What It Was Like To Dine At A Glorious Medieval Feast

Across all eras of human history, people have craved luxurious and extravagant foods not only to excite the palate, but also to show off social status. The aristocrats of the Middle Ages (the fifth to 15th centuries) may not have thought of themselves as "foodies," exactly, but they certainly were obsessed with exotic and delectable fare.
#MedievalEra #FoodHistory #WeirdHistory

[@MomentsInTrading]

The more I study history , the more I realize that before the year 1900, just getting enough to eat was a challenge for many people. Even if you did get plenty to eat, often you had little or no choice of what it was. What people called feasts and banquets back then usually just meant that you had a few choices and could eat your fill.

[@resentfuldragon]

yeah but it was somewhat regional and by class. Highclass anywhere could basically eat very well, and certain areas like india had it easier feeding foods to the poor. It kind of depended on where you are like today. In america the average joe could eat better than medieval royalty, but in many places people struggle to get a single meal consistently.

[@ChicoTheMan69]

I've also learned that in disasters whatever you can conveniently buy now can all go away in a few days. With all the grocery stores closed a lot of people would starve to death.

[@akiraasmr3002]

Yea for the peasants you had to fill up on bread and ale

[@NathansCrazyVideos]

Uhh... idk if you guys know this but starvation is still a huge problem today...

[@EggersEggers-pd6te]

Exactly. It just meant you had more of whatever was typically in season or available in the region at the time to choose from. Not more variety. Just more of the same. Which was, in those days a very fortunate thing, even for the rich. It's sad that these days the variety is so insane. But the rich aren't affected in the least by the small fluctuations that often easily render poor & working class citizens homeless. It's strange how some aspects of history can differ so greatly, while other aspects of the same topic can be grossly similar. Especially in this age.

[@sethortiger]

Learning about ancient or medieval foods of India or kingdoms or empires of Asia would be cool too

[@thelittleerik4806]

I would LOVE to hear about those

[@notyourbusiness1352]

I agree! As a southeast Asian and a Chinese descendant, I am indeed very interested.

[@seananonymous9289]

@@notyourbusiness1352 Thats not our business... Hahahahaha

[@Melitoria]

Ooh, yes please!

[@internalizedhappyness9774]

Variety is the spice of life!

[@kirkmorrison6131]

The average Medieval Beer, that was served during the day was about 2% Alcohol by Volume. It was the beer made by a second run of spent grains. Often they were then dried and added to bread. If not they were fed to livestock.

[@jonhiebert8321]

G up here uh. Uucyvuu

[@jonhiebert8321]

Up vuih gyvhvy hvvyhoih. Ty icu by v u.

[@gohawks3571]

Man, can you imagine people time traveling to today? They'd be shocked at everyone drinking water, and would try and drink beer just to end up massively drunk. Well, unless it was Budweiser or something on that level😂

[@stacyswiss307]

@@gohawks3571 lol Budweiser almost killed me😅light weight class all the way

[@gohawks3571]

@@stacyswiss307 lol, sorry😁 To be fair, I don't drink much either. I just want to enjoy what I'm drinking when I do, even if I only have half a bottle😂🍻🍕

[@whaleymom76]

I had a Shakespeare class in college where, at the end of the term, we re-created a mideaval feast where we made the food only with mideaval recipes, ingredients, and cooking processes. It was wonderful and educational!

[@rigze1192]

Did y'all eat from a stale bread as well😭😭🤣

[@whaleymom76]

@@rigze1192 Actually, yes.

[@valerietaylor9615]

Stale bread or not, it sounds like fun.

[@whaleymom76]

@@valerietaylor9615 It was great fun! 🙂

[@SuperSPatrick]

I love the narrator and his dry wit and sarcasm. He can literally make me lol. He's my favorite narrator of all youtube channels.

[@alicerivierre]

I love him too!

[@regentvoo]

I love him as he got me thru 1st gen covid but he's not the best. Ze Frank is, look him up. For puns MoBo is undefeated

[@kris9259]

It’s crazy to me that they had spices and gold leaf but not plates! The food episodes are my favorite!!!

