Jeffrey Salazar
Peasant foods are dishes composed of accessible and affordable ingredients. Historically, these dishes have been stigmatized. The diet of peasants was dictated by what was locally available, including what could be grown, foraged, or kept on the land. Medieval peasants, for example, ate a variety of foods, including dark rye bread, eggs, fish, and meat. They also consumed a stew called pottage, made from peas, beans, and onions. However, they often lacked sufficient food and faced challenges in preparing and storing it properly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Main food | Dark bread made out of rye grain |
| Food sources | Whatever is locally available, including food grown in their gardens |
| Meat | Meat scraps, ground meat, pig skin, black pudding, pork, chicken, rabbit, hare |
| Fish | Herring, fish from rivers and streams |
| Sweet food | Berries, nuts, honey |
| Drinks | Diluted ale, wine |
| Dairy | Cheese |
| Fruits and vegetables | Root vegetables, apples, peas, beans, onions |
| Spices | Garlic |
| Food preparation | Food was often fried |
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What You'll Learn
Meat and animal products
Meat was a highly valued food item, but it was also expensive and not commonly consumed by peasants. Meat was up to four times as expensive as bread, and fish was up to 16 times as costly. As such, peasants had to be resourceful with the meat they did eat. They would use butchery techniques to make the most of the animal, including using the skin and offal in their dishes. For example, salami, a long-lasting sausage, was used to supplement a meat-deficient diet.
Peasants would also hunt rabbits and hares, but this could be at the risk of punishment from their lord. They also kept a pig or two, but they were valuable assets and were not often slaughtered. Instead, peasants would use the pig's products, such as pork skin, in their cooking.
Meat was more commonly eaten by peasants after the Black Death, which killed up to half of the European population. This labour shortage caused wages to increase and left farmland untended, making it available for pasture and putting more meat on the market.
Meat was often mixed with other ingredients to make it go further. For example, ground meat or meat scraps could be mixed with grain and formed into a loaf, which could then be sliced and fried. Meat could also be mixed with spices and other ingredients and returned to its own skin or moulded into the shape of a different animal.
Meat was also used to make hearty stews, such as the French cassoulet, which contains pork or lamb, pork skin or bacon, and white beans. Other meat stews included the Italian batchoy, made with pork and pork offal in a ginger-flavoured broth, and the traditional Russian soup, shchi, made from cabbage, meat, mushrooms, flour and sour cream, usually eaten with rye bread.
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Bread
In addition to bread, peasants also consumed beer, which provided added kilojoules and nutrients to their diet. Beer was also a better-tasting alternative to water. However, access to food was not always reliable for peasants, and they experienced famines and periods of inflation that made it difficult to afford food.
Overall, bread was an important part of the peasant diet, providing nourishment and energy for their physically demanding lives.
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Vegetables
The diet of peasants consisted of inexpensive and accessible ingredients, including vegetables. While specific vegetable types in the peasant diet are not explicitly mentioned, historical information and scientific analyses provide some insights.
Medieval peasants, for instance, had access to vegetables they grew in their gardens. They also worked in their overlord's fields, where vegetables were cultivated. In addition, they collected nuts, berries, and honey from the woods.
The variety of vegetables available to peasants was limited, and they primarily relied on seasonal produce. Root vegetables, such as carrots and turnips, were likely a staple due to their ease of storage. Other vegetables, like legumes (beans and peas), were used in dishes like pottage, a stew commonly eaten by medieval peasants.
Peasants also consumed vegetables in soups and stews, such as the Italian Acquacotta, which includes ingredients like onions, tomatoes, and various vegetables. Similarly, the Louisiana Creole dish, red beans and rice, combines vegetables with spices and leftover pork bones, served over rice.
While the specific types of vegetables in the peasant diet may vary based on geographical and historical context, they formed an essential part of their meals, providing necessary nutrients and, in some cases, serving as the primary source of sustenance.
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Fruit
Medieval peasants in Europe ate a variety of fruits as part of their diet. As sugar was expensive, fruits were commonly used as sweeteners in dishes. Fruits were also consumed in the form of juices and wines.
In Southern Europe, lemons, citrons, bitter oranges, pomegranates, quinces, and grapes were commonly consumed. Grapes were cultivated in most of France and the Western Mediterranean, where wine was consumed on a daily basis. In the Northern parts of the continent, apples, pears, plums, and wild strawberries were more common. Fruits like figs and dates were eaten all over Europe, but they were expensive imports in the north.
Many fruits were seasonal and hard to preserve. Medieval peasants likely only had access to strawberries for a week a year, and they did not eat the modern variety of strawberries, which are native to North America.
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Storage and preparation
Medieval peasants ate a variety of foods, including dark bread, berries, nuts, honey, eggs, and the less desirable parts of animals, such as black pudding. They also consumed fish, which could be obtained from rivers and streams, and kept animals such as pigs, chickens, and rabbits. Their diet was based on what was locally available and could be grown, foraged, or kept on their land.
When it came to storage and preparation, peasants had limited options due to the lack of advanced preservation techniques. Here are some common methods they employed:
Storage:
- Root cellars: Root vegetables, such as potatoes, carrots, and turnips, could be stored in cool, dry root cellars for several months.
- Drying and smoking: Meats and fish could be preserved by drying or smoking them. This process removed the moisture, inhibiting bacterial growth and extending the shelf life of the food.
- Salting: Salt was used to cure meats and fish, drawing out moisture and preserving the food. Salt was a valuable commodity, and those living near the sea had easier access to it.
- Fermentation: Techniques like pickling and fermenting were used to preserve vegetables, fruits, and dairy products. Fermentation not only extended the shelf life of food but also added flavour and nutritional benefits.
Preparation:
- Stews and pottages: A common method of preparing food was to make stews or pottages, which could incorporate a variety of ingredients, including vegetables, beans, peas, onions, and meats. This allowed peasants to make the most of their available resources and create a hearty, filling meal.
- Bread baking: Bread, particularly dark bread made from rye grain, was a staple in the peasant diet. Baking bread required basic ingredients like flour, water, and yeast, which could be easily sourced and stored.
- Simple cooking techniques: Peasant cooking involved simple preparations, such as boiling, stewing, and frying. They might boil vegetables or fry sliced meat loaves.
- Use of leftovers: Leftovers were not wasted and were often incorporated into new dishes. For example, stale bread could be used in soups or to thicken stews.
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Frequently asked questions
The peasant diet was based on whatever was locally available. This included dark rye bread, eggs, meat scraps, and root vegetables.
A typical peasant meal was a stew called pottage, made from locally grown peas, beans, and onions.
Meat was not a large part of the peasant diet. They often kept chickens and collected eggs, but meat was considered the privilege of the upper class. Peasants might eat the less desirable parts of an animal, such as black pudding.
Peasants drank diluted ale instead of wine.
