This list is intended to provide ideas for medieval or medieval-style dishes suitable for a potluck feast. This list aims for an easily obtainable level of moderate authenticity with minimal difficulty and maximum appeal to modern tastebuds.
It doesn't have to be difficult to take appropriate food to a potluck. All these dishes are available ready-made at the supermarket, or require a minimum of preparation.
Quick links
Bread and associated things
- Loaf of bread (white, whole wheat or light rye, sliced thickly; the large round loaves with just a plain crust or a dusting of flour are most like the medieval ones)
- Buns (plain, or with currants or other dried fruit)
- Baps
- Bagels
- Flat bread such as pita bread
Meat
- Roast chicken
- Cold sliced meats (ham, roast beef, smoked meat, etc; avoid modern "processed" meats)
- Sausages
- Stews (Medieval stews often had fruit in them and were thickened with ground almonds or breadcrumbs. Avoid potatoes and tomatoes.)
Vegetables
- Green salad (mesclun greens, mixed lettuce, spinach and/or herbs tossed with oil and vinegar makes a good medieval "sallet")
- Pickles
- Other medieval vegetables include:
- Carrots
- Parsnips
- Cabbage
- Cauliflower
- Zucchini (similar to marrows/gourds used in period)
- Cucumbers
- Celery
- Radishes
- Asparagus
- Turnips
Other savoury dishes
- Soup (vegetable or meat or fish, plain or cream, with or without grains such as barley...)
- Cheese (avoid modern North American "orange" cheese)
- Falafel and other middle eastern finger foods
- Dips (hummus, tzatziki...)
- Little pastries (look in the frozen food section in the supermarket)
- Pasta in alfredo or other creamy/cheesy sauce
- Risotto
- Savoury pies and tarts, including quiche
- Nuts
Sweet dishes
- Fresh fruit (apples, pears, stone fruit, berries, melons...)
- Stewed fruit (apples, pears, plums...)
- Dried fruit (raisins, dates, prunes, apricots...)
- Custard
- Fruit pies and tarts
- "European" style cookies or biscuits (almond bread, wafers, etc)
Things to avoid
These are provided as a general idea of some foods that are post-SCA-period or otherwise not particularly suitable for SCA use:
- New world foods:
- Potatoes (use turnips or parsnips or rice or bread instead)
- Turkey (use chicken instead)
- Corn (maize)
- Red kidney beans
- Chocolate
- Other foods not widely known in Europe in the middle ages:
- Coffee and tea
- Bananas and other "tropical" fruits
- Tomatoes
- Baked foods made with baking soda (eg many modern biscuits/cookies and cakes)
- Coke/Pepsi/etc
Serving suggestions
- Use a wooden or ceramic or metal dish, or a basket, if possible
- Provide a serving spoon
- If it isn't immediately obvious what your dish is, provide a label with a description and (ideally) an indication as to whether it is vegetarian or contains any common allergy foods (eg dairy, eggs, nuts, alcohol)
- If you've brought something unusual or interesting, put your name on the label so people can come and ask you about it if they have questions.