Food in Shakespeare's Time

Research Report of Foods in Shakespeare’s Times

What do they eat and why?

The main parts of the basic diet in the Elizabethan England time were bread, meat and fish. Bread was the most important component of the diet during the Elizabethan era. The Upper Classes ate bread loaf made of wheat flour. The Lower Classes ate rye and barley bread. The meats included venison, beef, pork, veal, goat, lamb, rabbit, hare, mutton, swans, herons and poultry. Only Lords and Nobles were allowed to hunt deer, boar, hares and rabbits. The range of fish included herring, salmon, eel, whiting, plaice, cod, trout and pike. Shell fish included crab, oysters, mussels and cockles are also available. Only the Upper Classes benefited from this vast range of food. They also enjoyed various spices imported from abroad.

The dairy products produced in the Elizabethan era included milk, cream, butter and cheese. Milk was used as an Elizabethan beverage and cream, curds, whey, butter and cheese was a by-product of this basic commodity. Hard cheeses were made from skimmed mild, soft cheeses were made from whole milk. All of these dairy products were deemed inferior foods and therefore only to be eaten by the poor.

Vegetables which came from the ground were only are considered fit for the poor. Only vegetables such as rape, onions, garlic and leeks graced a Noble's table.

How did they eat?

The main Cooking Methods used were Spit roasting, Baking, Boiling, Smoking, Salting, Fried.

Did they use Cooking Utensils?

Useful cooking utensils for this method of cooking Elizabethan food were pots, pans, kettles, skillets and cauldrons. To prepare the food a range of knives, ladles, meat forks and scissors were used. Instead of a baking tin, Elizabethan cooks used a baking tray made of hardened pastry.

How did they preserve foods?

Animals were slaughtered in the autumn and preserved in salt. Pickling, desiccation and smoking were also found in old Elizabethan recipes for methods of...