WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE EATEN FOR CHRISTMAS IN MEDIEVAL TIMES?

By Caroline Clemmons

I hope you will find this article as fascinating as I have. Although I also write contemporary, most of my books are historical set in the nineteenth century. I love history, and enjoy information like that presented in the article below. With all the rushing to and fro and planning we do, at least we have modern ranges and ovens, refrigerators, and large supermarkets for buying groceries. Even those with modest income are able to prepare a more eleborate meal occasionally for special days. 

I don't believe I'd have done very well cooking elaborate dishes in a fireplace. Euwww! to serving peacock with the feathers re-applied. The following article is used with permission.

May you each have a wonderful Christmas filled with love! 

By Iona McCleery, University of Leeds, England 

With Christmas almost upon us, there will be plenty of frenzied present shopping and meal planning. Haven’t made that Christmas cake yet? Fear not. If you were preparing the festive meal 600 years ago you’d have far more on your plate.

The picture below is a calendar page from a Book of Hours, a type of prayer book popular among pious rich people in the Middle Ages. Apart from the costumes they are wearing, the people at the bottom of the page seem much like us – keeping warm and enjoying their food and drink.

The 12th day of Christmas. Courtesy of the Brotherton Library, University of Leeds., Author provided

It may surprise you to learn that this particular calendar month is January. The feast day celebrated by the couple is Epiphany on January 6, picked out in red (Epyphania). Our Christmases, hectic though they may be, are actually a doddle compared to the traditions of old. Medieval people celebrated all 12 days of Christmas, from December 25 through to Epiphany – the day the three kings turned up with gifts for the newborn Jesus – although they did not usually feast every day. Some households had their big feast on Christmas Day. For others it was the first of January or the 6th, depending on local custom.

Wealthy or poor

There’s not much detail as to what the couple ate at their winter feast. The artist was more interested in depicting the strawberries and flowers in the margins than in putting food on the table. This is typical of medieval manuscript art. Even elaborate descriptions of royal feasts say little about food. We know even less about what the poor ate, although lords probably feasted their tenants at least once over Christmas.

We do know that preparations for winter would have begun in the late autumn. Humans and animals both ate the same basic foodstuff: grain. Poorer people did not have enough grain for animals over winter so most pigs and cattle were fattened up on acorns and slaughtered. Calendars commemorate this strategic act for the months of November and December as in the images below, paired with the relevant signs of the zodiac (Sagittarius and Capricorn).

Fattening in November and slaughtering in December. Courtesy of the Brotherton Library, University of Leeds

Of course, the wealthy could continue to keep their animals alive, so they had fresh meat all winter. It’s not true that they used spices to liven up rotten meat: cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon and pepper were imported from India or Indonesia, so if you could afford them you could afford good meat. The rich could also afford sugar – candied fruit, sugared almonds and sweets have always been popular Christmas treats.

The poor would have eaten sausage and bacon instead, salted fish if they could get it, stored or dried apples, peas and beans, perhaps a bit of honey, and would only have had the added flavours of onion, leeks and garlic. Even salt was expensive. The hungriest time was actually not the months that we associate with winter cold, but the months of April and May. It was then that stores had run out and there would be little growing yet in the garden. Nor was there much dairy as hens naturally lay less in winter and cows don’t produce milk until after they have their spring calves.

Yuletide feasting

The best way to find out what the wealthy ate is to turn to their financial accounts and cookery books. Cookery books such as the Forme of Cury, written for the household of King Richard II (1377-1399), provide some tasty recipes. For a recent project we made recipes from this text and others for the public to try at festivals and markets around Yorkshire. In Castleford Market in December 2012 we prepared seasonal tastes such as gingerbread, mutton stew (mounchelet) and apple pudding (pommesmoile).

An opulent Christmas feast. Courtesy of the Brotherton Library, University of Leeds

But it was nigh on impossible to prepare the main dishes that the rich had at their feasts. Turkey originally came from the Americas so was not found on English tables until the late 16th century. It probably replaced a showier but much less tasty bird: the peacock. The price of these birds meant that most people had to be content with another large expensive bird, the goose, which was a traditional Christmas main course until relatively recently. Also closely associated with Christmas was the wild boar – a boar’s head was often brought into the hall to accompanying carols. But it wasn’t always intended for eating.

And then elaborate displays of prepared meat, sugar or wax in the form of fantasy animals, angels and castles were often part of the entertainment, sometimes even moving mechanically or exploding.
So count yourself lucky as somebody who won’t go hungry this winter. You may have left the pudding quite late but you can leave the peacock and pommesmoile for next year.

