How to Prepare a Humble Feast, 1638

 

Note: If this is a HUMBLE feast, I’d hate to contemplate a boastful feast…the underlined parts are my input to point out the vast excess of it all. I’ve also changed some of the spellings and explained some of the terms.

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

Now for a more humble feast, or an ordinary proportion which any good man may keep in his family for the entertainment of his true and worthy friends… it is good then for him that intends to feast, to set down the full number of his dishes… and of these sixteen is a good proportion for one course unto one meal, as thus for example:

 

First, a platter of Brawne (head cheese! Yuk!) with mustard:

Secondly, a boyl’d Capon:

Thirdly, a boyl’d piece of Beefe:

Fourthly, a chine of Beefe roasted: (a cut of beef with part of the backbone)

Fifthly, a Neats-tongue roasted: (beef tongue)

Sixthly, a Pig roasted:

Seventhly, chewets bak’d: (a mixture of minced meat or fish combined with fruits or spices)

Eighthly, a Goose roasted:

Ninthly, a Swan roasted:

Tenthly, a Turkie roasted:

The eleventh, a haunch of Venison roasted:

The twelfth, a Pasty of Venison: (yes, I said pasty, not pastry. A pocket with a savory filling)

The thirteenth, a Kid with a pudding in the belly:

The fourteenth, an Olive Pie:

The fifteenth, a couple of Capons:

The sixteenth, a Custard or Dowsets. (basically an egg custard)

 

Now to these full dishes may be added in salads, Fricassees, Quelquechoses (a type of dessert), and devised paste (type of food spread), as many dishes more, which make the full service no less than two and thirty dishes, which is as much as can conveniently stand on one Table… and after this manner you may proportion both your second and third course…

~*~ ~*~ ~*~ ~*~

So this “humble” feast has a first course of no less than 32 different types of food and is followed by a second and third course…

 

Bring on the Maloxx….