A Danish/Jorvik Feast

The recipes here are meant to present a “Jorvik feast,” a meal that may have
been eaten by those living in parts of Scandinavia, as well as those dwelling in the
northeastern part of England (the Danelaw), in the city of Jorvik, which is known
today as York. The recipes are a blending of two cultures — Scandinavian and
Anglo-Saxon — not unlike the city of Jorvik itself, which also had Roman
influences (as did some of these recipes). By the standards of the 10th century, this
is a rather lavish feast, a step above what may have been eaten every day. Some
reasonable modern substitutions have been made for consideration of safety (i.e. no
wormwood) and cost (i.e. use of modern-style carrots more than expensive
parsnips). The ingredients and “recipes” as known in period are provided with
English translations. Not all period uses of these foods were just for eating; some
items appear as medicinals or for use in hygiene.
If you have questions, please feel free to ask. We hope you will be cured of
many of your ills after eating this feast.

Derbail inghean Conchobar

1
Notes about the Libellus de Arte Coquinaria: An Early Northern Cookery Book
The Libellus de Arte Coquinaria (hereafter, Libellus) is a modern collection of about 35
medieval recipes that form the corpus of one of the oldest collections of European cookery
currently existent, outside classical sources. The collections are in four manuscripts — in Danish
with Low German linguistic influences (K), Danish (Q), Low German (W), and Icelandic (D).
The manuscripts date from the late 13th century and are probably all different translations of an
even older text or texts. Thus this collection, as preserved by scholars in the 19th and 20th
centuries, is a set of copies of copies of copies, thrice removed from the original source or
sources1. Previous significant cookery manuscripts include Apicius’s De Re Coquinaria (which
has a lot of post-Roman influences inserted by translators) and Tacuninum Sanitatis, a Latin
translation of a medicinal text by the Arab Ibn Butlān — likely from the 11th century, but later
revised and re-illustrated in 14th century Italy (Grewe and Hieatt, 2001, pp. 1-3). The Libellus
manuscripts’ compositions are as follows:

Manuscript Code Location Language Notes

Clear script,
Danish (trans. from decorative
Codex K Copenhagen Middle Low German), illustrations. Contains
circa 1244-1300 an herbal, the recipies,
and a lapidary.
Danish (but probably
a different direct
translation from a
Neat script, fewer
non-Danish original
decorative elements
Codex Q Copenhagen than K). Has some
than K. Has only the
French and Low
recipes.
German terms and
loan words. Circa
1300.
Text has spelling
errors and contains 3
Icelandic, circa 1470.
Codex D Dublin fewer recipes and 1
Uses Latin titles.
additional recipe not
found in K and Q.
Fragmentary. K, Q,
and D are much more
Low German, circa complete, but this
Codex W Wolfenbüttel
1400. collection is clearly
from one of the
original two texts.

Grewe and Wieatt (2001, p. 13) call the original proto-type text (or texts, as there may have been
two) the Urtext. Little is known about this text other than it was pre-1300. The authors of
1
The authors speculate that there were probably two related Danish originals, dating back to the 12th century, which
were the genesis of these manuscripts.

2
Libellus engage in a lively conversation about the linguistic differences in the existent texts
which shed light on the probable content of the Urtext.
The Libellus contains some interesting materials for the modern medieval cook. In
addition to providing recipes, the four manuscripts addressed kitchen equipment, the paucity of
fruits, and the social context of the food recipients. The authors are not disinterested in the
discussion of food, but primarily, they devote their writing to exploring the linguistic differences
in the texts. For SCA purposes, I have provided only the Q and D versions of the recipes in most
cases (unless only the K and/or W codices had the given recipe); this should give the modern
reader a sense of the recipes’ text variations without too much minutiae. The sauces, skyr,
chicken pie, sausage balls, and roast are all redacted from these codices.

