Renaissance Faire

Food
 Recipes:
Stewed Beef:

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. beef 1/2 tsp. sage

1/2 tsp. cinnamon water
1/4 tsp. cloves
3 slices bread
1/4 tsp. mace
1/4 cup vinegar
1/4 tsp. grains of paradise
pinch saffron
1/4 tsp. cubebs
1/2 tsp. salt
1 medium onion, minced
1 Tbsp. parsley
Method

Cut beef into 1/2 inch cubes. Place in a large pot with enough water to cover and bring to a boil.
Simmer for about 20 minutes and strain, reserving liquid - I suspect this step is to help remove any
scum that forms on the surface during boiling. Put beef and broth back into pot, and add onions and
spices. Return to a boil and cook until meat is tender. Meanwhile, tear up bread slices and place in a
bowl with the vinegar and enough broth to completely moisten it. When the beef is cooked, strain the
bread mixture through a fine strainer into the pot, discarding the bread solids. Add saffron and salt
and simmer until the soup thickens slightly. Serve hot.

The bread in this recipe is used as a thickener. If thicker broth is desired then use more bread, and if
thinner then add water.
 Beef Pie:
Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs. beef shoulder roast, cut into small pieces

2 chicken breasts, cut into small pieces
1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces
Salt to taste
Pepper to taste
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
1/4 tsp. Cloves
Pie Crust

Method

Mix all ingredients and add to the pie crust. Cook in a 350 degree oven until done.

Roast Hen:

Ingredients

4-6 lbs. Chicken, cut up

1 cup White Wine
1 cup Chicken Broth
1-2 cloves Garlic
2 Egg Yolks

Method

Place chicken pieces in a roasting pan, add wine and chicken broth, and bruised
garlic cloves. Bake for 1 to 1 1/2 hours at 350°F. Check at 1 hour, baste with broth
and turn pan in oven. When done, remove from oven, and let chicken rest out of
pan, pour juices separating fat into a sauce pan. Add egg yolks to thicken. Serve.
Greens:

Ingredients

2 pkg. frozen Spinach, thawed (for convenience)

2 Tbsp. Sage, chopped
2-3 tsp. Pepper
1 cup Parsley, chopped
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs
1 cup White Wine

Method

Squeeze some, but not all of the liquid from the spinach and place it into a pan, add
sage, parsley, bread crumbs and wine. Bring to a boil to cook and combine flavors,
season to taste with pepper.

Vegetable Stew:

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs. Parsley roots or Parsnips 1 tsp. Sugar
1/2 lbs. Carrots 1 tsp. Mustard
pinch Saffron, ground 1 Pear, peeled and sliced
1/4 tsp. Cinnamon, ground 1/2 cup Dates, chopped
1/4 tsp. Ginger, ground 1/4 - 1/2 head White Cabbage,
1/8 tsp. Cloves, ground boiled and leaves separated

Method: Peel and slice parsley/parsnip roots and carrots into coins, boil until tender
and drain. Mix mustard with spices. Mix roots with pear slices, dates, dates, and
cabbage in a pan; heat to cook through and mix in mustard mixture. Mix in Sauce
Poitevin. (recipe to follow)
Mushroom Tart:

Ingredients

1-2 lbs. Mushrooms

1-2 cups Swiss cheese
1 tsp spice
Pie Crust

Method

Sauté mushrooms in small amount of oil to cook the mushrooms and release their
water. Drain and cool. Mix with the spice powder and cheese place into the pie crust
and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes until done.

Fine Cakes (Cookies):

Ingredients

1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. butter, softened
pinch cloves
pinch mace
1/4 tsp. salt
pinch saffron
2 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. rosewater
1 Tbsp. yeast
Method

If using dry yeast, activate it by placing it in a small bowl with 1/2 tsp. of sugar and 2
Tbsp. of water.

Put flour, sugar, and spices into a bowl and mix well. Cut in butter until it forms small
crumbs. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks well with the rosewater and 1 Tbsp. of
the foam that forms on the top of the yeast. Add the egg mixture to the dry
ingredients and mix until it forms a soft dough. If mixture is too dry add a little water.
If too wet, knead in a little flour.

Roll or press dough on a floured surface into a thin sheet - about 1/4 inch thick. Cut
into rectangles, transfer to a baking sheet, and bake at 350°F until golden brown -
about 15 minutes.

Makes ~2 dozen 1" x 2" cookies.

Apple Tart:

Ingredients

3 - 4 lbs. apples, Golden Delicious, 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

peeled, cored and chopped 1/8 tsp. Cloves
1/4 cup Heavy Cream 1/8 tsp. Mace
1/4 tsp. Grains of Paradise 1/4 cup Sugar
1/2 tsp. Ginger
1/2 tsp. Cinnamon Pie Shell

Method

Place apple pieces and cream in a pot on the stove and simmer until apples break
down, about 20 to 30 minutes. Mash cooked apples and mix with spices and sugar.
Pour into pie shell, bake in 400°F oven for 60 minutes, or until dry and set.
Stewed Pears:

Ingredients

4 Pears
2-3 cups Riesling Wine
1-2 cups water
1-2 Tbsp. Butter
Sugar

Serves 4

Method

Peel pears starting from the bottom to the top, leaving the peel attacked at the top of the
pear. Place the pears in a pot and just cover with wine and water in a ratio of 2:1 wine to
water, add butter. Simmer until pears are soft, about 20 to 30 minutes. Carefully remove
from pot and place on a plate with a little of the cooking liquid and sprinkle with sugar to
finish.

Flaune of Almayne:
Ingredients 2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup currants 1/4 tsp. ginger
4 apples 1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup cream pinch saffron
6 eggs
1/4 cup sugar Short Paest for Tarts
2 slices bread, ground

Method: Peel, core, and quarter apples. Grind with currants in a mortar (or in a food
processor). Beat eggs well and add remaining ingredients. Pour into pie shell and bake
at 350°F until it rises at the center - about one hour. Allow to cool, sprinkle with
cinnamon-sugar, and serve.