The Forme of Cury, compiled around fourteen ninety by the chief master cooks of King Richard the Second, presents a comprehensive collection of medieval English recipes and culinary practices. The text begins with a royal preface noting that the work was compiled with the advice of masters of physic and philosophy, emphasizing the medieval connection between cookery and the science of healing. The recipes themselves range from common household potages to elaborate dishes designed for high-ranking nobility, reflecting the refined tastes of the English court during a period heavily influenced by French culinary traditions.
The collection details numerous preparations involving meats, poultry, fish, and pottages, often heavily seasoned and thickened with bread, almond milk, or rice flour. A striking characteristic of these ancient recipes is the widespread use of sweet and sour flavour combinations, known as egurdouce, along with heavy spices imported from the East, such as cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and galingale. The text also highlights the visual artistry expected at noble tables, where dishes were elaborately garnished, coloured with sandalwood, saffron, or blood, and accompanied by suttleties made of sugar and wax.
Beyond simple food preparation, the roll documents the organization of medieval kitchens and the hierarchy of royal households. Officers such as the dapiser, the larderarius, and the master of the kitchen held positions of high trust and responsibility, sometimes tasting food to guard against poisoning. The culinary methods rely heavily on the mortar and pestle, producing hashes, soups, ragouts, and brawn rather than whole roasted joints, which in turn necessitated the use of spoons and the frequent introduction of the basin and ewer for washing hands at the table.
The author of the preface provides an extensive historical deduction tracing the art of cookery from antiquity through the Greeks, Romans, Britons, Saxons, Danes, and Normans. This historical overview illustrates the evolution of dining habits and the gradual shift in taste from austere native fare to the elaborate banquet culture of the later middle ages. The volume concludes with a comparison of ingredients, detailing the use of honey, sugar, spices, and fats, and provides supplementary medieval rolls and household provisions that further illuminate the scale of medieval hospitality.
