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The History of Fine Dining: Middle

Spices and the Crusades

Then came the fateful Crusades. Although presumably based in religion it gave the European royalty a taste of luxury and refinement for the first time. Prior to their exposure to the sophisticated Muslim civilization of the Middle East, the European royalty had eaten the same foods as the peasantry with the same preparations. The upper classes just got the choice cuts and more of everything. However after experiencing the luxurious and refined customs of the Muslim aristocracy, which derived from the Persian autocracies, which had actually preceded the Greeks, there was no turning back. The European royalty almost immediately embraced spices and the use of sauces to enhance their cuisine. These spices, while augmenting the flavors of their food, were also quite expensive, as they had to be imported from afar. This was to have momentous consequences for the global politics of your planet.

Because of the exorbitant cost of these spices only the royalty could afford them. Hence the very possession of Spices conferred Status on the possessor, because it differentiated them from the peasantry. They became one of the perquisites of wealth and power. Because of their lack of sophistication the European royalty began consuming the spices straight - the more the better - just like the nouveau riche where bigger is best. Thus the use of spices reflected oneÕs wealth, and consequently conferred Status. This is the time period Space was referring to.

In 1375 a cookbook was written, Le Viander, which gives an indication of the lack of refinement at the time. Spices were widely used in the wealthy households - including ginger, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg. However the soups, meats, and poultry were so heavily seasoned that the taste of food was obscured. The spices disguised the flavor of the food rather than augmented it. This was partly due to the lack of refrigeration, which led to tainted meat and fish. And it was partly due to a lack of understanding of the function of spices. In their confusion of form and function, the wealthy just poured on the spices to exhibit their wealth. Sauces appeared for the first time but they were thickened with bread. There was also little variety in the preparations.

The Refinement of the Italian Renaissance

Although the Western European royalty embraced spices as way of showing off their wealth and to simultaneously separate themselves from the lower classes, the Italians were the first to adopt a more sophisticated and sensible use of ingredients. This was probably due to the Moorish influences, as they occupied both Spain and Italy for centuries during the Middle Ages. The royalty and wealthy consumed delicate tournedos, the center cut of the beef filet - not slabs of beef. They also began using more varied ingredients, including mushrooms, garlic, truffles and caviar. At their mealtimes, which sometimes lasted up to 3 hours, they drank wine out of exquisite Venetian glass and sat at tables adorned with delicate embroidered table clothes. Further women became a part of the feast for the first time - dressed in all their finery - to augment the visual side of the experience. Also food sculpture made its entry into the cuisine of the rulers. Animals made from lemons, turnips, and other vegetables were displayed, along with large statues of marzipan which expressed classical themes - such as Hercules and unicorns, which reflected the obsession with Greek culture that was prevalent then. As with many other traditions the Italian Renaissance marked the real beginning of refinement in the culinary arts of the West. As such Italy is frequently referred to as the Mother of Western cuisine.

An Italian Princess comes to France

It was in the 16th century that the royal cuisine of Italy made its historic appearance in France. Catherine de Medici, the great granddaughter of Lorenzo the Magnificent, married the man who was to become Henry II of France. This joined her powerful Italian family with his royal blood in one of those alliances that are always popular among the privileged classes everywhere. She brought with her a retinue of Florentine cooks, who employed aspics, artichoke hearts, truffles, ice cream, and crepes in their preparations. Along with the refinement that women bring to a testosterone-laden environment, came crystal glasses, glazed dishes, and beautiful table clothes. Prior to Katherine ladies only entered the dining room on special occasions. With her entrance onto the royal banquet scene this became the rule, not the exception. Referring to a lavish feast one writer exclaimed: ÒLadies shone like stars in the sky on a fine night.Ó