Anglo-Saxon Cookery
The Anglo-Saxon Books publishing company has brought together several interesting
works on cooking and food sources in Anglo-Saxon England. One of these, Tastes of Anglo-
Saxon England, is a collection of redactions by Mary Savelli (2002), based on certain Anglo-
Saxon manuscripts and secondary sources. Anne Hagen’s (1995) scholarly Anglo-Saxon Food
and Drink (Second Handbook): Production and Distribution topically examines existent primary
sources, all aspects of food and agricultural production, and the laws and customs surrounding
food and agriculture. Hagen does not offer recipes per se, but she has extensive details on the
surprisingly wide variety of food available to the Anglo-Saxons.
The Anglo-Saxons did not have cookbooks proper, but they did have herbals and
“medical” texts and manuscripts, as well as lists of charms and magical wards against ailments
and events such as “swarms of bees.” Stephen Pollington (2000) has collected and analyzed a
number of these manuscripts, including the Lacnunga Manuscript, the Herbarium Manuscript V,
and Bald’s Leechbook in a published collection called Leechcraft: Early English Charms,
Plantlore, and Healing. The Complete Corpus of Anglo-Saxon Poetry (http://www.sacred-
texts.com/neu/ascp/) also contains charms and interesting tidbits related to food. All Anglo-
Saxon works known to date are collected at the University of Virginia, in an online accessible
format (http://etext.virginia.edu/oec-list.html).
The recipes for radish butter, barley soup, roasted vegetables, wheat pudding, and
applesauce are thus redacted from a myriad of sources, as noted above, not the neater
manuscripts in Libellus. In creating these recipes, I have tried to stay true to the descriptions
available in the leechcraft studies and to the ingredients described in Hagen and various
manuscripts. This was sometimes challenging because not all preparations with given ingredients
were ingested; some were used as a salve or poultice. I have provided Anglo-Saxon wording,
when available, to convey the way in which the people of early England would have pondered
these foods.

3
 Náttmál (Night Meal)
This is meant to be a meaty, starchy meal. Norse folk and people in northeastern England did not
have a long growing season, so extensive vegetables were not the norm at home. That said, they
certainly were able to enjoy a wider range of fruits and vegetables in their travels.

Item One: Bread

Hearty bread (oat, rye breads, free from Panera)

The Anglo-Saxon word for “loaf” is “hlaf.” The Anglo-Saxon title “hlaford” literally means
“giver of loaves.” This is, in fact, where the word "lord" comes from.

The Icelandic (i.e. Old Norse) word for bread is “brauð.”

Item Two: Sauces, Cheese, and Butter

Three sauces: Mustard sauce (mustard, vinegar, honey), a “sauce of minimal cost” (onion,
parsley, cinnamon, pepper, vinegar), and a “lordly sauce” (cloves, nutmeg, cardamom, pepper,
cinnamon, ginger, bread crumbs, vinegar)

Radish butter

Skyr (cheese curds with almonds)

Mustard Sauce — from Libellus

(In Icelandic — Codex D, #8 )

Madr skal taka mustard; lata til fjorda hlut af hunangi; mala þat allt saman med godu ediki. Þetta
dugir vel dagha.

(In Danish — Codex Q, #7)

Latæ mæn til sinæp fiarthing swo mykæth hunnung æsseæ sinæp ær, oc malæ thæt mæth goot
ædik. Tha haldæ mæn thæt good sæx ukæ.

(In modern English)

One should take mustard [seeds], and add a fourth part of honey. Grind it all together with a good
vinegar. This lasts well for forty days (six weeks in Danish translation).

4
My redaction for a table of 8

1 cup mustard
¼ cup honey
¼ cup vinegar

Mix and let flavors blend for a couple of days. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

Sauce of Minimal Cost — from Libellus

(In Icelandic — Codex D, #11)

Taka skal uniam; skerra þat smatt sem ertr; jafn mikit af petrisilium, canel, pipar allt jafn micit;
mala med edik allt saman. Þetta sals er gott þria daga.