[@NachoDaMan]

Bruh they had plates

[@zach7193]

Man, that's something. It's like Medieval Times, Golden Corral, Old Country Buffet, or Hibachi. Good show.

[@amandamcdonough1256]

I teach ancient history and I’ve shown some of your videos to my students. I would love to have more videos on ancient China, India, and Japan. Food, sports, and recreation would be awesome topics. Thank you for any help! My students and I love your videos!

[@Benni777]

Hey Weird History, can u do a video on who created the 4 Humors and why they “died out?” ☺️

[@TheBLGL]

Hippocrates, science.

[@empressoftheknownuniverse]

@@TheBLGL Ha! Correct, but that would make for a short video. 😄

[@KingRumar]

This is where you go into detail about the Black Plague and how that sparked the notion of germs and early quarantine practices

[@matthewrobertson9689]

They were replaced by the funny bone.

[@jlshel42]

I always liked the phrase “arousing the humours”

[@chyenneteichman4307]

I always listen to these videos to wind down after the day. It’s my ritual. You never fail to make me laugh. Please give your narrator a raise 😂❤

[@UserAme99]

Man this channel keep getting better and better. Love to learn english language and history at the same time. L2 speaker here.

[@herodotus945]

The videos about plate armor and corsets were shit.

[@Friendship1nmillion]

Amir , I highly recommend to you *THIS* #video 📼 on KZbin by English and History professor Malvern Bragg : kzbin.info/www/bejne/gWK7gqtvpax6mpI . He's also published a book about it too . 📖 ♑️✍️🇦🇺🇳🇴

[@internalizedhappyness9774]

Keep it up! I speak one language and I still mess up from time to time!

[@angelasieg5099]

The English Heratige channel has some interesting vids on medieval life including cooking when we gave a Medieval party we did a pig roast served salad leafy greens brandied Peaches in aspic marzipan mini cakes royal icing mint roses and a spiced fruit cake with dates sultanas fig candied citrus and as a moisturizer applesauce it was a trial and error process getting the recipe right we had wine and ale and fresh fruit and cheese it was a lot of work but so fun too I still have my costume dress my husband and I made from a replica pattern I must confess we did use a sewing machine

[@clementines9]

i want to be invited to parties like these lol

[@davidchunkyonion]

Brilliant, witty writing and hilarious narrator.

[@Kenxclout]

What do you call a Medieval spy? Sir Veillance

[@dache.henrylee]

What do you call a compromised Medieval spy? Sir Render

[@denisenilsson1366]

Boo! Hiss!

[@alicerivierre]

Hey, that's a good one! 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

[@gohawks3571]

Oh, I hope there's more😁👍👍👍👍

[@stealthskater5674]

😂😂😂😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣😂😂🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@ShallowApple22]

I love, love , love this channel the narrator is so on point. Such an easy enjoyable watch that really does expand historical knowledge thank you 🙏

[@kimberlypatton9634]

And the twisted humor is great!

[@gohawks3571]

Agreed!

[@Black-Sun_Kaiser]

I too love this channel

[@jamesbarisitz4794]

How about a video on the traditional Hawaiian Luau? It could dovetail into a similar meal, the clambake.

[@gohawks3571]

Let's skip past the video & attend one!

[@mrsevenchang]

No thanks

[@PrettyUnique90]

Weird History can you pretty please make a video about where gypsy come from and what are their traditions and lifestyle? I was just curious since I can’t find very much about the culture. Thank you!!!! Btw I can’t stop binge watching. You make history fun

[@alicerivierre]

Bring me some goose and mead! BTW, Can you do a history of Mexican cuisine?

[@Friendship1nmillion]

Alice , I think he's Already done a #video 📼 on Mexican cuisine 🌯☕️ ?

[@alicerivierre]

@@Friendship1nmillion oh, ok. I'll check it out. Thanks ❤

[@jlshel42]

“It’s a tortilla with your choice of meat, cheese, and vegetable.” -Jim Gaffigan

[@nickmoser7785]

Yeah I'm American so basically my understanding of Mexican cuisine is just the Americanized version of it. Same with many Chinese, French, and Italian food.