This Italian culinary transfusion was furthered when KatherineÕs cousin Marie de Medici married Henry IV of France. La Varenne, one of the first great French chefs, presumably learned his trade in her kitchen. He wrote Le Cuisinier Francaise, The French Cuisine, published in 1652, which exhibited all the culinary advances that had been made due to the Italian influence. Spices were no longer used to disguise the taste of food, but to augment it instead. This was the first time that the French cooks attempted to enhance the natural flavors rather than overwhelm them. Along with this trend, meat came to be served in its own juices, the jus; and fish was served with sauces based in a fish stock - the flavors obtained from boiling down fish bones, heads and tails. In terms of sauces, bread was replaced as a thickene0400003339c281ff81ff81ff81ff81ff81ff81fffeff02e3412ffd00023134dc81ff81ff81ff81ff81ff81ff81fffeff02ed3841fd0002323edc81 ff81ff81ff95ff00f681ff81ff81ffeaff033f34000000740400003337b581ffbaff00fd81ff81ffdfff08def2e2cccad8d5fcfe81ff81ff81fff1ff02c23a33 fd00022f37d781ff81ff81ff97ff09f0ccb899a8b7bcdbc0d681ff81ff81fff2ff02fb3930fd0002343ad481ff81ff81ff97ff09fdcba19885aba2f2e7fc81ff 81ff81fff2ff04e039360000007a040000503acd81ff81ff81ff99ff0cd2d0a2c8bf97b1bcb49e85b2cf81ff81ff81fff3ff02ed3931fd00024f38ee81ff81ff 81ff98ff0dc7b59ab6beccaba1787b84989aec81ff81ff81fff4ff013f57fd0002323cf081ff81ff81ff98ff0dc6bbb48cb89d8787846c6b897ff681ff81ff81 fff4ff033d300000008d0400002e39c081ff81ff81ff99ff0fe4b3bcadc0afd9af9285748f8c98d4f781ff81ff81fff6ff02fb4331fd00024134eb81ff81ff81 ff99ff10b5c4cf5b9de8fcd8e562b580756b7893fe81ff81ffd1ff02fef3d9aaff02fb402ffd00023238e881ff81ff81ff99ff0fe6bba2597bf9fff4c65b7964 767e8db681ffd5ff00f581fffbff00fba9ff034a3a000000b00400002b3ecd81ff81ff81ff9bff12f5bab5eace95b7ebeef2e6b3c68f83667aa2ef81ff81ffd6 ff09e1ecefd1bcb3d3afb7e0acff02eb3e32fd00024d3ee481ff81ff81ff9aff11bab3e0784a5198a2b9a2898c90755a8c7ba081ff81ffd7ff0fcbbeafada389 84856c7e94e0e6ffe1f6b0ff01422ffd0002343bd881ff81ff81ff9aff1196c9e4913b54d2dfe8c18291676951706bd881ff81ffd7ff0ac6bea5ad90a69aa783 8bd9abff034b31000000c20400004b3dc481ff81ff81ff9cff13f9b194adeeae909d90c7aeb3c3b08d7b6f908a9f81ff81ffd7ff0fbea4a4b8ab948d826a7b6b 7aafe0afebb1ff02fd4732fd00022d3ded81ff81ff81ff9bff13ac859ae97a55615a6f574663547b5c7dcab5a5cb81ff81ffd8ff0fa18790b685685267676c6b 715f594b73b0ff014b31fd00023043ee81ff81ff81ff9bff13c56f97fa633954416d4b44585262487aa07fbaed81ff81ffd9ff11eb978b6f966661465e646267 7d69804f7ffcb1ff03453b000000cb0400002e3bc881ff81ff81ff9cff14b48d9cd0cf9e949d96a59483a2866c678fd3a2cac681ff81ffd9ff11cc9ca2e3eec9 aba17a686a746f8a837cb2edb2ff02fb5733fd00022f36f581ff81ff81ff9cff15bf86a2c3914c3f506c62453e4c4a6b497190b6998fc681ff81ffdaff11bf7d 98a4c2aa5d524c4a414d544c40404a79b1ff013a31fd0002393df181ff81ff81ff9cff159a8970ad7b433446685b3a3550415a4966b7a26d7bf581ff81ffdaff 11ce8381c1c1a453573c3b3f555c4744414b87b1ff033d37000000dd0400004f36d381ff81ff81ff9dff17d76b8bd19f8374789575586b72835963586cacb8a5 92b6f481ff81ffdcff13b1afc1e5bbb8c69d718565687d716c646991a9f2b3ff02f24530fd00024d40ef81ff81ff81ff9dff17de7a76bb885141433b7957383c 3f4a553e4f6b8fb8a180c581ff81ffddff15d49a84d3d38f89ac6144604b4b473b49565a6d556fdbb3ff01493cfd00023243ea81ff81ff81ff9dff17bb636ea4 645036413d5c5a3230363355375d5c9282789af181ff81ffddff15e5a783c4c27986e3633d4b463f49403b3e444b4f92edb4ff04f54e3f00000