Medieval cookware is an on-going but often neglected topic of interest for me. I’m utterly fascinated with the idea that the implements influence the food and cooking choices. My dream is to someday cook a meal using only period cookware and techniques.
Ideas I want to research:
- I’ve seen references to cooking over a brazier. This would be like cooking in a tagine only possibly with an open pot over a brazier of coals.
- Modernly when we conceive of spit roasting something we place the spit directly over the flame. I’ve seen indications that the spit would be placed next to the fire, sometimes with a drip pan below to catch all the nice meat drippings (much better then dripping them into the fire to cause flare up). This also argues spit cooking as an indirect cooking method.
- Cooking that -was- done directly over the fire was handled in pots either with intregral feet or with a separate trivet.
- Ovens were the property of bakers. They were used for breads and tarts. I really doubt that any meats were ever baked.
