1.Roasted Peacock—A Feast for the Nobility
In the grand halls of medieval feasts, where spectacle mattered as much as sustenance, roasted peacock reigned supreme. This dish wasn’t just food—it was a statement. Nobles and royalty prized the peacock not for its taste, which was often described as tough and stringy, but for its sheer visual splendor. The preparation process was as elaborate as the bird itself. Cooks would carefully remove the peacock’s skin, preserving its brilliant iridescent feathers, before roasting the body. Once cooked, they would reattach the plumage, sometimes even gilding the beak and claws with gold leaf to enhance the bird’s regal appearance. The result? A dish that looked as if the peacock had simply paused mid-strut on the banquet table.
Beyond its dramatic presentation, serving peacock carried symbolic weight. The bird was associated with immortality and divine power, making it a fitting centerpiece for feasts celebrating military victories, royal weddings, and coronations. Though the meat was notoriously tough, medieval cooks found ways to make it more palatable, often basting it with spices or serving it with rich sauces. Some historical accounts even claim that a properly prepared peacock could last up to 30 days without spoiling—though whether this was fact or medieval bravado remains up for debate. Regardless, roasted peacock encapsulated the extravagance of medieval dining, where food was as much about status as it was about sustenance.
2.Blackbird Pie—A Dish Straight Out of a Nursery Rhyme
If you’ve ever heard the nursery rhyme Sing a Song of Sixpence, you might recall the bizarre image of “four and twenty blackbirds baked in a pie.” While it sounds like pure fantasy, the concept of blackbird pie was very real in medieval Europe—though not quite as gruesome as it may seem. Rather than baking live birds into the pie, medieval chefs crafted an elaborate spectacle: a large pastry filled with bran or another temporary stuffing to maintain its shape. Just before serving, the filling was removed, and live blackbirds were carefully inserted through a hidden opening at the bottom. When the pie was cut open, the birds would flutter out, creating a theatrical moment that delighted noble guests.
This extravagant dish wasn’t about taste—it was about entertainment. Feasts in the Middle Ages were often as much about spectacle as they were about sustenance, and blackbird pie was a prime example of culinary showmanship. The ability to present such a dish signaled wealth, creativity, and access to skilled cooks who could engineer these edible surprises. While the thought of live birds escaping from a dinner plate might startle modern diners, in medieval courts, it was a sign of prestige and ingenuity.
3.Hedgehog Stew—A Peasant’s Unusual Meal
In the Middle Ages, food scarcity often pushed peasants to get creative with their meals. While bread, pottage, and ale made up the bulk of their diet, protein was a rare luxury. When meat was available, it typically came from unconventional sources—including hedgehogs. Though not a staple, hedgehogs were sometimes eaten in times of hardship, reflecting the resourcefulness of medieval peasants in making use of whatever was available.
Preparing a hedgehog for consumption required some ingenuity. One method involved placing the animal in hot water to make it unroll, making it easier to handle. Some recipes called for roasting the hedgehog and serving it with cameline sauce, a medieval condiment made from cinnamon, ginger, and vinegar. Others wrapped the hedgehog in pastry before baking, creating a dish that was both practical and filling. While seasoning options were limited for peasants, they likely used whatever herbs and spices were accessible to mask the strong, gamey flavor.
The consumption of hedgehogs underscores the survivalist nature of medieval peasant life. With limited access to livestock, they relied on locally available ingredients to sustain themselves. Though hedgehog stew may seem unusual today, it was a testament to the adaptability and resilience of those living in the harsh realities of the Middle Ages.
4.Jelly Made from Fish—A Medieval Delicacy
Fish jelly might not sound particularly appetizing today, but in medieval England, it was a prized dish among the elite. This unusual creation, known as “jelly of fish,” was a sophisticated culinary feat requiring both skill and patience. Recipes for it appear in Anglo-Norman manuscripts from the 13th and 14th centuries, detailing a careful process of extracting gelatin from fish like eels, pike, and tench. These varieties were favored for their high collagen content, which allowed the broth to set into a firm, translucent jelly when cooled.
The preparation involved simmering the fish in a mixture of wine, vinegar, and water—a combination that not only enhanced flavor but also helped preserve the dish. To achieve the desired clarity, medieval cooks strained the broth through linen multiple times, removing impurities and excess fat. The final touch was the addition of exotic spices such as cloves, ginger, and galingale, which signaled wealth and refinement at the medieval table.
The earliest recorded English recipe for fish jelly appears in an Anglo-Norman manuscript from the late 13th century, now housed in the British Library. Later, it was translated into Middle English as part of Diuersa cibaria (“Diverse Foods”), a collection of medieval recipes. The dish exemplifies the ingenuity of medieval cuisine, where preservation, presentation, and prestige often dictated what was served at the wealthiest tables.
5.Lamprey—The Slippery Favorite of Kings
Lampreys were one of the most prized delicacies of the medieval period, particularly among the nobility and royalty of England. These eel-like, jawless fish had a unique texture and were often described as having a rich, meaty flavor, making them a sought-after dish despite their parasitic feeding habits. Their popularity was so immense that they were commonly given as gifts to monarchs, and the city of Gloucester had an annual tradition of presenting the reigning English king with a lamprey pie every Christmas—a practice that continued until 1836.
Perhaps the most infamous royal enthusiast of lampreys was King Henry I of England. His love for the fish was so excessive that, despite warnings from his physicians about their potential health risks, he continued to indulge in them. His death in 1135 was reportedly caused by a “surfeit of lampreys,” likely due to food poisoning or an underlying illness exacerbated by his overconsumption. Beyond Henry I, other English monarchs, including King John, also placed great value on lampreys. In 1200, Gloucester was fined 40 marks (equivalent to roughly £47,000 today) for failing to provide the customary lamprey pie to the king.
Lampreys were not only a delicacy but also a regulated commodity. Their high demand led to price controls, with King John setting a maximum price of two shillings per lamprey to ensure their availability for the elite. Despite their decline in popularity over time, lampreys remain a historical symbol of medieval culinary extravagance, occasionally making an appearance at special events such as royal jubilees and coronations.