(In Danish — Codex Q, #9)

Mæn sculæ takæ root lookæ ic skæræ thæt smath æssæ ærtæ oc latæ thær til pætercelil, oc giutæ
up a swinæ sooth oc ien fiarthing af win. Thæn salsæ ær goth wæghfarænd mæn.

(In modern English)

[One should] take red onions and chop them as small as peas, and add parsley; and pour in a
broth of pork and a fourth part of wine. This sauce is good for wayfaring men. (There is some
discrepency between the two versions; the Danish version adds the pork broth; the Icelandic
version adds the cinnamon and pepper. Wine/vinegar is variable).

My redaction for a table of 8

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 tablespoon parsley
½ teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon pepper
1 cup good red vinegar

Mix and let flavors blend for a couple of days. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.

A Sauce for Lords — from Libellus

(In Icelandic — Codex D, #6)

Gerofors nagla skal taka, & muskat, cardemonium, pipar, canel, ingifer, sitt jaamn væge af
hveriu, utan canel skal vera jafn þycktt vid allt hitt annath & svo micit steiktt braud sem allt þat
er fyr er sagtt. Skera þat allt saman, & mala med stercku ediki, & lata I legil. Þat er þeirra sals &
dugir um eitt misseri.

5
(In Danish — Codex Q, #5)

Mæn sculæ takæ gærofærs naghlæ, muskat, pipær, oc ingæfær, af hwær theræ æm mykæt, af
cinamomum, æsse the æræ allæ samæn; oc tysæ æm mykæt af hwith brøthæ, stækt thæt ær alt;
oc stothæ thæt samæn mæth ædik. Thænnæ salsæ haldæ mæn goth i eth halft aar i en læghlæ.

(In modern English)

Take cloves, nutmeg, pepper, and ginger, in equal amounts, and as much cinnamon as all of them
together, and twice as much of toasted white bread as all of them. Grind it all together with
vinegar. This sauce keeps well in a cask for half a year.

My redaction for a table of 8

½ tsp. cloves
½ tsp. nutmeg
½ tsp. pepper
½ teaspoon ginger
2 tsp. cinnamon
4 tsp. bread crumbs
1 cup of vinegar

Mix all ingredients together; taste and adjust seasoning as needed (add more liquid if needed, as
well)

Skyr (Cheese Spread) — from Libellus 2

(Icelandic — Codex D, #5)

Almandrs kjarna skal taka & gera þyckva mjolk & lata þar thil edik & vin, siokda a glodum þar
tile r þhycknar. Þetta er jafn gott sem sur sauda mjolk.

(Danish — Codex Q, #4)

Mæn sculæ gøræ thiuk mælk af almaandærs kiarnæ, oc latæ thær til ædik, æth win, oc sættæ up a
gløthæ, til thæt ær lopt. Thæt ær gooth skyr thær thæt wurthær kalt.

(In modern English)

Make a thick milk of almond kernels, and add it to vinegar or wine; set it over the embers until it
curdles. This is a good curd cheese when it becomes cold.

2
Skyr has recently made a major comeback in health food sto res and sto res that sell products from Iceland and
Scandinavia. Apparently, it comes in many different flavors — honey, caraway, and bilberry, for example.

6
My redaction for a table of 8

2 cups good whole yogurt (this will reduce down to about 1 cup)
Cheesecloth or fine, lined strainer
Finely ground almonds
1 tablespoon white wine
1 teaspoon salt (adjust to taste)
½ tsp. thyme (adjust to taste)

Drain yogurt in strainer until fully drained. Mix yogurt with almonds, wine, and seasonings.
Adjust to taste and chill well before serving. (While not mentioned in this recipe, several other
“curded milk” (i.e. Q 13) recipes mention adding salt and other seasonings, such as thyme and
saffon).

Butter with Radish — from the Lacnunga Manuscript

(Old English — Recipe #53 — Good against lung disease and elves)

Wyrc þriddan briw, wyl in buteran merce, eolnan, rædic, þa clufeton wenwyrt, hoc, wemond
læst, cnuca, ealle swiþe wel, syl wearm etan, on ufan drincon þriwa on dæg ær þon he ete.

