Strawberries - Food of the Gods
by Scholastica Joycors
Strawberries - Food of the Gods
by Scholastica Joycors
The history of the strawberry dates back to Ancient Rome where the fruit was considered the symbol of Venus, the goddess of love, because of its bright red color and enticing taste. Later, the berry became a symbol of fertility due to its many exterior seeds. The fruit looks so alluring in fact, that strawberries were carved into church altars and cathedral pillars in medieval times to represent perfection. Legend has it that when two people split a strawberry, they’ll fall in love.
In today's world the two most valued flavors of love are paired together in what we know as chocolate dipped strawberries which is supposed to be the ultimate aphrodisiac, and while there is no denying their appeal on the plate I am not sure I would venture that far.
There are many ways to use a strawberry in period cooking in the summer time just eating them off the vine while they are warm and juicy is always good, but they don't last very long, so you can make them into jams, or tarts, a pottage or pudding, or strawberries in snow the taste is delightful.
Strawberye
Take Strawberys, and waysshe hem in tyme of yere in gode red wyne; þan strayne þorwe a cloþe, and do hem in a potte with gode Almaunde mylke, a-lay it with Amyndoun oþer with þe flowre of Rys, and make it chargeaunt and lat it boyle, and do þer-in Roysonys of coraunce, Safroun, Pepir, Sugre grete plente, pouder Gyngere, Canel, Galyngale; poynte it with Vynegre, and a lytil whyte grece put þer-to; coloure it with Alkenade, and droppe it a-bowte, plante it with graynys of Pomegarnad, and þan serue it forth. (Two Fifteenth Century p. 29)
1 pint strawberries ¼ cup sugar
¼ cup red wine ¼ teaspoon ginger
1 ¾ cup almond milk ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons rice flour ⅛ teaspoon galingale
¾ cups currants 1 tablespoon butter or lard (alkenade)
8 threads saffron ¼ teaspoon vinegar
⅛ teaspoon pepper pomegranate seeds
Wash strawberries in water, then mix with wine and force through wire strainer using a pestle. Mix with almond milk and wheat starch, then boil about 10 minutes, until thick enough to stick to the spoon. Add currants, then remaining ingredients as it cooks. Make sure the spices are ready when you start boiling it. We used not very sweet strawberries; one might use less sugar or more vinegar if they were sweeter.
Redaction from Miscellany by Cariadoc and Elizabeth
©2020 Scholastica Joycors (scholastica.ppa@gmail.com) Article first appeared in The Yeoman - February 2020
Permission is granted for republication in SCA-related publications, provided the author is credited and receives a copy.
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