if everyone is following the rules those who are speaking to
you are right around you at the table because you should never raise your voice in the hall. In fact
if you're a child or of a lower rank then best "To mostly maintain silence, but if you do speak be
sure to mind what you say, where you are, to whom you are speaking, and of whom you are speaking.
Don't disparage others- that's a nasty thing to do." Rules that should still apply today except on the
internet where all these rules seem to go out the window. Now another rule that still applies today
that applied then was not to rest your elbows on the table, and I don't see why that is still a
thing it just seems like maybe tradition. I mean I don't know if it's rude. I don't know- if anyone
knows, let me know but in Medieval Europe there was a very good reason. Tables, especially the
long tables, used for feasts were trestle tables and they weren't permanent fixtures but only set
up for the meal so the top was often just slats of wood that were balanced on the legs with no actual attachment. So depending on how big the table was or how heavy you were if you put your elbows on it you might flip or collapse the table, but finally it is time for the food to arrive usually on big
communal platters that you would take food off of. However that doesn't mean it's time to eat. "Don't be greedy over the food. Sit for a time before you start eating to show your temperance, and eat only what you need. Now that may have been the goal but it was clearly not always practice because the poet Andrew Barkley wrote "If the fish be pleasant, either flesh or fish, ten hands at once swarm in
the dish. And if it be flesh, ten knives shalt thou see mangling the flesh and in the platter flee, to
put there thy hands is peril without fail, without a gauntlet or else a glove of mail." Basically watch out or you're gonna lose a hand. So now if you have minded your manners up until this point
it is time to finally eat. So you would take, using your knife, a piece of the meat or whatever it was
off of the communal plate and place it onto your trencher which was either wood or it was a slice
of stale bread that was used to sop up all of the juice. Then you'd cut the food up into bite-sized
morsels, but you would not blow on it no matter how hot it is. Because "Blow down not online meat nor drink." Then you would bring the morsel to your mouth using your thumb and first two fingers. What you would not do is take the meat or whatever it was on the knife, and put that into your mouth. 1) that's tacky 2) it's kind of dangerous. Speaking of dangerous the Medieval manners books usually
said not to chew with your mouth open or not to drink with food in your mouth, and I always just assumed that that was because nobody wanted to see the half masticated cow in your mouth but it's actually a matter of safety. As one book says physics is not on your side and when you take that drink "Thou may be choked on that bite, if it go wrong thy throat into and stop thy wind, thou art done for." And before the Heimlich maneuver you might be surprised at how many people died simply by choking so it was really a matter of self-preservation. Some of the other rules you may want to know about is to never take salt from the salt cellar with anything but the
tip of a clean knife. Also don't chew on bones as dogs chew on bones but cut all of the meat off of the bone before eating it, something I want to remember when I eat my ribs. Another rule that I think doesn't go far enough that hits rather close to home considering my kitchen came with this 'No Spitting Sign' is that you should "Turn away when spitting lest your saliva fall on someone. If
anything pure lint falls on the ground, it should be trodden upon lest it nauseate someone." "Nor is it seemly, after wiping your nose, to spread out your handkerchief and peer into it as if pearls and rubies might have fallen out of your head." You know who you are, and this one might apply to you as well. "Do not move back and forth on your chair. Whoever does that gives the impression of constantly breaking or trying to break wind." These rules are from the Dutch writer Erasmus
who also says that if you're chewing something and you don't want to swallow it, maybe it's a bit
of gristle or something, that you should not put it back on the table though his idea of where to put it is even worse. "If you cannot swallow a piece of food, turn around discreetly and throw it somewhere." Then, and this one will make it so he is never invited to my house for dinner, "Do not be afraid of vomiting if you must; for it is not vomiting but holding the vomit in your throat that is foul." Strongly disagree. Now the English writers definitely give some more sensible advice like "Don't loosen your belt sitting at the table for that is most uncourteous. Don't burp or fart... Share your delicacies with your fellow diners so as to be seen as kind and generous and don't complain if your serving is small." And some must-have advice for Medieval Europe, and today at the dinner table. "Pick not thine ears nor thy nostrils. Pick not thy teeth with thy knife. Laugh no nor grin and with much speech thou mayest do sin." Okay that last part went a little too far no