(In modern English)

Make a third pottage: Boil in butter wild celery, elecampane, radish, cloved wenwort3, hock, and
least wormwood; pound them all very well; give it to eat warm, and further to drink thrice daily
before he may eat.

My redaction for a table of 8 (and note, this recipe was not originally for the dinner table, but
we’re working with what we have… also, the wormwood is omitted for the sake of safety4)

2 sticks of softened butter

1 radish, finely chopped
1 rib of celery, finely chopped
¼ teaspoon of dried elecampane, if available
¼ teaspoon of mallow, if available (aka hock)

Mix all the ingredients together well; let sit overnight so flavors can blend. Serve room
temperature so the butter is easy to digest.

3
As of this writing, I cannot locate a modern equivalent of wenwo rt. Several people on the Meridian Herbal Guild
discussion group are assisting me.
4
I had to judge an A&S entry containing wo rmwood two years ago, and I was seeing elves by the end of the day…

7
Item 3: Hearty Barley Soup (barley and cabbage in broth) — From Bald’s Leechbook

Pollington (2000) describes how barley was an early cultivated grain, with examples found in
Europe dating from the 7th century. Barley remains have been excavated at Coppergate, inYork,
showing at least a crossover between Norse and Anglo-Saxon peoples in that region. These two
broths show several variations in preparation and use. I have taken the liberty of adding barley to
a redaction of the broth.

(In Old English — from Bald’s Leechbook, Book III, recipe 12)

Wiþ þære geolwan adlic sio cymþ of seondum geallan genim þæs scearpan þistles moran
beothican, attorlaþan handfulle, gyþrifan handfulle, viii snadæ nioþowearde æscþroten, ofgeot
mid strangan beore oþþe mid strangum ealaþ drine gelome, sele him eta gewyrtodne henfugel
gesodenne cawel on godum broþe, do þus gelome, him biþ sona sel. Wyrc godne dustdrenc wiþ
þære geolwan adle, nim merce sæd finoles sæd, dile sæd, eforþrotan sæd, fedlmoran sæd,
sæþherian sæd, petorsilian sæd, alexandran sad lufestices sæd, betonican sæd, caules sæd, costes
sæd, cymenes sæd, pipores mæst, þara oþerra, emfela, gegnid ealle wel to duste, nim þæs dustes
godne cucler fulne, do on strang luttor eala drince scenc fulne on neaht nestig; he is god wiþ
ælcre liman untrunmness wiþ heafodece, wiþ ungemynde, wiþ eagwærce, wiþ ungehyrnesse, wiþ
breostwærce, wiþ lengenadle, lendenwærce, wiþ ælcre feondes costungal gewyrc þe dust genoh
on hærfeste, þonne þu þa wyrta hæbbe, nytta þonne þe þearf sie.

(In modern English)

For the yellow sickness which comes from oozing gall5 , take the root of a sharp thistle, and
betony, and a handful of attolothe, and a handful of cockle, and nine slices from the lower part of
ashthroat, pour it out with strong beer or with strong ale, and let him drink it often; give him to
eat a seasoned chicken and boiled cabbage in a good broth; do this often, better will soon come
to him. Make a good power-drink for the yellow sickness: take marche’s seed, and fennel’s seed,
dill’s seed, boarthroat’s seed, parsnip’s seed, savory’s seed, parsley’s seed, alexandria’s seed,
lovage’s seed, betony’s seed, cabbage’s seed, costmary’s seed, cumin’s seed, and most of pepper,
equal amounts of the others; crush all to a dust, take a good spoonful of the dust, put it in a
strong clear ale, let him drink a cupful at night fasting; it is good for every infirmity of the limbs
and for the headache, and for insanity, and for earache, and for hardness of hearing, and for
breast pain, and lung disease, and loin pain, for each of the enemy’s temptations; make enough of
the dusk for yourself in autumn when you will have the plants, use it when it is needful to you.

