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NOTICE -
This article was submitted to me by the author for inclusion in this set of files, called Stefan's Florilegium.
These files are available on the Internet at: http://www.florilegium.org
Copyright to the contents of this file remains with the author or translator.
While the author will likely give permission for this work to be reprinted in SCA type publications, please check with the author first or check for any permissions granted at the end of this file.
Thank you,
Mark S. Harris...AKA:..Stefan li Rous
stefan at florilegium.org
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You can find more of this author's work on her website at: http://katrowberd.elizabethangeek.com/
Before I start talking about this subject, I should point out that I'm not vegetarian and have no real claim to expertise on the subject. However, I do have a number of vegetarian friends and have some experience at catering for them.
It is a myth that medieval people were mostly carnivorous. Although meat was often eaten, and was very prominent at feasts and in recipe books and so forth, it was not eaten all the time. For one thing, the Catholic church dictated a huge number of fast days during which meat could not be eaten. These included Fridays and the entire 40-day period of Lent leading up to Easter. Although fish was commonly eaten on fast days, vegetarian dishes were also popular, and many recipes for such dishes are available to us.
Of course, our knowledge of medieval cookery comes mostly from what was written in books, and it's easy to see that the books were describing the food eaten by the nobility, especially at feasts or when entertaining. It is probable that everyday food, especially among the lower classes, was much less meat-heavy. It's also probably safe to assume that the simplest dishes were not written down, much as we don't bother to publish many recipe books with instructions for cooking ramen noodles or making toast.
Despite the above points, and also because of a lack of understanding of the needs of modern vegetarians, many feasts and other SCA events do not offer food suitable for vegetarians.
So what is a vegetarian? It might sound like a dumb question, but the answer is more complex than you might expect. A vegetarian, in general terms, is someone who does not eat meat, including red or white meat, fish, and products produced by killing animals or fish such as rennet (used to make cheese), gelatin, and isinglass (a kind of fish-based gelling agent). This type of vegetarian is also called "lacto-ovo vegetarian" because they eat eggs and milk products. Another, stricter form of vegetarianism is veganism. A vegan will not eat any food which comes from animals, even if the animal is not killed to produce it. This means that a vegan will not eat dairy products, eggs, or in some cases honey. Other rarer forms of vegetarianism include those which only eat fresh (uncooked) vegetables, and those which only eat the fruits of plants rather than leaf or root vegetables. Conversely, there are some people who call themselves "pisco-vegetarians" because they will eat fish; while not strictly vegetarian, people with these or other similarly restricted diets face many of the same difficulties as vegetarians at an SCA event.
For the sake of this article, I'm going to discuss mostly lacto-ovo vegetarianism, and to a lesser extent veganism. My aim is to show that it's easy to cater for people with these diets, without going to unreasonable expense or effort and without alienating the hordes of carnivores who demand that their table be laden with charred beasts.
The problems of catering to vegetarians fall into three broad categories:
Deciding whether to make special dishes for vegetarians
Finding good vegetarian dishes
Making sure that the dishes are really vegetarian
For the first point, I believe the answer is simple. In my opinion, it should not be necessary to make special dishes for vegetarians. It is easy to provide enough vegetarian dishes as part of a normal feast, if you put a little thought into it. This also avoids the difficulty of dealing with vegetarians who have not previously notified the cooks of their dietary requirements. A special dish made for four vegetarians may not stretch to feed eight, but four extra vegetarians taking part in a balanced feast including a range of vegetarian dishes served to all the diners should not cause any trouble at all.
So the next problem is to find good vegetarian dishes which will also appeal to the general populace. In addition to the list which appears below, here are some general guidelines for finding such dishes in period sources:
Look for "lenten" dishes
Almonds and almond milk are vegan, and are often used in lenten recipes where milk and eggs are not allowed
Many tarts contain vegetarian-suitable fillings
Some vegetable dishes made with meat stock can easily substitute vegetable stock
Also look for grain dishes made with rice, barley, etc. Again, you can easily substitute vegetable stock.
