Ophelia continues distributing her herbs, however this time she saves some for herself, “There’s rue for you, and here is some for me; we/ may call it herb of grace o’ Sundays” (217). While it is unclear exactly what this herb is, Ophelia is sure the meaning is not lost. By representing rue I feel that not only did Ophelia keep this herb for herself, I believe she also gave some to Gertrude. By giving an herb that represents rue to Gertrude, Ophelia is reminding her to regret the loss of her late husband. It also gives Gertrude and Ophelia a chance to lament over Hamlet, who they believe has gone mad. Ophelia can also use it to feel sorry for the loss of her father. It seems like the herb that represents rue is perfect for the women in the novel who are lamenting over Hamlet’s illness, as well as dealing with the loss of an important man in their lives.
I think the use of herbs in this scene is fascinating. I truly feel that by looking at the meanings behind the various herbs you can decipher to whom they are intended for. It is also interesting to see how herbs can carry specific meanings that would have been know to the audience members at the time.
Part II
Early Modern Dinner Menu
OCCASION: Elizabethan Wedding
NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 200
SOCIAL CLASS: Nobles
Course I
Simple Sallats: Radish roots and Boiled Carrots (11*)
Excellent Boiled Sallat (14)
Decorative Sallat (19)
Fricassees: Best Collops & Eggs (22)
Roasted Mutton with Oysters (66)
Roast Fillet of Veal with Sauce for Veal (78 & 90)
Chicken Pie (116)
Drinks: Elstertune Wine (18) & Ale (9) & Possett
Course II
Pottage with Whole Herbs (43)
Boiled Mallard with Sauce (46-85)
White Broth (48)
Roast Sturgeon (75)
Fresh Vegetables: Asparagus and Turnips (11)
Bread Pudding (34)
Assorted Cheeses (16)
Herring Pie (120)
Drinks: Elstertune Wine (18) & Ale (9) & Possett
Course III
Gingerbread (153)
Banbury Cake (132)
Various Fruits
Assorted Cheeses (16)
Wafers with Orange Marmalade (177 &178)
Drinks: Hippocras (150) & Possett
* Reference number’s in The English Housewife
Justification of my Menu
To prepare a feast in the Elizabethan Era I first had to decide on an occasion. I decided to choose a wedding because it would present a good opportunity for people from all around to get together and celebrate. I decided that the social class of the host and hostess would be nobility but on a distant level like a duke or a lord and their lady. The guests, too, would mostly consist of nobility. Having their social status so high makes for a more fun meal to plan because you do not have to worry about expenses as much or a lack of food for the guests. Because the host and hostess of this party are distant nobility I assumed that two hundred guests would be a fair amount. Other dukes and lords from surrounding counties could come, but high nobility like kings and queens would not be expected to be present. This would also keep the event a little less formal and the host would be able to sit at the head of the table. The time of year would be early summer. This is a beautiful time for a wedding and it also makes traveling easier for guests who have to come from afar. It is also a good time for fresh fruits and vegetables, as well as flowers. Flowers are important because they will be used in plenty for decoration. Other decorations will include arrangements of fresh fruit (not meant to be eaten) like apples and pears. There will also be entertainment in between the courses to allow the kitchen and servants time to prepare, as well as providing the guest some pleasures such as dancing.
The first course is meant to be lighter than the second course. It is composed of numerous sallats. The excellent boiled sallat will be presented first because it is the most impressive of all the other sallats. There will be simple sallats like radish roots and carrots and because of their cost there will be plenty of these. There will also be light fricassees like collops and eggs. As for meat in the first course there will be a small variety, keeping various tastes in mind. The first will be roasted mutton with oysters. This is a little heavier and contains spinach as well as other herbs and spices. Next is the roasted fillet of veal with sauce. While it is prepared similarly to the mutton it doesn’t contain seafood, which may be a turn off for some guests. Veal is a leaner meat than Mutton and that might appeal to some of the guest that don’t enjoy dark heavy meats. This dish also contains a sauce made with oranges and lemons, among other things, which will give it a lighter flavor, contrasting with the heavy mutton. The third, and final, meat will be a chicken pie. This dish is completely different from the other two meat dishes. First it is baked in a crust. Second, it has a sweeter flavor because it is made with fruits like raisins and prunes; and spices like cinnamon and sugar. This dish will also be pleasant to look at because in traditional Elizabethan style it will be dressed up to look like the original chicken, including its feathers. This course as well as the others will offer a variety of drinks for celebrating the happy marriage. This course, overall, should have a little something for everyone and it should hold the guests over until the next course is presented.