(In Old English — from Bald’s Leechbook, Book III, recipe 43)

Wiþ attres drince seoþ henne, hocces leaf on wætre, ado þone fugel of þa wyrta, sele supan þæt
broþ wel gebuterod swa he hatost mæge. Gif he ær hæfþ attor gedruncen ne biþ him ahte þe
wyrs. Gif he þæt broþ þonne ær sypþ ne meat þu him þy dæge attor geselen.

5
You can probably guess what this sickness is, but if you cannot, come ask me.

8
(In modern English)

For the drinking of poison, boil a hen and hock’s leaves in water, take the bird and plants away,
give the broth to drink, well buttered, as hot as he is able. If he has previously drunk poison, it
will be no worse for him if he then sips the broth, you should not offer him poison that day.6

My redaction for a table of 8

6 cups of chicken broth

1 cup ale
1 cup chopped cabbage leaves
1 cup barley
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp. fennel seeds
Salt to taste

Cook and season as needed until you have tender cabbage and a tasty soup. Adjust seasonings as
needed.

6
Or one would hope, any day.

9
Item 4: Slices of Roast Beef — from Libellus

Roasting was apparently a well-known and ubiquitous way to prepare meats. These two recipes
mostly describe how to use a sauce rather than how to prepare roast itself, but they are useful in
observing how sauces preserved and seasoned the meat.

(in Icelandic — Codex D, #7)

Þhat sem madr vill af þessu salse hafa, þa skal hann vella i ponnu vel a glodum branda lausum.
Sidan skal madr taka villibrad af hirti æda ra, & specka vel steikina, & skerra þat vel brentt, & i
þann tima sem salset er kalltt, þa skal þetta þar slæggiaz med litlu salltti. Þa ma liggja um þriar
vikur. Sva ma madr leinge vardveita gæsm endur, & adrar villibradir ef hann sker þær þunnar.
Þetta er et betza sals er herra menn hafa.

(in modern English)

When one wants to have some of this sauce, then one should boil it well in a pan over glowing
embers. Afterwards one should take venison of hart or roe deer, and lard the steak well and cut it
up well cooked. When the sauce is cold, then one should beat it with a little salt. Then it may be
left for about three weeks. Thus one may keep for a long time geese, ducks and other game,
provided they are cut thin. That is the best sauce that lordly men may have.

(In Danish — Codex Q, #6 )

Wilæ mæn syltæ thær nokæt i, tha latæ thæt wællæ, oc sithæn thæ ær full kalt tha sculæ mæn
stækt wild brath kalt, hiort, ra, gaas, æth annæn wild brath, skoræth i stykki læggæ thæræ i mæth
lit salt. Thæn sylt mughæ mæn gømæ thre ukæ.

(in modern English)

If one wants to pickle something in it [the sauce], then let it boil, and when it is completely cold
then one should place in it [the] roasted cold game — hart, roe deer, goose, or other games — cut
in pieces and with a little salt. This pickle may last three weeks.

My redaction for a table of 8 (serve with the three sauces above)

One lean 1.5 – 2 pound beef roast

1 tablespoon oil
water
Salt and pepper to season

Rub the roast well with salt and pepper. Prepare the roast in a shallow roasting pan with water
and oil; baste as needed with own juices. Cook at 350 degrees until internal temperature is about
150 degrees (medium well). Turn as needed. Cool the roast; cut in thin slices to serve.

10
Item 5: Chicken/Bacon Pie — from Libellus

(Libellus contains many chicken pie recipes and variations. I chose the following which all had
elements I found pleasing in combination)

(in Icelandic — Codex D, #21)

Madr skal eitt ungtt hæns i, ii, skera, & svepa ar um heil salvie blod & skera i spek & salt med
lata at lyfe. Siden hylja þat med deigh & baka sem braud i ofne.

(in modern English)

One should cut a young hen in two, and wrap whole leaves of sage around it, and put in cut
bacon and salt according to taste. Afterwards enclose it in dough and bake it like bread in the
oven.