Consider foods from different cultures such as middle eastern, which may offer different vegetarian possibilities
In general, a vegetarian at a feast wants to have at least three dishes to eat, in addition to bread and green salad. At least one of these should be a substantial dish providing some protein. Since vegetarians do not eat meat or fish, the most common sources of protein in both medieval and modern diets, they need to get their protein from other sources. Some vegetarian foods which provide protein include:
Eggs
Dairy products
Nuts (vegan)
Beans and other legumes (vegan, but note that many types of beans are from the New World and hence not common in SCA-period cookery)
Whole grains (vegan)
Tofu and other soy-based manufactured proteins (vegan, but not medieval)
It is not hard to imagine a range of dishes providing protein to vegetarians: custard tarts and quiches, pilafs filled with nuts, dishes based on peas or lentils (depending on culture of origin), frumenty made with barley or cracked wheat, blancmange made with rice and almonds, pasta served with a cheese-based sauce. As long as you have one such dish, your vegetarians will be pretty happy. But it's not hard to have two or more in a feast, and that will make them ecstatic, especially if one such dish is vegan.
Although not authentically medieval, soy-based proteins could be used by especially vegetarian-friendly cooks in some recipes. Soy-based, vegan-friendly egg and dairy replacements are available, and TVP (textured vegetable protein) is somewhat similar to minced meat, and could be used with care in some medieval dishes. However, I have never known this to be done at an SCA event and I'm not so much recommending it as offering it up for consideration. There are already a wealth of vegetarian dishes available to us without using TVP, and of course the authenticity-minded may not feel that these are appropriate substitutions, so it's up to you to make a judgement call.
In addition to substantial protein dishes, vegetarians will want a couple of other vegetable dishes. Although a green salad is a common feature of many feasts, it provides colour and texture more than nutrition, and you should never make this the only vegetarian dish! Luckily, there are a heap of other options available, including:
Other kinds of salads and fresh vegetables, including cucumbers, radishes, etc
Cooked vegetables of various kinds, including carrots, turnips, parsnips, leafy vegetables such as spinach, asparagus
Pastries
Fritters (from spinach to apple)
Fresh or dried fruit
Cooked fruit (stewed, in tarts, etc)
Pasta and rice based dishes
All sorts of things to do with mushrooms (very popular with most vegetarians)
Pickles
Here are two very rough sample menus showing generic, moderately authentic dishes, which cater well for vegetarians and vegans. The first menu has two meat dishes per course, the second has only one. Those marked "VEGAN" or "VEGETARIAN" mean that the dish could be made that way with minimal effort, although in some cases the dish could go either way depending on the expected dietary needs of the diners and the cook's preference. For instance, pastries are marked as "VEGETARIAN" on the assumption that butter would probably be used, but could be made vegan either through the use of alternative shortening or (more authentic but less palatable) pastries containing no shortening.
|
Bread (VEGETARIAN) |
Bread (VEGETARIAN) |
|
Pottage of beef |
Pottage of worts (vegetables)
(VEGAN) |
|
Sausages (VEGAN) |
Stewed beef |
You will see that each menu provides a substantial vegetarian dish in each course, as well as side dishes and a sweet dish. However, omnivores, carnivores and those who say they "don't like vegetarian food" may not even notice the cunning way you've provided for everyone. Vegetarian food doesn't need to stick out like a sore thumb, and doesn't need to contain lentils and tofu or be bland and unappetizing (a charge commonly laid against vegetarian food, which which your humble author strongly disagrees).
One very important thing which cooks must be very aware of is that if a dish is said to be vegetarian, it should contain NO MEAT PRODUCTS. This includes meat stocks, fats and oils derived from meat, etc. Similarly, vegan food should contain no eggs, dairy or honey. Many vegetarians tell horror stories of visits to restaurants that thought that anything from beef stock to oyster sauce were vegetarian. While you might think it's obvious enough, it's easy to forget, and even easier when using commercially prepared products (eg. pastry, bread mix, sauces, preserves) in your cooking.
This leads into the subject of labelling and ingredient disclosure. A cook who wishes to cater to vegetarians (or indeed anyone with a dietary restriction) should make the list of ingredients readily available for all to see. Ideally, the cook should print out a list of dishes and ingredients and post it outside the kitchen, at the entry to the site where people pay for the feast, and perhaps even ahead of time on the event's website (if it has one). When using commercial products in cooking, cut out the ingredients label and stick it to the list outside the kitchen door -- it saves writing down all the ingredients to simply say "Pastry (commercial)" and then attach the label. This will save you any number of interruptions as you cook.
Another thing to be very sure of is that your kitchen staff and servers are all aware of which dishes are vegetarian/vegan. It is important that the kitchen staff do not accidentally contaminate a vegetarian dish by using the wrong ingredients or improvising. Another thing to be aware of is that you should wash food preparation utensils when switching from meat to vegetables, both for reasons of hygiene and out of consideration for your vegetarian diners.
