Working from authentic 16th century recipes Secondary One
scholars created Shakespearean/Elizabethan Era dishes as part of a series of projects exploring the culinary aspects of The Bard's writings.
The recipes were prepared
at home and brought to the Theatre of the Mind class to share with peers.
Each scholar researched the dish and its elements. The project afforded
scholars the opportunity to explain the history of his or her recipe, what connection Shakespeare's plays might have had to the dish, and a chance to "taste" something "new."
“And, most dear actors, eat no onions or
garlic, for we are to utter sweet breath; and
I do not doubt but to hear them say, it is a sweet comedy. No more words: Away!
Go, away!”
- "Henry IV, Pt. II"
For Additional Feast and Preparation Photos
Student Research: Food Facts
Apple Puffins were a favorite Fall dish usually served
to the nobility.
Apples are mentioned in "Shakespeare's Love’s Labour Lost.“
"Ripe as a pomewater, who now hangeth like a jewel.”(Try writing that with
spell check). A pomewater is a juicy and firm apple, and one of England's best
apples. They are also mentioned in “The Taming the Shrew.” “There is little choice in rotten apples.” (I didn’t use rotten apples in my recipe).
Sugar was very pricey in 16th century
England, as it had to be imported. So, most people used honey to sweeten their
food.
It is often thought that the stereotype of English people having bad teeth
comes from Queen Elizabeth I’s love for sugar. As a royal figure, she
had access to the best ingredients and food of the time. Perhaps the queen and her
court suffered from their intense love for sugar, as their teeth decayed,
yellowed and perhaps even blackened. Some scholars thought this became a status symbol, and people would purposely blacken their teeth. Another interesting myth about sugar in Elizabethan England was
that it had medicinal properties, and could actually clean teeth. When in
practice, rubbing the teeth with sugar paste only worsened the condition of the
teeth of Englishmen.
Buttered cauliflower, isn't mentioned in any of
Shakespeare’s plays, but there is a line that may refer to a cauliflower itself in
"Henry IV Part 1," “Nor more shall trenching war channel her fields,
Nor bruise her flow'rets with the armed hoofs Of hostile paces.”
Spinach Fritters was considered extravagant (some people used one gallon of
butter to fry it.) The dish can be made using other vegetables. Spinach fritters were popular
because they were easy to make and were useful for filling out menus. Spinach is thought to have originated in
ancient Persia.
This salad recipe was first published in 1660, around
the time when beets where first becoming popular in salads. The Babylonians
first used oil and vinegar on greens to make salad, but the Greeks and the
Romans spread it across Europe.
Spices were an expensive luxury. A royal charter issued in
1600 by Queen Elizabeth I created the East India Company. Slowly, the English saw the rise in affordable spices.
In some cities the word spice became synonymous with poison. Supporting this thought is the quote, "she'll first receive thee, but will spice thy bread
with flowery poison."
There are many different types of spice bread, such as
orange, cranberry, and apple.
Pippins are dessert applies. Apple coils can be a source of great
annoyance.
During Shakespeare's time England was becoming a great power and part of its power was based on the diversity of its food stores.
Quince
pie is a royalty dish because of its unique taste and the rarity of the quince
fruit (now it is not). It was the type of dish that could be served to Queen
Elizabeth. The quince is a fruit that grows in western Asia and is harvested during the
fall and is said to be very delicious. Fun fact if you don't know what a quince looks like or is it's like the shape
of a pear with the skin of a orange and the color of a lemon and the taste of a
pear mixed with a apple mixed with a lemon or orange. Basically, it is a acidic pear
with the skin of an orange.
Shrewsbury Cakes were first known to be made
in the 1500s around the same time William Shakespeare was born. “Short
[meaning rich] as a Shrewsbury cake” was a popular saying in England.
One
of the main ingredients is rosewater – which is created by simmering rose
petals until the water turns pink. The
first use of cakes and ale with that allusion is made by Sir Toby Belch in William Shakespeare's "Twelfth Night."
Upcoming Theatrical Events
Wednesday, February 21st - HYSA Thespian Society Meeting
Thursday, February 22nd - A-Level and IGCSE HUM Theatre Fieldtrip to the "The Hobbit"
Friday, February 23rd - HYSA Thespian Society Outreach (Theatre & Robotics )
Saturday, February 24th - Hosting the Regional Poetry Out Loud Competition Wednesday, February 28th - HYSA Thespian Society Meeting "Tech Challenge" Games
