Re: Period Vegetarian

["Joyce A. Baldwin" <jocetta@ibm.net>]

Poster: "Joyce A. Baldwin" <jocetta@ibm.net>


>> Does anyone have any vegetarian recipes? (I personally don't consume 
>> any meat, dairy, fish or egg products, but I am welcoming all recipes 
>> so I can get an idea of what there was during this period.)

>Needless to say, there are a lot more dishes that include
>dairy/eggs than don't; most dietary restrictions of the middle ages
>(e.g. "meatless" Fridays for Catholics) did not involve anything
>as restricted as us modern vegetarians.

Actually, though you could eat fish, dairy and I believe eggs were
considered animal foods and were not (technically - priests gave a lot of
"medical" absolutions) eaten during Lent.  I have a period cookbook
mentioning in some recipes that the cook may substitute almond milk for
animal milk during fast days.   (The recipes are not redacted and would
need a lot of work to produce edible food which is why they were not
included in this post. Also, I believe a good many of them do include fish)
 If you can find any documented fishless, eggless dishes (there are some)
and substitute almond milk (can be purchased at some health food stores or
there are directions for making it in one of my cookbooks somewhere)  you
will have a Lenten version of an period dish.

Pease porridge made for Lent would have been vegan.  It's use is mentioned
but with no specific recipes because that was peasant food.  (And after 40
days they got pretty tired of it.) 

Jocetta Thrushleigh of Rowansgarth

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