Iona McCleery, Lecturer in Medieval History, University of Leeds
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.

The Dreaded "E" Word--Editing

Hi everybody.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. I know I did. I'm still on carb and calorie overload, but sure I can find more space for another slice of pumpkin pie--with whipped cream, of course.

Before we get down to the nitty-gritty here, I'd like to share some good news. First, I received my cover for my book, The Assassin. I've got to hand it to The Wild Rose Press, they have some of the best cover artists in the business. I've never been disappointed. I don't have a release date yet, but as soon as I do, I'll post it.

And last Wednesday, I opened my e-mail to find a contract offer for Killer Conference, the second in my Snoop Group series that began with A Novel Death. Made my day!

This past year has been quite busy for me. I had four books released in a five month period. That meant I did more editing than actual writing.

Ah, editing. Whether it's self-editing or suggestions from your editor, it can be a daunting task. I know successful authors who cringe when they hear the word. Personally, I like editing. It allows me to further improve my work. The problem, however, was knowing when to stop. In that constant state of wanting perfection (which will never happen), I have a propensity to go overboard. I once had a critique partner who claimed I could take an 85,000 word manuscript and edit it down to ten pages. A bit of an exaggeration, but not far off. Eventually, I learned to say "enough is enough." As a result, I now try to follow a routine when it comes to the dreaded "e" word.

Unless, I realize something in the story is very wrong, I rarely edit until the book is finished. I then step back for a few weeks so I can re-read it with fresh eyes. I jot notes on key points chapter by chapter. This helps since I tend to have timeline issues. Sometimes, all I need is a little tweak. Others? Well, let's just say I discovered halfway through a book that my blonde heroine had somehow morphed into a redhead. This is not an unusual occurrence when I'm working on two books at the same time. The book that drove me nuts was Deadly Inheritance. I wrote it by the seat of my pants--very little plotting routine--and it showed with numerous repetitions and a lot of useless narrative.

Once I self-edit, I'm ready to send it to my critique group, but before I do, I read each chapter sent and make more changes. My partners make suggestions and I tend to go with their ideas, since they see things I overlook.

When the entire manuscript is critiqued--could take as long as ten months--I go through it one more time before submission to my publisher.

Now, it's my editor's turn to do her thing. Occasionally, I have to stand up for certain things, but by and large, my editor and I see eye to eye. That's a tremendous relief, since I've heard horror stories from authors about editors who just aren't on the same page as the writer.

So, if you are new to the writing business, don't let editing scare you. It's just another way of making a product you like better. And while you may have slaved over that narrative passage describing a meadow or the details of dinner, don't be afraid to slash and burn when needed. Excessive words can put a reader to sleep and that's the last thing you want. Directional words like up and down are often overused. If you sit, it's usually down. If you stand, it's generally up--unless it's a military story where to stand down is acceptable. Words like "that" and "just" can also be problematic. I have a critique partner who calls "almost" a weasel word--meaning it degrades what it's describing.

I have to share this story. One of my first critique partners wrote a book that came in at 120,000 words. While at a conference, she attended a workshop on unnecessary words. "That" and "just" were highlighted. Curious, she did a search of her manuscript and found 18,000 "thats" and numerous "justs." When she finished laughing at herself, she made the edits and turned in a book 85,000 words long. It was later published.

Hope this entry has entertained and helped. See you next month with more insights into my strange world of writing.

Suzanne Rossi

The Story Behind Old Doors

I love old doors, large, small, quaint, cozy, bold, dramatic, dark...such mystery. What secrets they may hide. I'm not alone in my fascination with doors and the people/stories behind them. Disney's Monsters, Inc is all about kid's doors and monsters in closets, but I digress. In my Dec. 14th release, YA fantasy romance, The Hunter's Moon, Morgan Daniel is struck by the door leading into Wapicoli Lodge, the massive family hub of her soon-to-be heartthrob, the handsome Native American teen, Jackson. She's also wonders at the totem standing to one side of the entrance.

      ' All along the colorful painted pole were wolf carvings, mostly faces, with gaping jaws and fangs; others were carved with their mouths shut. In some instances, the entire beast was displayed, its legs stretched out. What or who was it chasing? '
    
      Then she spies the door.

     'Above the wooden door stout enough to withstand a battering ram were yet more wolf carvings. They stared down at her as if they held the secret to an age-old mystery. Perhaps they did.
    