After the guests have enjoyed some song and dance they will be brought back into the dinning room for the second course. The second course will have the most amount of food and it will be the most satisfying. This course will also have various sallats, although they will be different from the first course because there will be no complex sallats served at this course it will be entirely simple sallats. These simple sallats will include asparagus and cucumbers and possibly others depending on availability. This course will also provide a variety of cheeses ranging in flavor and strength to appeal to everyone. One of the more filling dishes provided will be a pottage with whole herbs. This dish contains such hearty vegetables as cabbage and spinach. For those guests looking for something a little lighter a roasted sturgeon will be prepared. Sturgeon is known as a dainty fish and it is prepared in its own juices and cloves. This will be a nice refreshing change from the heavier meat dishes that are being served. Next, there will be boiled mallard in a delicious sauce prepared with spices and butter. There will also be white broth, which is an extensive dish that will be as much of a decoration as a filling meal. It is prepared with wine and numerous spices. The plates will be adorned with fresh fruits like oranges and lemons. This will be a hearty dish that everyone will enjoy. For variety there will be bread pudding, which will complement the meat dishes. This is also good because the only meat it has in it is suet, so therefore it will be a nice accent to all the heavier dishes. And finally, there will be a herring pie. Having another fish dish should help to provide a variety of different dishes for all the guests. And this fish dish will be much more filling then the sturgeon because it is baked in a crust with a heavy broth to accompany it. All the guests should be quite full after this and will be excused to enjoy more entertainment and celebration for the wedding. This break will give the guests a time to digest as well as give the servants a chance to clean up and get prepared to serve dessert.
The third and final course will be the lightest. Similar to the second course there will be a variety of cheeses, however, this time the will be complemented by fresh fruits like strawberries and grapes. There will also be gingerbread and banbury cake for those guests that have a sweet tooth. And for variety there will be wafers with an orange marmalade to accompany them. And for a dessert drink there will be hippocras, which is made with cinnamon and cloves, among other things.
Overall, I feel that the guests will be happy with the variety and amount of food at the wedding feast. And all the leftovers for the evening will be distributed amongst the servants and then to the poor.
What I learned in our Class Recreation of
an Early Modern Dinner
In preparing for our early modern dinner I learned that many things can be hard to adapt to a modern kitchen. Before we began I began to look at many of the recipes in The English Housewife and on the Internet. What I had the most trouble with was the way the ingredients were listed. I have never before been presented with recipes that did not list specific ingredient amounts. This might not have proved to be such a problem if I had lots of cooking experience, but unfortunately I am lacking in culinary skills. This meant that our group had to choose a recipe that has more or less stood the test of time like chicken pie, which is similar to a pot pie. The Internet proved to be helpful with this recipe because specific ingredient amounts aren’t listed in The English Housewife. Getting different opinions and variations on this recipe from scholars and chefs really helped. This information really helped to make the recipe more accessible to a modern kitchen.
This project really allowed me to appreciate all the modern luxuries that we have. To prepare for making the meal all we need to do is make a quick trip to the grocery store. I couldn’t imagine having to gather all that food from different places. I also realized the importance of having a stove where the cook can easily control the temperature. This makes cooking so much easier than having to guess how hot a fire is. Stoves and modern inventions like a bread maker make our jobs as cook so much less time consuming. It is also helpful that we can prepare foods in advance and store them in freezes and refrigerators and then reheat them with microwaves. I also realized how much I rely on salt and pepper as well as other spices. I could not image salt as a luxury that should not be squandered away. Differences like this gave me a whole new appreciation for the early modern cook and the struggles they must have faced trying to put food on the table.
Unfortunately, I was not feeling well at the actual dinner. I was disappointed that I missed out on all the wonderful and interesting foods prepared by my classmates. Like everyone else in the class I have had vegetables and cheese before, but I really missed out on things like the venison, that I have never before tried. What I did learn, however, was a whole new appreciation for things like Sprite, which helped to settle my stomach and Advil to help my headache. If I were present at a dinner in the early modern period I would have had to try to use one of the medications in The English Housewife. And while I’m sure their food was good, even by our standards, I do not think I would trust their medical treatments, even for something simple like a stomachache.
As a whole, I have had an enlightening experience with early modern cookery, to say the least. I now have a whole now outlook and respect for cooks in the early modern kitchen and for the cooks of today. I also should say that I now realize how important modern medicine, a hot shower and comfortable bed can be when you are sick.
Works Cited Page
Markham, Gervase. The English Housewife. Ed. Michael R. Best. Canada: McGill- Queen’s UP, 1994.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Ed. Barbara A. Mowat and Paul Werstine. New York: Washington-Square Press, 1992.