[@alicerivierre]

@@nickmoser7785 yeah, I'm an American too. It's interesting to know how Mexicans prepare their food, though, not just Americans or Mexicans Americans.

[@cadillacdeville5828]

This narrator makes my day 😁

[@clairewyndham1971]

I have been preparing "feasts" for the SCA for a while. While I DO only use the foods of the geographic area as well as the foods of the particular era, I employ the cleanliness of THIS time-frame. .

[@rowenamorgan9484]

I'm also an SCA cook which I love. I was watching this for any new info it happened to have.

[@kirkmorrison6131]

Peafowl are a type of pheasant, Therefore, I would say in the right hands it would taste quite good. As long as it wasn't cooked until to dry

[@taffykins2745]

Really? I didn't know that. Thx for the info!

[@God-Emperor_Elizabeth_the_2nd]

Imagine eating hot dry food at midday only to later find out you could have had wet cold food, instead.

[@politecat4236]

I learned a lot about bee keeping from this. Excellent video

[@kirbybot8370]

I really love your videos. I’ve always been a history freak but sometimes I get lazy to watch the 1 hour serious documentaries. Your videos are perfect for watching even on the toilet haha. Plus the narration keeps it interesting!

[@AsteriskDatBoi]

Do a history of Filipino culture and cuisine! And I loved that Sonic reference.

[@Tammissa]

I just love this channel! Thank you for all the interesting facts.

[@zoso1up]

Alaskian/inuit cuisine would be very interesting

[@emmaaaron6490]

I love these videos!! My mama and I watch the videos the same day they are published. Incredibly informative and entertaining!!

[@michelerosequreshey8345]

Bring it on guys! I love your channel👍🥰

[@KingRumar]

There are recreations of the real deal out there. Just like how renaissance festivals like to recreate. Shadiversity has filmed one of these as he attended. I strongly recommend checking his channel out

[@JeighNeither]

I'd be highly suspicious if I were served a chicken that still had all its feathers?!? Lmfao

[@KFrost-fx7dt]

They didn't quite do that. The tail and the neck and head portions would be part of the display but the meat was roasted, skin-on. They wouldn't have wanted to lose all the fat and juices.

[@glennso47]

And standing up and saying “Cluck cluck!”:

[@Tully_23_32]

I thought this would be under Weird History Food. I know we've had all diff era's of cuisine on this channel but I'm waiting a bit impatiently for the next food vid on WHF ☺️

[@jgallardo7344]

Do a video on the history of salt! Plenty of material for that. The word, “Salary,” and the City of Salzburg are rooted in the word “salt”

[@CharlieIII]

I love your videos :3. Thx for this video, it is helping me write a speech about medieval feasts. thx :33

[@jovanweismiller7114]

The main course of one of the most delicious meals I ever had was a goat, stuffed with a lamb, which was stuffed with a chicken, which was stuffed with hard-boiled eggs, all roasted on a spit. Those mediaevals knew what was good!

[@taffykins2745]

Yummers! Sounds so delicious!

[@katana_3558]

Where did u have..which country

[@btetschner]

A+ video! LOVE IT! What a unique food social!

[@TheCierra1020]

This was so cool.. thank you 😊

[@cherylkosmerl3668]

I absolutely love your videos a history lesson with a sense of humor 😄 😀 love it.

[@primrose4514]

I had a very nice time with your video! Have a beautiful easterday❤

[@Raherin]

This is one of the best channels on KZbin

[@GemCandy]

Watching this while waiting for my sushi order to arrive~

[@LadyCoyKoi]

I'm surprised that you didn't mention the turnip patties and fava bean patties. Would be so nice to see what monks of medieval times ate. I was shocked by one book from the Victorian era that talk about vegan receipts that monks from Medieval era ate.

