The most famous of all Calderons varied and romantic dramas; this seventeenth-century masterpiece by the great Spanish playwright explores the conflict between free will and predestination as it focuses on the life of Segismundo; a Polish prince imprisoned at birth by his father; the King.
#1364622 in eBooks 2013-04-18 2013-04-18File Name: B00CARI98G
Review
20 of 20 people found the following review helpful. _The Medieval Cook_ looks at the kitchen of the ordinary person; with satisfying resultsBy Rebecca HustonBeing a history nerd; especially interested in the ancient and medieval periods; I tend to take a special point in looking out for books that explore daily living; and just how our ancestors were living in a far less industrial time. And one topic I love to read about is culinary history.About thirty years ago; Bridget Ann Henisch wrote Fast and Feast; a very scholarly work on the roles and symbolism that food and meals had for the everyday person. But then; she seemed to vanish; so it was with a great deal of pleasure that I saw her new book; The Medieval Cook; in a notice from the publisher. I ordered it at once; and it quickly got a spot near the top of the never-dwindling Mountain To-Be-Read in my living room.Ms. Henisch starts with how the cook was viewed by medieval society -- he was despised for being a labourer; of being of the middle or lower classes; and for handling blood and dead animals; but also very necessary for the enjoyment of life and providing status for his master. Its a fascinating paradox; and one very interesting point is brought to bear in both the creation of a knight -- the master cook would claim the new knights spurs after the ceremony -- and in the ceremony of degrading a dishonourable knight -- that same master cook would come and hack off those spurs with his kitchen knife. But the craft and cunning of a cook was necessary for human survival; without them; there would rarely be hot meals in the wintertime and no one to coax flavour and sustenance from raw ingredients. And if a patron or noble lord could convince a talented cook to work for him; his own prestige would be raised by the elaborate meals that he could provide. A few cooks rose to the ranks of the elite; and a few would write down their secrets and skills; giving a rare insight into the world of medieval cookery.But the chapters I found the most interesting were those of the cottage cook -- which is who most cooks were; and more often than not; the woman or wife of the household; juggling the roles of being a mother; spouse and provider and keeper of the family larder. Here cooking was simple; but skillful; being passed down from one generation to the next and almost never written down. And the other one was about how cook shops; bakers; and butchers provided fast food as it were; especially in towns and cities to inhabitants who didnt have the equipment or skills to bake items; provide bread; or handle the dispatch of large animals. People could buy a finished product outright; such as bread or roasted meat; or that particularly medieval delight; the pastry pie or simply bring the ingredients to the baker; and for a nominal fee; have them craft the desired item.And then there were the times that extravagance was called for; when there was a marriage or funeral; and not just outside labour was brought into a household; but the equipment and supplies could be arranged as well. These times are most readily revealed in household account books; where a list would be made of who provided what and how much was paid. It was the master or mistress of the household would look over these -- often writing them up themselves -- and there must have been constant worry over how much was being pilfered by the servants; or who was overcharging; or if there would be enough brought in to satisfy the guests without waste. The best example of this; and a source that Ms. Henisch draws on heavily; is that marvel of medieval life written by a much older merchant for his young wife; known as "The Goodman of Paris;" filled with suggestions of how to run and manage a household full of servants and guests; and how they were to be sustained and entertained.Be warned however; that there are not any recipes or redactions in this book; beyond a selection of those to be found in the Eileen Power translation of "The Goodman of Paris." Unfortunately; they are not much more than descriptions of what a dish might contain; and perhaps how they might be prepared. However; for those wishing to recreate a medieval feast; I would suggest looking at the selection of books that Ms. Henisch provides for further reading. But if you want to find out who was doing the cooking; what society thought of them; or what sort of conditions they were working in; this is a great place to start.There are black and white reproductions of manuscript pages that show artistic representations of cooks and cooking in medieval life -- my favourite is a wood carving that show a husband and wife brawling over a cooking pot; as the man peeks into a pot; and his wife tugs on his beard to make him yelp in pain and a bowl goes sailing past his ear. The notes are very extensive as well as the bibliography and index; all of which provide ideas for further study.I give this one five stars; and happily recommend it; especially for those in re-enactment groups as it takes a look beyond the aristocratic life and history.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Lets hear it for cooks!By Michael WaghorneWhilst there is a certain amount of repetition throughout this book; which more careful editing could have prevented; it was a fascinating read. Cooks certainly have an easier time today.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. It would be great for a resource for researchBy Teresa BallThis was a fascinating read. It would be great for a resource for research.