Conference: Eating and drinking in the bastide era

What did people eat in the Middle Ages? Curiosity is aroused by the ‘medieval meals’ that are so fashionable today. Sculptures, illuminations, market regulations and other texts give us an idea of the ingredients used at the time: cereals, vegetables, meat, wine, etc. Where did these products come from? The emphasis is on local gardens and, around the towns, the ‘bourgeois’ vineyards; the more fortunate added spices from very far away: from paradise? As for utensils, pottery was widely used and played a key role in determining the taste of the food. The conclusion invites us to reflect on what remains of the period in question (roughly the 12th-14th centuries), in our expressions, a certain savoir-vivre, and even some of our gastronomic preferences.

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