[@hildahilpert5018]

They still eat that way in monasteries of monks and cloistered nuns.They eat veggies,.and fish.Meat is only served to the sick.Of course in that time in the Middle Ages, there were plenty of monasteries who didn't observe such diets.That,s why there were various reforms of various orders because of diet, not following religious observances, etc.

[@Myriako]

Thank you for this video ! 😊🌺

[@danemassie3750]

“I’m going to eat every chicken in here.” The Hound: got

[@ste9497]

I was also thinking that lol

[@lauriepenner350]

I feel sorry for the artist who painted the still life at 5:15. Just sitting in front of a pile of guts and animal parts for days, trying to capture every tiny detail before the stench drove him mad.

[@michaelmcdonnell5998]

So much appreciation for the narrator in the comments and I agree!

[@sandykalmeyer9523]

Another fun video with some learning too!

[@zubsies]

Love how one of the pictures of the banquet table has a cat reaching its claw up -- Typical cat, no matter what era 😂

[@waitandhope]

Lol

[@KPx-ke8bg]

You got me with "disembowelicious"

[@jackhackett80]

Where is a good online source for the types medieval paintings shown here?

[@NASCARFAN93100]

Please do Weird History on Italian Cuisine

[@randomoverpopulatedworldid3286]

some of us still believe food should be served by season.

[@katarzynakowalska5768]

In Poland there is a very nice way to serve our most popular soup (żurek) - this is the most traditional way of serving: in a bread trench of course 😁 It's considered as very "Polish" 😊

[@catladylion5186]

I’m loving these food history series you guys have been doing.

[@megcorbyn9541]

The salt thing is nonsense. If it was so expensive, why was salted pork and fish staple food for the peasant. Sugar was locked up, sure, but not salt.

[@ankhpom9296]

There were salt deposits in Europe?

[@notyourbusiness1352]

Weird History, I wanna hear about the ancient Mittani empire and its relation with Egypt. I don't think it's heard enough. Thank u!

[@auntvesuvi3872]

Thank you for this! 🏰

[@DPSFSU]

Now I'm just wondering why the Weird History Food channel was even made!?

[@tylerm9644]

Anyone else here binge watching weird history?

[@relaxtune9555]

nice story, love it

[@benisaten]

Man I'm hungry now. Great vid.👌

[@hellofditties]

ohhh this was super interesting, i didnt know that what they ate was different season to season but i suppose it makes perfect sense specially given the focus on humors!

[@vintagehippie3647]

Actually until recent decades even in the states foods were seasonal. Getting year round watermelon, oranges, cherries and other fruit was seasonal in most grocery stores.

[@2Bad4YOUuu]

5:52 "It is NOT a party until someone is eating a bladder" is such a horrific quote 😅 😖

[@mckayloving1933]

As an African American, culturally we practice seasoning all of our food thoroughly. I think I just learned why European descendants don’t view seasoning the way we do. 🤷🏽‍♂️

[@motownmark1215]

They serve peacock at the NBC cafeteria as well

[@deboralee1623]

Bah-dum-dum-tsss!

[@alisaadallah7714]

Thanks!

[@kevorkhamparian6116]

My humors are all out of order

[@goblin3810]

The fundamental slimes and humors. Yw

[@edwardiv1420]

Many banquets i have thrown. And many mistresses I have had. But I liked the banquets and bit more. Edward R

[@3frenchhens818]

Every time I read about historical cooking, I die to run to the kitchen to try them. We're both limited and lucky as modern diners. We're poorer in that don't get to enjoy the variety of foods available nor the nearly forgotten spicings. We're lucky in that we don't get stuck with the limited food colorings available, like spinach for green, beets for red, and in our improved sanitation in food storage and on their way to the table. Lucky the folks who got their dishes scalding hot. No bacteria. Oh, I do wish we could find the many herbs they used. Some are extinct, but a lot are simply overlooked or not thought of as food. The Roman poorer classes made a covetable savory ragout of wheat. Wouldn't it have been wonderful to have hit on that during WWII instead of the hopeful but disappointing meals made out of barley?

