Bread & Butter
Try these three simple recipes to get a taste of the Old World. And, whether you’re embodying the upper crust or the humble peasantry, it’s proper form to eat among friends and family.
• 1 tsp. salt • 1 tsp. chopped rosemary • 1 tsp. chopped thyme • 1 tsp. ground savory
Mutton Stew Meanz Chan / Little Village
• 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley
• ½ tsp. ground ginger
Research indicates that mutton stew and other
• ½ tsp. ground cumin
meat and vegetable stews were popular among
• ½ tsp. ground coriander
peasants in the Middle Ages. A humbling and
• 2 eggs
warm dish, mutton stew captures the hearty and
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
earthy flavors of the land in which they grew vegDIRECTIONS
etables and raised their livestock.
Add bone broth and wine to a large Dutch oven
Recipes
Eat like a Queen (or a peasant)
INGREDIENTS
and bring to a boil over high heat.
• 2 lbs. boneless mutton or lamb stew meat
Add mutton or lamb and return to a boil over
• 2 cups beef bone broth
medium-high heat. Once boiling, add onions, salt
• 1 cup dry white wine (such as Chardonnay or
and herbs.
Sauvignon Blanc)
Reduce heat to low and cover for 1-2 hours, or
• 2 cups chopped yellow onion
until meat is tender. Crack eggs into a small bowl and whisk together with lemon juice. Remove dutch oven from heat and add egg mixture, whisking constantly until fully incorporated
BY VICTORIA HARRIS
and slightly thickened. Serve hot.
Cherry Pottage
A dish enjoyed among the wealthy, cherry pottage was known as a more prestigious side or Medieval tapestry
M
eals in medieval Europe were often determined by one’s socioeconomic status. The wealthy— who could afford feasts of venison, custards, red wine and exotic spices like saffron and ginger—ate very differently from the poor or peasants, who often cooked dishes with local, accessible ingredients, washed down with ale.
dessert because of its use of fresh fruit, white bread and sugar. This warm, almost bread pudding-like recipe, is rich in flavor with a sweet finish. The texture of pottage is porridge-like and full-bodied. Add fresh whipped cream and mint
Guide to Imbibe: Bootleg Hill Honey Meads, Davenport
Genevieve Trainor
A
s a long-time Renaissance faire aficionado, I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for mead, the ancient drink referenced in writings as early as 1700 B.C.E. (The Rigveda); popular throughout the histories of Europe, Asia and even Africa; associated with heroism and poetry; and a staple of drinking horns raised at faires near and far. I was thrilled to learn recently that Iowa is home to no less than three meaderies (as well as some wineries that dabble). Bootleg Hill Honey Meads, based in Davenport, has bottles available on grocery shelves across Iowa, and I swung by John’s in Iowa City to get some to try. I went home with three flavors. Although mead is often referred to as honey wine, it’s its own thing (wine is fermented fruit). That’s a useful shorthand for novices, though, and Bootleg Hill keeps the comparison alive with their 321 Dry Traditional Mead, which hits the palate like a crisp Chardonnay. As such, it’s better with a bit of a chill to it. (Mead can be enjoyed per the drinker’s preference, and the wide variety means that some are nice cold, others warm; some can be chugged from a horn, others sipped from an aperitif glass.) The Ginger Orange, which I was most anticipating, had the perfect spicy kick for a hot afternoon at a Ren faire—a drink to be enjoyed, certainly, but which will remind you as you’re drinking it that you should make certain to drink plenty of water, too. It’s versatile, and would pair well with the sort of hefty, “on a stick” foods served at faires. But it also has subtleties that are pleasant to sip and savor. The one that really hit my sweet spot, though, was the Paint It Blackberry. This is a drink made for swigging, but without lacking complexity. Visually, I appreciated the slight ruddiness of the color. It’s refreshing enough to carry along in a hip flask while exploring a faire, but elegant enough to pour out and share. The blackberry flavor is a perfect complement to the honey, its fullness enriching Bootleg Hill Bootleg Hill Bootleg Hill the honey’s sweet specificity (where in the drier varieties, the alcohol almost flattened it). 321 Dry Ginger Paint It I look forward to trying more of Bootleg Hill’s offerings in the future. Huzzah! —Genevieve Trainor Traditional Orange Blackberry 26 May 2022 LITTLEVILLAGEMAG.COM/LVDSM2