(in Icelandic — Codex D, #22)

Madr skal gera einn kopp af deigi, & skera i eitt hæns allt i stucki, & lata thar i spek, & skera
siden sem ertr, & lata til pipar & coumin, sæfran & that raude ur eggi, vel slegit. Taka sidan
koppin lugtann, & baka sem braud i ofne.

(in modern English)

One should make a cup of dough (make dough shaped like a cup) and put in a hen all cut up in
pieces, bacon diced as small as peas, pepper, cumin, saffron, and well beaten egg yolks. Then
take the closed up cup, and bake it like bread in the oven.

(in Danish — Codex Q, #24)

Mæn sculæ siuthæ høns alt hel mæt salvi blathæ, oc flæsk scoræth æssæ ærate oc æddit oc salt.

(in modern English)

One should boil a whole hen with sage leaves, pork meat diced [as small as peas], vinegar and
salt.

(in Danish — Codex Q, #26)

Mæn sculæ skæræ et raat høøns ændæ lang syndær oc takæ hwetæ deegh, oc gøræ thæræ af en
flathæ, oc skæræ smath flæsk i oc læggæ salvi blath allæ helæ, oc malæn, pipær oc salt oc windæ
thet høøns i thæn deegh swa at thæt ær alt helt utæn; oc latæ thæt bakæ æm mykæt sum annat
broth.

11
(in modern English)

One should cut a raw chicken in two lengthwise, and take dough made of wheat and make it into
a flat sheet, and cut small pieces of pork meat onto it, and place whole leaves of sage and ground
pepper and salt; and wrap the hen in the dough so that it is all covered outside, and let it bake as
much as you would bread.

(in Danish — Codex Q, #27)

Mæn sculæ gøræ af deegh æssæ et ka roc lithæ et høøns alt istykki, oc læggæ, thær i, oc latæ
thær til flæsk scoræth æssæ ærate, oc pipær oc cumin, oc æggi dydær slaghæn oc safran oc salt,
oc hylæ thæt owæn mæth degh, oc latæ thæt bæke æm mykæt æssæ broth.

(in modern English)

One should make a container out of dough, and cut a hen all in pieces and place it in this; add
pork meat, diced the size of peas, and pepper, cumin, beaten egg yolks, saffron, and salt, and
cover the top with dough and let it back as much as bread.

My redaction for a table of 8

Dough for a double crust pie 7, prepared and rolled out (may refrigerate until needed)
Approximately 1/3 pound of cooked chicken, shredded (no bones or fat)
1 egg, beaten well
½ teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
About 12-15 fresh sage leaves (or 6-8 dried)
4 slices of bacon, cooked well and crumbled (drain off grease)
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of cardamom
1 generous pinch of saffron

In a large bowl, mix chicken, beaten egg, salt, pepper. Add bacon, cinnamon, saffron, and
cardamom. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed. Prepare bottom of pie crust in baking dish —
prick bottom and sides, and bake about 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Let crust cool, and reduce
oven heat to 350 degrees. Add chicken mixture to pie. Lay sage leaves on top of chicken
mixture. Now, top with second pie crust — pinch and trim (if you have leftover dough, cut into
shapes, it makes a nice decoration). Bake pie about 20-30 minutes — enough to let inside thicken
and firm up. You can wrap the edges in foil if they seem to be getting too brown.

7
My favorite pie dough is this: 2.5 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons sugar, 12
tablespoons chilled butter, 8 tablespoons all-vegetable shortening, 5 tablespoons ice water. In food processor, mix
flour, salt, and sugar. Cut up butter and shortening into small pieces. First, scatter the butter into the flour mix. Pulse
about 6 seconds. Add shortening, and pulse about 5 more seconds. Dough should be a yellowish batter. Turn dough
into a bowl; add water, gradually, until mixture is smooth. Chill at least half an hour befo re rolling out into two
circles for pie, one fo r top, one for bottom.