      Goosebumps scattered over her from head to toe. Where was she?'

Good question, and one we spend the rest of the story exploring. That door definitely stirred my curiosity, mingled with a sense of dread. 

Story Blurb:

Seventeen-year-old Morgan Daniel has been in the witness protection program most of her life. But The Panteras have caught up with her and her younger brother. Her car is totaled, she's hurt, and the street gang is closing in when wolves with glowing eyes appear out of nowhere and chase away the killers.

Then a very cute guy who handles a bow like Robin Hood emerges from the woods and takes them to safety at his fortress-like home.

And that's just the first sign that Morgan and her brother have entered a hidden world filled with secrets.

The Hunter's Moon is available in pre-order at many sites now: At Amazon at Barnes & Noble 

Next in my Secret Warrior Series, Curse of the Moon, is in edits and I'm at work on the third, The Panther Moon, published by The Wild Rose Press.

For more on me, please visit my blog: https://bethtrissel.wordpress.com

Happy Thanksgiving! Be Thankful for all Things by Vonnie Davis.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you all. Calvin and I will be in Maryland with my sons, their ladies and grandkids, enjoying the holidays and a week away from writing.

I don't get to see them nearly as often as I'd like, especially with all the contract deadlines. Steve, my older son, is a vice-principal at a middle school in Maryland, father of two, and just recently got his fifth degree black belt or Master status in karate. He's a bass player and, in Mom's opinion, an awesome singer. Are you as prejudiced about your children as I am about mine?

My youngest son, who still allows me to call him "my baby boy" is the safety manager of Volvo in Maryland, father of one, and elementary school wrestling coach. Both of my sons work security for the Washington Redskins and sometimes for the Baltimore Ravens. College costs are looming for them both as their kids are in senior high school.

I also have a daughter living in Indiana and Calvin has a son in Berlin, Germany. Yes, the kids are spread far and wide, but they're healthy with full lives. But enough of Mother talk, even though it's that time of the year to express our gratitude for all things large and small. Calvin and I find our lives incredibly blessed. I hope yours is, too.

Our blessings are everywhere, aren't they? I've been getting monthly shots in my retina. No fun, but I'll be blessed with sight longer. I've been busy writing, sometimes to the point of mental exhaustion, but I love the process. Even though I confess to getting weary. Sometimes when I reach the end of a book, I can barely form a complete sentence. I mumble and sleep.

Calvin's been waking up with numb, tingling fingers. He can't button his shirts, so I buy him ones with quarter zippers. We make do, knowing things could be worse with his diabetes. Compared to so many, our health issues are minor. I hope yours are even smaller or non-existent.

Do you have traditions for the holidays? My daughter-in-law, the organizer, emailed her menu out to everyone two weeks ago. Tina always places three kernels of corn on our plates. Before grace is said, we go around the table and state something we're thankful for as we remove each kernel of corn. Mike silently goes for the box of tissues and sets them beside Tina. She scowls and says she won't need them, but invariably she does. She's fine until she gets to the "being a mother" part. She can't have children. Mike had custody of Ryan when they married, so in her words she got this incredible husband and a chance to be a Mom to an eight-year old.

Ryan is now a senior in high school, sending off college applications and I'm not sure who's more upset he's growing up--Mike, Tina, or Grandma. He's our math and science geek. When kids make fun of him in school, he just laughs. He wears the title proudly. MIT or Caltech are his main goals.

I've shared a smidgen of my life. Small and large things I'm thankful for. I hope your list of blessings are as precious to you as mine are to me.

Have a love-filled holiday, everyone.






Read more about Vonnie Davis at www.voniedavis.com

SOMETHING FROM THE KITCHEN

I will have to confess. I'm taking a small break from my portion of the blog this month. With the holidays and helping with a relative recuperating from surgery, my brain has stopped producing any creative juices. With everyone having busy schedules, I though you all might enjoy something simple to make and very traditional.

So, I looked up some historical recipes that look good for the holidays. They are taken from The Outlander Kitchen Cookbook by Theresa Carle-Sanders. The Outlander series is one of my favorite historical/fantasy/time travel guilty pleasures.

