Steve, was that "Yuk" to the ancient diet or to the American fast food society? Very interesting article, my friend, and quite surprising.
Quote:Dr Frankie Phillips, of the British Dietetics Association, said: "There wouldn't have been too many obese people in medieval times.
hmmm I think there were other reasons than poor choices in food JMO
I don't know letty
I think it was just a natural spontaneous reaction to deep fried mars bars
Oh, my God, Steve. Deep fried mars bars sound like the "flash your hash" variety.
Well, husker, I wonder what the life expectancy of those fabulous fish eating Scots was?
well they are studying porridge in aberdeen
Steve, exactly what is porridge? Is it a type oatmeal? or do only the three bears know for certain.
Twelve to fourteen hours a day of physical labor undoubtedly had a significant effect on the weight of yer average peasant--and nice worn teeth as opposed to decayed teeth isn't much consolation if you are one of those who beat the odds of dying before age twenty only to face death at or shortly after 40. Pass me the sauce, will ya, these chips are kinda bland . . .
That's why I was asking about the life expectancy of those middle age folks. Heh! Heh!
Soooo, Setanta, what IS porridge?
porridge letty, as all God fearing folk should know is based on oats (rolled) with milk (not boiled) and vodka
(not serious)
It is apparantly a wondrous mixture and can be used for most things including repairing wall cracks, filling car bodywork dents, feeding children, and, when set, stuffing in cannons and firing at the enemy.
thats all my porridge knowlidge
Well, as a kid I used to pretend that oatmeal was porridge, but then I heard it stuck to your ribs, so that sorta caused me to lose interest.
Anyway, the article was interesting. Thanks, Steve.
Pease porridge hot
Pease porridge cold
Pease porridge in the pot
Nine days old . . .
Porridge can be quickly and easily made by crushing the whole oat grain, and then soaking it overnight. Put on the boil, with salt added, you have the traditional porridge of the middle ages. As people tend not to leave well enough alone, to this would often be added pease (dried peas and other dried legumes) as well as wild onion or garlic. This could also be kept warm as opposed to hot, allowed to quicken, and baked into what was known as "horse bread," a sort of portable porridge which was commonly carried into the fields or to a job site by peasants of the middle ages. When extras were added, one has arrived at pottage. The french version was the pot au feu, the pot on the fire, to which any left overs would be added, and the whole mixture kept asimmering for days or even weeks on end. This was also referred to as pot pourri, or "rotten pot," as it was understood that food which was beginning to "turn" could be safely eaten if it were first boiled in the pot au feu--hence the meaning of potpourri as a miscellany. The French peasants were often poorer than their counterparts elsewhere, and precious little grain could be had for the pot, so the constantly boiled down combinations made for a thick soup-like food called potage, which is likely the origin of the word pottage.
WOW! Setanta, fantastic info. I played that game with the hands to the chant of pease porridge hot, now I understand what the entire thing is about. YUK!
Set
We are discussing yuk here
no need to get serious
I'm still waiting for some sauce for my chips . . .
getting hungry here
could eat a whole leg of porridge
I would love to run down to the chipper about now for some extra greasy white fish and chips . . . great little greek place in Toronto within ten minutes of Lovey's house which buys the fish fresh each day, and then the owner takes the filets and dredges them and fries them to order.
No chippers here, gotta stop thinking about it . . .
Porridge was generality served in a long narrow wooden bowl called a trencher from which a number of people would eat communally with spoons. Hence the origin of the term "trencher mate" (buddy) or some one you consistently shared a trencher with, and to "spoon" (make out) ie inviting a female you had an interest in to eat with you.
thanks acquink
just goes to show how utter triviality can lead to interesting and useful understanding
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