Elizabethan Food and Dining
There’s more to food than you might think. Have a look at this photo gallery of an event we have staged on several occasions for Haddon Hall in Derbyshire. Everybody is interested in food and it’s an accessible way to bring the past to life. We pride ourselves on engagement with all ages and social groups, as well as the accuracy and comprehensive nature of our equipment and knowledge.
Early morning in the butchery
Firing the ovens
The kitchen buzzes with activity
In great households, organisation was the key
The cloths are laid upon the board
Busy, busy, busy!
The cupboard has been laid
Livery coats hang above the carving knives
Liveried servants on standby
Peacock for dinner
The feast is presented
His Lordship holds forth
A brush up on Elizabethan etiquette
From kitchen to table, all ages take part
Finally the scullions take over
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Early morning in the butchery
Our butcher gets to work in the calm of early morning. Period butchery techniques and animal husbandry are all part of our presentation. -
Firing the ovens
The spectacular firing of the ovens propels the kitchen into life. Our bakers have been firing original ovens for over 20 years and can deliver workshops and training courses on safe and sensitive usage. -
The kitchen buzzes with activity
The staff busily prepare Tudor recipes including elaborate pastries, cakes and baked meats. -
In great households, organisation was the key
In a quiet corner the Clerk of the Kitchen tracks every ingredient and portion of food. These accounts give us a great insight into the diet of the Elizabethan nobility. -
The cloths are laid upon the board
Dining in the houses of the Elizabethan elite was a supremely formal affair. The ritual begins with ceremonial laying of cloths upon the board without the touch of human hand. -
Busy, busy, busy!
As dinner approaches pressure in the kitchen mounts to deliver the first remove on time. Each 'remove' would contain several dishes, both sweett and savoury, enough to fill the table. Formal dining generally consisted of at least two such removes. -
The cupboard has been laid
Maintaining a suitable display of material goods was an important part of the nobility’s social stratagem. -
Livery coats hang above the carving knives
As the dinner hour approaches, it all begins to come together. The dining chamber is now prepared. The dishes near completion in the kitchen. Meanwhile, in the butchery and bakehouse, preparations are already underway for the next day's meals. In the pantry the serving men gather together their tools and livery. -
Liveried servants on standby
Our junior livery men have a brief discussion about the finer points of service which is an elaborate ceremony and they are understandably a bit nervous! -
Peacock for dinner
As the dishes emerge from the chaos of the kitchen, the sense of theatre, typical of a Tudor feast, starts to build. -
The feast is presented
As the board is laid, now is a great time to get a close up view of the complete feast that has been in production all day. -
His Lordship holds forth
The Lord in all his splendour is actually a pretty chatty fellow, so dinner usually takes a while, giving visitors plenty of time to ask his opinion of the dishes before him. -
A brush up on Elizabethan etiquette
Elizabethan table manners might take you by surprise, with common cups and not a fork in sight. We enjoy asking the visitors to see if they can spot our diners making any mistakes. -
From kitchen to table, all ages take part
Like many children of the period this young man is required to stand to dine. He is learning what was considered polite behaviour at the table by observing his elders. -
Finally the scullions take over
When the glamour is over the scullion gets to work using ingenious Elizabethan methods for getting everything clean - all without Fairy liquid and dishwashers!