Thanks! I recently bought a cookery book written by the librarian at my library Bromley House. She's a food historian when wearing one of her other hats and has just won a bursary to continue her research at the British Library. She found a recipe book in some local archives and has tried out the dishes and written about them for today's audience. It's called In Grandmother Gell's Kitchen. A selection of recipes used in the Eighteenth Century and it's by Carol Barstow. Being as it's Grannie's cookbook, some of the recipies go back to the 17thC. No chocolate ones though!QUOTE=Miss Moppet;50240]This is the irritating thing. I got it on a piece of paper at Hampton Court some years ago - they were having a chocolate festival at Easter and offering sample cups of hot chocolate made to an authentic C17 recipe and copies of the recipe to try at home. Now I cannot find that piece of paper for the life of me, although I know I wouldn't have thrown it away. If I do find it or an adequate substitute I'll post about it.
I had a quick look and a lot of it echoes what I've read in Medieval cookery books. It would indeed be interesting to go on one of his cookery days. I took an online course in Medieval food and cookery at Suite 101 with Dr. Gillian Polack. I don't know if they still run that one though. It wasn't expensive, but it was a different animal to Ivan Day.I have heard Ivan Day talk about recreating historic recipes and it's fascinating - his website is here. He teaches courses including one on late medieval cookery. I can't afford it but wish I could as he is a great speaker.
[/QUOTE]Interesting! I love cooking sauces and apple sauce is one of my specialties. I put quite a bit of sugar in though - it must have tasted different before sugar was widely available. Or perhaps they used honey as a sweetener instead?
Not that I know of - or in small quantities. They just had a different sort of sweet tooth to ours because sugar wasn't a daily part of their diet.