12
Item 6: “Sausage” Meat Balls — from Libellus

(In Low German — Codex W, #69)

Item, nym eyne nette van eyneme swine unde legged at up eynen gropen; stod id in eyneme
moser mager vleisch, do dartho eiger unde wit brot. Legge up dat nette bestrowet myt worten; do
darin cleyne speck, unde nym honer, sulten allerleige; howe de cleyne, unde dat crose van den
holneren dartho, unde drucke daran dat vulnisse, unde wint dat up eynen klompel; bynt dat
thosemende myt ses schenen. Brat dat gar; snyt dat an morselen also wiltbrad. Make darby eynen
suren syrop.

(in modern English)

Next, take a pork caul and put it on a pot. Grind lean meat in a mortar, add eggs and white bread.
Place this in that caul, sprinkled with herbs. Add bacon diced small. Take hens and all kinds of
preserving seasonings; chop them small with the liver and giblets of the hen, too. Then compress
that filling into a lump and bind it together with bands made from its intestines. Roast it well. Cut
into morsels as game. Make a sour syrup for it.

My redaction for a table of 8 (no guts, no giblets, no livers) 8

1.5 – 2 pounds total of ground beef, ground pork, and/or ground chicken
1 egg, beaten
1 cup of bread crumbs
1 clove of finely minced garlic
½ teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon of salt
1 teaspoon of dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 small red onion, finely diced
Four pieces of bacon, cut in half
1 tablespoon of oil

Mix well (by hand — wear plastic gloves) the meats, egg, bread crumbs, garlic, salt, pepper,
thyme, parsley, and onion. Cook a small piece to eat (fry) and check seasonings; adjust recipe as
needed. Shape the mixture into 8 balls. Wrap each ball in half a slice of bacon. Place oil in a
baking dish and add wrapped meat balls. Bake in a warm oven, 350 degrees for about 10
minutes. Turn balls over as needed. Bake another 10 minutes until bacon is crispy and sausage
balls are cooked through.

8
All spices/seasonings here are those listed with meat s in Libellus.

13
Item 7: Roasted Vegetables — from the Lacnunga Manuscript, the Old English Herbarium,
and Bald’s Leechbook (carrot 9, parsnips, leeks, onion, with some cabbage, baked with a light
seasoning)

Parsnips — from the Lacnunga Manuscript, #58

(in Old English)

Genim feldmoran, gecnuca swaþe, lege in win oþþa in eala, læt standan ane night oþþa taw, syle
dinrcan on nihtnicstig.

(In modern English)

Take parsnip; pound thoroughly; lay it in wine or in ale; let it stand for one or two nights; give it
to drink having fasted for a night.

Leeks — from the Lacnunga Manuscript, #34

(in Old English)

Wiþ heafodece, wyl in wætere pollegian leac, mintan, fenmintan þæt þridde cyn mintan þæt
bloweþ white, þweah þæt heafod mid þys wose gelome.

(in modern English)

Against headache: boil in water pennyroyal and leek; mint, fenmint, and the third kind of mint
which blossoms white; wash the head often with this liquid.

Onion — from the Old English Herbarium, #184

(in Old English)

Þeos wyrt þe man bulbus oþrum naman…nemneþ us twegea cynn, þonne ys þeos read wiþ þæs
magan sare fremgendlic…Eac swa some on ecede geþigede hy þæra innodþa toþundenysse
gehæleþ. Be þysse wyrte ys sæd þæt heo of dracon blode accened beon sceolde on ufeweardum
muntum on þiccon bearwum.

(in modern English)

This plant which one calls "bulbous" and by another name… is of two kinds: this one is red and
effective against stomach pain… also taken in vinegar likewise it will heal swollenness and
rupture of the innards. Of this plant it is said that it is supposed to be produced from dragon’s
blood on the tops of mountains in thick grooves.

9
Hagen (1995, p. 36) explains that the modern carrot is a 17 th century vegetable. However, archaeological evidence
shows that wild carrots were consumed at least in Wessex. Because carrots are a bit mo re affo rdable, they have been
substituted for most of what probably would have been parsnips in period.