Enjoy:

Colum's Shortbread

Yield 9" buttered pan
Oven at 300 degrees

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 cup cold butter


Move rack to middle position and heat oven to 300° F. Butter a 9” square or round pan.
Combine flour, sugar and salt in a large bowl. Grate butter into flour mixture and blend well using your fingertips, until everything resembles the texture of sand.
Press firmly into prepared pan and freeze for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer, prick dough all over with a fork, and bake until edges are just golden, 30 to 35 minutes.
Cool completely in pan before cutting into squares or wedges (petticoat tails).
Serve with tea for a mid-afternoon pick me up. Store in a covered container for up to 5 days.

Ith gu leòir! (Eat Plenty)

I hope you enjoy these.

A Montana Christmas

I've had the holiday season in a few of my books; but so far, only one (a contemporary western) is centered around the Christmas season. A Montana Christmas is set on a working ranch with the emphasis on hoping to heal a family. 

I liked the idea of writing a Christmas story that was a slice of life story as much or more than a romance. It does carry on the love story in From Here to There, serving as a kind of epilogue as it's set several years later. At its center is love, which is what the season is about. I also thought that while Christmas is considered a time of magic and goodness, for some, it's a time of stress and unmet expectations. So take two families and see if the Christmas season can bring together those who have chosen to be apart for reasons that once made sense. Do they still?
 
It was rewarding to set this story on a ranch since I live the ranch life and understand the work doesn't stop because of a holiday-- not even such an important one as Christmas. Setting it in a state I love being, Montana, but where I have never spent a Christmas added to the enjoyment of immersing myself in the beauty of the season.

The characters in this novella are good people, with true Christian values, but not actually part of any church at this point-- not that it is ruled out for the future. Part of what they do is something I know many choose when not traditionally religious-- they also celebrate the Solstice with some ancient, Celtic traditions. Bringing into the family both the Solstice and Christmas is done by many as well as adding in Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, and whatever other traditions were part of their growing up.
 


Joining together those who have had problems in the past doesn't always work well in any season-- let alone at a time of the year when there are already a lot of stresses and expectations. So all of that is part of A Montana Christmas, which follows the ranch family in From Here to There. I liked seeing how these characters, who I'd come to love, were doing a few years down the road. Writing it also suggested a future story for the family which I have yet to write because this was the year of historic romances but next year, it's in my plan.

 A Montana Romance -- eBook Trailer
Amazon-- A Montana Christmas

Links to all buy sites at: Romances with an Edge

Hyperbole - by Sandy Nachlinger

When I was growing up, my dad would sometimes pin me with his laser stare and ask, “Are you stretching the truth?” How could I possibly deny my exaggeration under those circumstances? I could only hang my head and mutter, “Yes, sir.” But now that I’m grown up and a writer of fiction, I find that exaggeration can sometimes be a good thing. In fact, when applied to writing, it has earned a fancy name—hyperbole. That sounds so much nicer than fabrication or embellishment or just out-and-out lying, doesn’t it?

I get a kick out of hearing people use hyperbole in everyday conversation. My friend Pat once told me, “I either have to get a haircut or a dog tag.” She’s a writer too, so we can forgive her for overstating the shagginess of her coiffure. And we’ve all heard the clichés:

 “I’m so hungry I could eat a horse.”

“She’s as big as the side of a barn.”

“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times ….” (Oops. There’s my dad again.)

But when used sparingly in writing, hyperbole can be an effective tool in adding color to our stories.

For example, In Macbeth, Shakespeare wrote:

"Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood

Clean from my hand? No. This my hand will rather

The multitudinous seas incarnadine,

Making the green one red."

I think it's unlikely that Macbeth's blood would actually turn the ocean red, but by using hyperbole, Shakespeare sure lets us know how guilty his character feels.

And then there's Mark Twain in A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court.

"There did not seem to be brains enough in the entire nursery, so to speak, to bait a fishhook with." Much more effective than writing, "The children were not too bright."

Flannery O’Connor (in “Parker’s Back”) wrote: “The skin on her face was as thin and drawn as tight as the skin on an onion and her eyes were gray and sharp like the points of two picks.” What a picture O’Connor painted!

In my first book, I.O.U. Sex, Peggy wants to lose weight before she tracks down her boyfriend from high school days: "I'm holdin' off 'til I'm as thin as a bar of soap after a hard day's washin'." My co-author and I thought that was much more fun than just saying she wanted to lose some pounds.

 So go ahead and stretch the truth every once in a while. You’ll add spice to your writing, you’ll have fun doing it, and it’s perfectly okay – so long as you call it hyperbole. 

*Note: This is a recycled post, which I originally published several years ago on the Boomers & Books blog, which is now inactive.