What do you get for the Viking who has everything?
July 24, 2010 12:10 AM Subscribe
What would be an appropriate gift for a medieval warrior headed into battle for the next two weeks?
My favorite bartender in the whole world is headed to Denmark, Poland and Germany for three bloody battles. He's throwing a Bon Voyage bash at his bar and I would like to try and make (preferably bake or cook) something that would send him on his way with luck, and be fun to share with the rest of the bar.
I know the dark ages weren't known for their culinary arts, so I'd also be stoked if anyone knew about any ancient traditions about sending the local Knight into battle. These things could include lucky trinkets, songs, laurels or anything that might give him some luck.
My favorite bartender in the whole world is headed to Denmark, Poland and Germany for three bloody battles. He's throwing a Bon Voyage bash at his bar and I would like to try and make (preferably bake or cook) something that would send him on his way with luck, and be fun to share with the rest of the bar.
I know the dark ages weren't known for their culinary arts, so I'd also be stoked if anyone knew about any ancient traditions about sending the local Knight into battle. These things could include lucky trinkets, songs, laurels or anything that might give him some luck.
if you want to bake, and play up the Viking angle, some dried Hardangerlefse, perhaps?
posted by russm at 12:46 AM on July 24, 2010
posted by russm at 12:46 AM on July 24, 2010
It's the early medieval period, not the dark ages. We medievalists can take offence, you know. And medieval cooking is actually quite nice, with a strong middle eastern influence (of course with the proviso that we only have recipes from about the 12th century on, and that this was only for rich buggers and everyone else was living off pea porridge).
Medieval gingerbread is lovely (assuming you like honey - it has a strong honey note).
The other thing you could do is to bake something decorative and military; there's a 14th century recipe for a pie in the shape of a castle (a central keep that's a pork pie, and four towers round the outside that have a sweet fruit and custard filling). Of a similar period is a recipe for pear tarts which you top off with a piece of pastry in the shape of a lion rampant. If you're good with sculpting, making things out of marzipan is a great medieval tradition.
In terms of traditions of sending people out into battle, in the early medieval period being in a bar seems to be terribly appropriate - the poem Y Gododdin talking about the 7th century mentions getting wasted on mead before battle virtually every stanza:
The men went to Catraeth; they were renowned;
Wine and mead from golden cups was their beverage;
That year was to them of exalted solemnity;
Three warriors and three score and three hundred, wearing the golden torques.
Of those who hurried forth after the excess of revelling,
But three escaped by the prowess of the gashing sword
So I'm not sure there would be anything that's more appropriate than buying him a round.
posted by Coobeastie at 2:21 AM on July 24, 2010 [3 favorites]
Medieval gingerbread is lovely (assuming you like honey - it has a strong honey note).
The other thing you could do is to bake something decorative and military; there's a 14th century recipe for a pie in the shape of a castle (a central keep that's a pork pie, and four towers round the outside that have a sweet fruit and custard filling). Of a similar period is a recipe for pear tarts which you top off with a piece of pastry in the shape of a lion rampant. If you're good with sculpting, making things out of marzipan is a great medieval tradition.
In terms of traditions of sending people out into battle, in the early medieval period being in a bar seems to be terribly appropriate - the poem Y Gododdin talking about the 7th century mentions getting wasted on mead before battle virtually every stanza:
The men went to Catraeth; they were renowned;
Wine and mead from golden cups was their beverage;
That year was to them of exalted solemnity;
Three warriors and three score and three hundred, wearing the golden torques.
Of those who hurried forth after the excess of revelling,
But three escaped by the prowess of the gashing sword
So I'm not sure there would be anything that's more appropriate than buying him a round.
posted by Coobeastie at 2:21 AM on July 24, 2010 [3 favorites]
I was thinking it might be cool if a fair maiden or somesuch might present him with a handkerchief or some other token of her affections to pin to his armour and carry into the clamour and fray of battle..
posted by Philby at 2:26 AM on July 24, 2010 [4 favorites]
posted by Philby at 2:26 AM on July 24, 2010 [4 favorites]
Mead. We're talking about a person who makes a living selling alcohol engaging in medieval activities. 'nuff said.
posted by valkyryn at 5:22 AM on July 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by valkyryn at 5:22 AM on July 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
Kings and Viking leaders always gave rings (arm rings) and gold to their followers -- you could make ring cookies with yellow icing.
posted by jb at 8:24 AM on July 24, 2010
posted by jb at 8:24 AM on July 24, 2010
I know the dark ages weren't known for their culinary arts...
you know not of which you speke! get thee to a Boke of Gode Cookery at once!
as Coobeastie mentioned, Gyngerbrede (more like candy than the cake we're familiar with) is a common traditional offering to warriors about to do battle
posted by jammy at 9:30 AM on July 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
you know not of which you speke! get thee to a Boke of Gode Cookery at once!
as Coobeastie mentioned, Gyngerbrede (more like candy than the cake we're familiar with) is a common traditional offering to warriors about to do battle
posted by jammy at 9:30 AM on July 24, 2010 [1 favorite]
in a more explicitly Viking vein, you could offer him a bushel of leeks
But leek is the only vegetable mentioned specifically, because of it's value within the scope of the chronicle, as a medicinal herb in the diagnosis and healing of battle wounds. In chapter 247 of the Saga of Olaf Haraldson or Saint Olaf (c.1030 AD): "In a stone pot she had stirred together leeks and other herbs, and boiled them, and gave the wounded men of it to eat, by which she discovered if the wounds had penetrated into the belly; for if the wound had gone so deep, it would smell of leek." In chapter 263 of the same saga (c.1034 AD): "ale and leeks by old wives borne, The bruised and wounded did relieve." And in chapter 55 of the Saga of Harald Hardrade (c.1050 AD), King Harald himself is said to have written in verse of the "healing leek-herb."
posted by jammy at 9:47 AM on July 24, 2010
But leek is the only vegetable mentioned specifically, because of it's value within the scope of the chronicle, as a medicinal herb in the diagnosis and healing of battle wounds. In chapter 247 of the Saga of Olaf Haraldson or Saint Olaf (c.1030 AD): "In a stone pot she had stirred together leeks and other herbs, and boiled them, and gave the wounded men of it to eat, by which she discovered if the wounds had penetrated into the belly; for if the wound had gone so deep, it would smell of leek." In chapter 263 of the same saga (c.1034 AD): "ale and leeks by old wives borne, The bruised and wounded did relieve." And in chapter 55 of the Saga of Harald Hardrade (c.1050 AD), King Harald himself is said to have written in verse of the "healing leek-herb."
posted by jammy at 9:47 AM on July 24, 2010
The Food Timeline (amazing!) says that the new hotness in the 800s-1000s included dried cod from the Norse and halva brought back from the Levant by returning Crusaders, and The Viking Answer Lady has an exhaustive entry on the subject of Viking food!
posted by mdonley at 10:40 AM on July 25, 2010
posted by mdonley at 10:40 AM on July 25, 2010
If you want to impress -- Walnuts were extremely valuable in northern Europe during the Viking Period, since they were imported from southern Europe.
cheaper than giving him a polar bear, like Auden gave to the king of Denmark.
posted by jb at 2:22 PM on July 25, 2010
cheaper than giving him a polar bear, like Auden gave to the king of Denmark.
posted by jb at 2:22 PM on July 25, 2010
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posted by Abiezer at 12:33 AM on July 24, 2010