[@lauriepenner350]

Can someone explain why salt was so valuable? Most European countries are on or close to the sea. Why didn't everyone move to the coast, boil a few buckets of seawater and become obscenely wealthy?

[@kevinpacheco9869]

Because the idea that salt had high value is a common misconception, it wasn't

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

It was a common preservative, there’s no way it was exclusively for the rich...

[@davidclark9619]

Salt was mined before evaporation was used. Mining is energy consuming.

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

@@davidclark9619 Salt pans have existed for centuries- Ruth Goodman learnt about them in one of the docos she did

[@ShesMongolianASMR]

Can you do a video on life as a teenager during the Middle Ages?

[@btetschner]

What an interesting event!

[@aaronjameshorne]

The live chicken prank made me laugh. I’m a bit childish lol

[@Mrchair905]

“Food, glorious food!”

[@KarlJayce]

I ❤ Medieval videos

[@tommy1982mighty]

numero uno

[@kimberlypatton9634]

Overly rich food contributed much to gout and other ailments in the Tudor years...but they never put 2 & 2 together...I just wonder how common food poisoning occurred ..

[@rooster5146]

His voice sounds like the president from the movie monsters vs aliens

[@LizzyDidntDoIt]

What I wouldn’t give for a feast of sorts right now. I’m terribly food motivated… like a puppy 🤣

[@gohawks3571]

Man, I wish I was like my dog... He's not food motivated at all🙄

[@pamelamays4186]

Suggestion: Food eaten at a traditional Hawaiian luau. Specifically, not what's served at luaus attended by tourists.

[@PGA1992]

I've lived in Hawaii most of my life and every luau I've attended serves traditional Hawaiian cuisine, even to the tourists! (Dishes like kalua pig, lau lau, lomi lomi salmon, haupia, etc).

[@addictedtothewrittenword3451]

Can we get some videos on African food please.

[@ItsAVolcano]

Trenchers *were* for the less fortunate, often used as plates by the servants in a nobles house. An actual nobles "trencher" was typically a pewter plate made in the same squared shape.

[@stephaniecorporandy7018]

I'd like to see a video on sled. Especially small ale which could sometimes have a consistancy of oatmeal.

[@flowersforthedead5182]

Somehow was not subscribed. Had to remedy that. Who else can't do stuff unless the vibes are completely solid. Gotta have my weird history man.

[@odysseusrex5908]

That was fascinating. Thank you.

[@user-Erimej]

I never thought that Medieval Chefs had a weird & creative sense of humour

[@jimorr820]

The trenchers were given to the poor after the feast as food for them

[@OcarinaSapphr-]

Exactly- it was a form of charity - & normal people also ate off of wooden or pottery or metal dishes

[@swatson1190]

They also had bowls made of wood. It's kind of hard to eat pottage(soup) off the table. They did clean their tables with salt and hot water. It sanitizes it.

[@randomguy893]

Four'n'Twenty is a classic Australian meat pie brand that is sold at Aussie rules football games like Americans sell hotdogs at baseball games

[@lynnleigha580]

That's ok, up until, a few months ago, at the age of 39, I just thought worms just appear from the ground, I was pretty shocked, to learn that they mate and lay eggs, lolol!

[@Walter_Nicolas]

Hi Lynn how're you doing

[@MichaelMichael-yi5xz]

We miss the timeline series ...you promised us the 2000s 2010s 70s and 60s

[@MrRezRising]

Summer. Lack of moisture in the air? What?

[@strm854]

Next thanksgiving is going to be a hoot. Of course I will need to learn karate this summer

[@Katsem]

It was not a party until someone was eating a bladder. I enjoy the humor as much as the info.

[@aaronguajardo5746]

THE NARRATOR: " Learn a lesson, Ashton koocher." Lol

[@_SimpleJack_]

A frothy glass of mead?

[@robinjohnson8247]

Interesting

[@holyhex6520]

Mead isn't frothy. I personally know this because I make it. Good stuff.

[@OwODonut87]

why do i watch this after work at 11:00PM xD

[@Shria9]

Dude! If mead froths there's usually a problem with it!