Christopher Monk

Beet it!

Seven things you never knew you needed to know about beetroot in medieval England. Glorious!

Oh, and there’s a modern-though-medieval-spiced, pickled beetroot recipe from Ray. Delicious!

Down in the woods, part 2

More medieval food in Bailey’s Wood, Manchester. This time, two sweet treats. Full recipes included.

Down in the woods, part 1

Down in the woods… I cooked some smoked, spicy chickpeas. Yum!

Cassia buds, the ‘flower’ of medieval spices

Flour or flower? That is the question. In this post, I address the spice known as ‘flour of canel’ and explain how it should be understood as ‘cassia buds’. There are Middle English recipe readings to be had too!

Functional neurological disorder

I just want to let you know that I haven’t disappeared and explain why there have been fewer posts in recent weeks here on my website, Modern Medieval Cuisine. Unfortunately, I’ve been having health problems. I was diagnosed about ten years ago with a functional neurological disorder that affects movement, muscle strength, and cognitive function.Continue reading “Functional neurological disorder”

The poky palace kitchen of Portchester Castle

The palace lodgings of Portchester Castle, built by Richard II, have a rather poky kitchen. But for whom were the palace lodgings built, and what might the cooks have made for their lord and his guests?

Lactose-free, soufflé-light, baked elderflower cheesecake, inspired by Richard II’s Sambocade

I’ve just made a new version of my medieval-inspired baked cheesecake. It’s delicious!

Hot Caudle, anyone? (Part One)

Caudel Ferry… drink, soup, or custard? Follow along as I explore the medieval history of this ‘hot caudle’.

I may be a bit quiet for a few weeks

Image: Pear blossom in my garden Hello everyone. This is a note to my regular readers and monthly subscribers: I’m having an operation tomorrow, and I’ve been told I may need to rest for a number of weeks afterwards. So there may be less activity on this website and on my YouTube channel over theContinue reading “I may be a bit quiet for a few weeks”

Aqua Patys, Alexander the Great, and Dragons

What does Aquapatys, the name of a garlic pottage actually mean? A poem about Alexander the great and dragons helps in finding the answer.