Renaissance+Picnic

They heavily used cinnamon, sugar, and honey to sweeten their recipes. Their access to spices was otherwise quite limited. Salt was heavily used to give their stew and soups flavor. Since most lower class citizens could not read and recipe books really wouldn’t arrive for another hundred years or so anyway, the peasant recipes were very simple. The merchant class could afford all of the typical vegetables such as cabbage, potatoes and carrots, but they may also have access to exotic treats like tomatoes, artichokes, and corn. The merchant class would typically have meat and cheese dinners a few times a week. Newfound parsley, garlic, and oriental spices would give recipes more of a complicated flair and kitchens with more spices reflected more wealth in the household. Desserts included sweets baked with sugars, fruits, nuts, and cinnamon. Seafood, various game like rabbit and quail, and exotic vegetables like tomatoes and artichokes decorated the tables. Roasted hams, whole roasted chickens, and marinated steaks were seasoned with limitless spices. Often, the meats were served on sticks in order to more easily cook over the open fire. In fact, the presentation of their foods was highly valued so when you bring in an upper class dish, everyone will know which class this dish represents. Drinks for all clasess would include spiced teas, grape based drinks from Italy, ginger ale, root beer, and spiced ciders. Desserts would include rice puddings, cobblers, danishes, layered cookies, and pies. Tips During that time period, many people did not recognize the value of fruits and some even feared that raw fruit caused illness. Since there were no self regulated ovens like today, temperature control was virtually impossible. Most meals were slow cooked in pots all day or cooking meats in chunks. Consider bringing in a crock pot to cook your meal during the day. When planning your contribution to our Renaissance Feast, consider the following: There are some ingredients England did NOT have during that time period such as tropical fruits, chocolate, caramel,.
 * Peasants: ** When peasants were lucky enough to find a meal, it usually consisted of water based vegetable soups, brown bread, and garden vegetables such as cabbages, carrots, turnips. When available, potatoes were often very popular to use for a variety of dishes, especially stews.
 * Merchant Class: ** Depending on how business was going, the merchant class could have access to some of the new foods and spices arriving from trade ships like rice and plain tea.
 * Upper Class: ** The upper class had an almost unlimited access to food. Dinner was celebrated like a feast and family members and their guests usually had a wide selection of meats and fish to choose from for their meal.