laughing at dinner i don't think so not on board but the no picking your ears and your nose
at the dinner table let's keep that one around. Actually in Medieval Europe touching your head
at all during a meal was considered very rude. Another thing to keep in mind is to not finish
all of your food because one you'll seem a glutton and more importantly you'll seem stingy because
after the feast all of the food that was left over is given to the poor, so don't be that guy or gal. And these rules did apply to men and women but I do feel that the women were often held to a higher standard. The 13th century French poet 'Le Roman de la Rose' or the romance of the rose lays out how a lady specifically should behave at table. "She must be very careful not to dip her fingers
in the sauce up to the knuckles, nor to smear her lips with soup or garlic or fat meat, nor to take
too many pieces or too large a piece and put them in her mouth. And she must be sure never to touch
her goblet when there is anything in her mouth. Let her wipe her mouth so clean that no grease
is allowed to remain upon it, at least not upon her upper lip, for when grease is left on the upper lip globules appear in the wine, which is neither pretty nor nice." But for the men don't fart at the table, and if you have to hock a loogie do it over there. Double standard more even more so when it came to the conversational part of a meal, and at least one Medieval writer Robert
of Blois recognized this. if she speaks someone says "If she speaks, someone says iit is too much. If she is silent she is reproached
for not knowing how to greet people. If she is friendly and courteous, someone pretends it is for love. If on the other hand she does not put on a bright face she passes for being too proud." I'm so glad that all of those issues have been completely banished from today's society, right? So that's a lot of rules to remember but I am going to as I enjoy my Medieval beef ribs. So at about 90 minutes or two hours remove the ribs from the oven and serve them on a platter with plenty of the liquid left. And here we are, beef ribs from 15th century England. So first I'm going to cut
myself a trencher from this stale loaf of bread. Then place one rib on it so as not to seem greedy, and do my best to cut the meat off the bone and into bite-sized pieces. I will take a morsel and pop it in my mouth. That's perfect. Wonderfully tender and even though the sauce isn't on it right now really I would dip it into the sauce at a Medieval feast, but there's some sauce on it so you're still getting so much of the flavor, and by sauce really I mean like the liquid and the other things that it was cooked in but anyway you still get so much of the flavor and it's sweet and it's also like tangy and it kind of reminds me of barbecue sauce
but fruity because we have so much- so many currants and everything so that's really what you're getting. I feel like the sugar- a lot of the sweetness probably comes from the
onions but you don't get a- I'm not getting an oniony flavor. It's really more of the currants and maybe the cinnamon. Really, really good and I'm going to finish all of these ribs
but off camera I'm probably just gonna [CHOMP] So a reminder that the Tasting History Cookbook is available for pre-order online at pretty much anywhere where you buy books and I will see you next time on Tasting History.
I really want to hear that Ms Manners story
The image at 0:45 is only mistakenly used to mean "shush".
This is the Egyptian god, Har-pa-khered (“Horus the Child”), later known to the Greeks and Romans as Ἁρποκράτης/ Harpocrates.
The finger-to-the-lips pose actually relates to the form of the hieroglyph for “child”, rather than silence or secrecy in its original context. It was later interpreted by the Romans as such a sign, e.g., Marcus Terentius Varro, in De lingua latina libri XXV (On the Latin Language in 25 Books) 5.10, ca. 47–44 BCE.
Also, thanks for the discussion of the different types of currants.
I look forward to making this when it’s not 1000 degrees in my kitchen!
Is there a list of the paintings that are shown in this episode?
The last of do's and don't's reminded me of the classic MST3K short, A Date With Your Family.
Hey Max, super excited to get a copy of the tasting history cookbook!! What would you say is your favourite recipe from this book?!??