Preparing a Medieval Wedding Menu
Serve Your Guests A Historically Accurate Renaissance Banquet
If you have your heart set on a medieval style wedding, don't end the theme with the decoration and wedding attire. Incorporate a Renaissance period menu and treat your guests to a historically accurate, and interesting fare of exotic foods from another era.
Catering Options
There are many caterers who offer medieval style banquets, albeit more common in major metropolitan areas or towns prone to hosting Renaissance festivals and fairs. If you can't find one, you shouldn't be discouraged. Most caterers will keep an open mind and do their best to accommodate your needs. Make a list of the foods you would like prepared, and any specifics about the preparation and meet with local caterers to discuss the feasibility of your unique menu.
The beauty of this type of cuisine is that many forms of it is easily prepared and basic in form. If finding a caterer to meet your needs is an impossibility, consider do-it-yourself options or outsourcing the menu to friends and family that are handy in the kitchen.
Medieval Banquet Style
Banquets during these times were lavish regardless of the bride and grooms social status or level of wealth. In the middle ages, food was one area where excess was encouraged; often ,seated dinners included multiple courses with meat as the focal point.
Commonly prepared meats during the Middle Ages:
- Roast Quail
- Turtledoves
- Partridge
- Goose
- Venison
- Roasted Boar
- Calves' Head
- Fish
- Roasted Peacock
- Mutton
Vegetables were not as prevalent as one might imagine, and the choices included in diets during this era were relatively limited. Vegetables were generally considered garnish for meat. If being truly accurate is key, stick to carrots, onions, leeks, shallots, cabbage and asparagus.
Salads were a normal course in Medieval fare, but were somewhat different than what most people are accustomed to today. A salad from the middle ages often included nuts, herbs, a variety of onions, boiled roots like carrots and turnips, oil, sugar and olives.
Bread was an incredibly important part of any meal during this period. Bread selections should offer a lot of variety in textures, tastes and presentation.
Fruit was served with most meals, and at lavish banquets it was expected that there should be a variety of berries including raspberries, blackberries and strawberries in season. Currants, apples, peaches and pears were also prevalent.
Most dishes were served with local seasonings, spices that were common like sage, rosemary and herbs. Salt and sugar were expensive and considered delicacies, and most things were without salt and if served sweet, were sweetened by natural honey.
Setting the Scene
Though it was customary during the Middle Ages to eat from basic dishes without silverware, for a contemporary wedding some amenities should be offered. Instead of focusing on the more rudimentary aspects of Medieval culture, showcase the food in a modern setting with beautiful place settings and elaborate presentations.
Encourage guests to sit around large tables to inspire conversation, rather than small tables in groups. Accentuate your wedding with rich jewel tones and substitute tapestry style table cloths for modern solid colors.
Medieval banquets included entertainment, and your wedding should be no exception. Consider a period instrumental quartet to incorporate music during the feast. During the Middle Ages, people remained at a celebration until the entertainment and food were gone, so plan for enough of both to keep your guests content for many hours.
During Medieval times, celebrations included long speeches and the sharing of tales and stories. Encourage your guests to share anecdotes and for family to take a turn speaking about the Bride and Groom. For suggestions and help with romantic quotes check out Inspirational Wedding Expressions.
And of course, no theme wedding is complete without the proper attire. Don't miss Fairytale Wedding Gowns for more suggestions on how to make your event unforgettable.