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Cabbage — From Bald’s Leechbook, #44

(in Old English)

With lusum sele him etan gesodenne cawel on neath nestig gelome, he bith lusum bewered.

(in modern English)

For lice, give him boiled cabbage to eat often having fasted overnight, he will be protected from
lice.

My redaction for a table of 8

2 carrots, peeled and cut into half moons

1 parsnip, peeled and cut into half moons
1 leek, top trimmed, coarsely chopped (use all the white portion, and a bit of the green for color)
1 red onion, coarsely chopped
½ cup cabbage
2 tablespoons butter, melted
½ teaspoon mint
Salt and pepper to taste
Oil for baking dish (about 1 tablespoon)

Toss cut and chopped vegetables with butter, mint, salt, and pepper. Taste a carrot; adjust
seasoning as needed. Place tossed vegetables into a shallow baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees for
about 30-45 minutes — check and make sure vegetables are tender before serving.

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Item 7: Wheat and Hazelnut Pudding — from Bald’s Leechcraft (Hazelnuts are the only
naturally growing nut in Scandinavia, though many others were imported — and besides, they’re
on my device!)

Pollington (2000, p. 128) describes archaeological evidence for hazelnut trees in both Denmark
and at Jorvik; see also Kenward and Hall (1995). Bald discusses using wheat porridge (wheat
boiled with water) for those with diarrhea or intestinal upset (#22). Hagen (1995, p. 18-21) and
Banham (2004) note that wheat was a staple crop by at least the 10th century, possibly displacing
barley.

My redaction for a table of 8

6 cups of milk
¼ teaspoon of salt
1 cup Cream of Wheat
2 tablespoons honey
1/3 cup chopped, toasted hazelnuts (pre-shelled)

Bring milk to a gentle boil (stir so milk won’t stick to pan). Add salt and cream of wheat. Stir
and remove from heat. Add nuts and honey. Let sit for a couple of minutes. Stir again and taste;
adjust honey as needed to make a sweet pudding.

Item 8: Warm Seasoned Applesauce

Apples (OE apulder) were apparently a fairly common food in Jorvik. Pollington (2000, pp. 499-
500; p. 97) explains that they were eaten fresh, dried, and boiled. Cædmon’s verse of Genesis
includes a picture of the apple tree. This recipe incorporates boiled apples with seasonings found
in the Lacnunga Manuscript and Bald’s Leechbook.

My redaction for a table of 8

4 apples, peeled and cut into small pieces (I suggest Macintosh)

Water to just cover apples
1/2 cup of sugar
1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Place apples in heavy pot; cover with water, just barely. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook
until apples are soft and tender (maybe half an hour, maybe longer). You may need to add more
water — or possibly drain off some water. When apples are soft, stir until they become mushy.
(You can use a potato masher if needed). Add sugar and spices; taste and adjust seasonings as
needed. This recipe freezes well.

The applesauce can be stirred into the wheat pudding if desired.

16
 References

Bald’s Leechbook, Book III.

Banham, D. (2004). Food and Drink in Anglo-Saxon England. Stroud, England: Tempus
Publishing.

Grewe, R., and Hieatt, C. (2001). Libellus de Arte Coquinaria: An Early Northern
Cookery Book. Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

Hagan, A. (1995). A Second Handbook of Anglo-Saxon Food and Drink: Production and
Distribution.

Kenward, H.K., and A.R. Hall. (1995). Biological Evidence from Anglo-Scandinavian
Deposits at 16-22 Coppergate. York, England: York Archaeological Trust and the Council for
British Archaeology.

Pollington, S. (2000). Leechcraft: Early English Charms, Plant Lore, and Healing.
Hockwold-cum-Wilton, Norfolk, England: Anglo Saxon Books.

Savelli, M. (2002). Tastes of Anglo-Saxon England. Hockwold-cum-Wilton, Norfolk,

England: Anglo Saxon Books.

The Lacnunga Manuscript.

The Old English Herbarium Manuscript V.

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