How To Cook Like A Wealthy, 14th-Century ‘Good Wife’:
Medieval French Chicken Cinnamon Soup
This recipe is taken from ‘Le Ménagier de Paris’ (The Good Wife’s Guide), a guidebook from 1393 discussing the “proper behavior” for a woman in her marriage and while running a household. The text is not only a cookbook; it also includes advice from a fictional elderly husband telling his younger wife how to go about life in the garden, kitchen, and bedroom. Readers of the text can explore gender roles and attitudes on marriage and family, as well as French Medieval cuisine.
Ingredients: • 1 cup cooked chicken (or tofu), cubed • 1 Tbsp. unsalted butter or lard • 2 cups chicken (or vegetable) broth • 1/2 cup ground almonds • 1 tsp. cinnamon • 1/4 tsp. ginger • 1/8 tsp. cloves • 1/8 tsp. grains of paradise (or cardamom) salt, to taste
• Gather all ingredients and grind spices and almonds if necessary. • Cut chicken (or tofu) into small pieces and sauté in butter until it starts to brown. • Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered until thick.
Serve hot. Bon AppĂŠtit!
ancientoriginsmagazine.com