When serving up your food, keep in mind that most vegetarians don't like to eat food that's been served in the same dish as meat. For instance, a dish of meat served on top of rice will be unsuitable for some vegetarians, although others are happy to eat the rice from the edge of the plate where it hasn't been in contact with the meat juices. You could either serve the dishes separately, serve the meat in a bowl placed in the middle of a platter of rice so the foods don't touch, or just make a separate bowl of the rice dish for your servers to take around to known vegetarians. It's also important that the servers can communicate to diners which dishes are suitable for their diets, so make sure you brief them ahead of time. The posted lists of ingredients will also help with this.
If you have prepared a feast menu which is suitable for vegetarians, don't be afraid to advertise the fact. Many vegetarians do not attend feasts or eat "off-board" out of habit, and will welcome the fact that someone has made the effort for once. Provide a means of contact so that they can confirm dishes and ingredients, and so that others can contact you in regard to allergies or other dietary needs.
Finally, a list of recipes from medieval sources which are suitable for vegetarians. If you have any additions to make to this list, please email me at the address at the bottom of this page.
Notes:
The column marked "substantial" indicates dishes which a vegetarian would consider a "main dish". You should include at least one of these in your feast.
Pastries are assumed not to be vegan, but you could probably make them vegan
The modifications suggested are provided merely as ideas. Some people will not want to deviate from the authentic recipes in this way. Make your own decision about what is acceptable to you as a cook.
|
Dish |
Description |
Culture |
Source |
Modifications |
Substantial? |
Vegan? |
|
Basic vegetable dishes |
||||||
|
Mustard greens |
Cooked green leafy things |
? |
Anthimus, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
Omit bacon; the original recipe says it's optional |
N |
Y |
|
Lenten foyles |
Milky cooked greens with raisins |
? |
Ordinance of Potage, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
Y |
|
Gourd in Juice |
Mashed squash with cheese, eggs, spices |
? |
Platina, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
Use vegetable stock |
N |
N |
|
Fried Gourd |
Squash, boiled then shallow-fried and served with garlic sauce |
? |
Platina, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
Y |
|
Funges |
Cooked mushrooms and leeks |
14th century English |
Forme of Curye, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
Use vegetable Stock instead of beef |
N |
Y |
|
Armored Turnips |
Baked turnips covered in cheese |
? |
Platina, via http://www.pbm.com/~lindahl/cariadoc/vegetables.html#8">Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
N |
|
Green Pesen Royal |
Fresh peas cooked with herbs, spices and almond milk |
? |
Ancient Cookery, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
N |
|
Perre |
Pea soup with spices |
? |
Two fifteenth century cookbooks, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
N |
|
Makke |
Fava beans with wine and onions |
14th century English |
Forme of Curye, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
Y |
Y |
|
Fried Broad Beans |
Beans with figs |
? |
Platina, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
Substitute oil for lard |
Y |
Y |
|
To make a Tarte of Spinage |
Spinach tart |
16th century English |
Proper Newe Booke, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
Y |
N |
|
An excellent boyled salad |
Spinach with currants |
early 17th century English |
English Huswife, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
Y |
|
Soups and Potages |
||||||
|
Rapes in potage |
Turnip/parsnip/carrot soup |
14th century English |
Forme of Curye, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
Use vegetable stock |
N |
Y |
|
Potage of beans boiled |
Fava bean soup, sweetened with fruit and honey and wine |
14th century English |
Curye on Inglisch, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
Y |
|
Green broth of eggs and cheese |
Herb soup with cheese and eggs |
14th century French |
Menagier, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
N |
N |
|
Tarts and pies |
||||||
|
Malaches Whyte |
Egg tart with spices |
14th century English |
Forme of Curye, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
Y |
N |
|
Tart on Ember Day |
Cheese and onion tart |
? |
Ancient Cookery, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
Y |
N |
|
Spinach Tart |
Spinach and cheese tart |
? |
Goodman, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
Y |
N |
|
To make a Tarte of Beans |
Fava bean tart with eggs and cheese |
? |
Goodman, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
Y |
N |
|
Mushroom pastries |
Mushroom tart with cheese and spices |
14th century French |
Menagier, via Cariadoc's Miscellany |
|
Y |
N |
------
Copyright 1997-2007 by Kirrily Robert. <skud at infotrope.net>. Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited. Addresses change, but a reasonable attempt should be made to ensure that the author is notified of the publication and if possible receives a copy.
If this article is reprinted in a publication, I would appreciate a notice in the publication that you found this article in the Florilegium. I would also appreciate an email to myself, so that I can track which articles are being reprinted. Thanks. -Stefan.
<the end>