Complete details of daily life in medieval England are among the most difficult subjects to pin down and examine. This is also true when studying their eating habits. During a time when writing materials were costly and literacy limited to an educated minority, a lack of detail is only to be expected. Therefore, for much of what is claimed to be known customs of the Roman, Viking and Anglo-Saxon settlements in Britain, is based on archaeological evidence and speculation based on illustrations, literature and other material.
Two of the earliest cook books were written during this time. The first book was a French book called ‘The Little Treatise’ (1306) and the first cookbook written in English was called the 'The Forme of Cury'(1390) which had nearly 200 recipes in it, with the majority of them created by the Royal Cooks. (Alchin) Though the sources deal primarily with diets and feasts for the privileged, they give an idea of the kinds and quantities of food that were available, and what procedures they were subjected to before human consumption. This allows an educated guess as to what the lower classes may have eaten.
During the Crusades (there were many and not all of them were successful) brought in many new spices. Spices such as Pepper, Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg, Ginger, Saffron, Cardamom, Coriander, Cumin, Turmeric, Mace, Anise, Caraway and Mustard were being introduced by the crusaders from the East and included in recipes. As these spices were imported in only the upper class could afford them.
Bread was the staple food in England at the time with only the quality and quantity varying between the classes. The upper class had the best kind of bread. It was white bread made with wheat flour called machete. While the lower class had dark, heavy bread made from rye and barley called maslin. Weed seeds frequently found their way into the flour, and in years when the harvest was poor, peas or beans might be added to the cheapest bread to conserve precious flour. Another food that was popular with both classes was pottage. A typical pottage consisted of a broth with vegetables; most commonly cabbage, leeks onions and garlic, and/or meat might also be added. Even with the availability of fresh fruit and vegetables, many of the nobility did not trust garden products and were rarely eaten uncooked, as they were believed unhealthy in an unprocessed state, the exceptions being grapes, cherries and wild berries. Food items which came from the ground were only are considered fit for the poor. Only vegetables such as rape (leafy vegetable), onions, garlic and leeks graced a Noble's table. (Alchin) Medieval cooks might have relied on local produce for the majority of their meals but they were in not above using imported luxuries. Almonds were the most common of these, and used in large quantities to make up for the prohibition on milk during Lent. Almond milk could also be made into butter, which was much easier to preserve than the ordinary cow's milk butter. Sugar was just as popular as almonds, first encountered by Crusaders in the East and imported in the form of loaves.
Livestock was kept by who could afford to keep them; not only for the meat but also for eggs, wool, and milk they produced. Sheep were the most common due to their versatility and low demands regarding grazing but cattle held the advantage in producing both meat and milk in significantly larger quantities. Due to the problems of supplying sufficient winter feed, most livestock, with the exception of breeding animals, tended to be slaughtered over the course of winter. Pigs being the less fussy eaters could also forage for food in winter. This made pork the meat of choice for the poor. The lower class ate bacon and salted joints, while the upper class favored mutton and beef. Game animals such as birds and deer provided the most prized meat, but they were reserved almost exclusively for lords and the king. The poaching of these animals often resulted in having hands cut off. (Trueman)
Fish was also eaten but mostly during lent. “Lent in medieval times involved an absolute ban on meat. In Latin, it was the time of the “taking away of flesh” (carne levare), which produced our word Carnival. Some people think the word might stem from “Farewell, Meat!” (Carne vale!), but the underlying idea is the same” There was also a ban on dairy and egg products. (Jenkins)
Drinking wine was standard fare for the ones that could afford it, being preferred over ale or beer. The wine found on English tables was imported from France. Wine was frequently served watered, mulled or spiced. In comparison to their modern counterparts, medieval wines fared badly; their quality was far inferior, largely due to poor preservation methods. Due to the lack of any kind of preservation methods the alcohol went bad in a matter of days and had to be drunk before it spoiled. Water was never consumed as it was very dirty. Milk was best if it came fresh from the cow as it went bad after a few hours. (Alchin)
Cooking in the medieval kitchen could be a simple or complicated affair. In lower class homes this could be as simple as cooking pit ring with stones with an overhead beam or swinging bar to hang pots from. In the absence of these options, pots could be set to warm on the stones. “In the castle kitchen the cook and his staff turned the meat - pork, beef, mutton, poultry, game - on a spit and prepared stews and soups in great iron cauldrons hung over the fire on a hook and chain that could be raised and lowered to regulate the temperature. Boiled meat was lifted out of the pot with an iron meat hook, a long fork with a wooden handle and prongs attached to the side. Soup was stirred with a long-handled slotted spoon.” (Matterer) Famine was a constant threat in medieval world. It was during famines that people often resorted to killing their horses and farm animals for food. Such was the case of the famine of 1315-1317 which was also known as The Great Famine. Due to the growing population, there was only so much food available with the best climate conditions. A drop in temperature during the early 14th century led to a real lack of food. Millions of deaths over an extended number of years due to starvation and some of the elderly refused to eat as a way to allow the younger population to survive. Later on the Black Death (1337-1351) ravaged Europe further decimated the population even more with millions more dying. Interestingly enough with the population low the food shortage is solved and even the lower class is able to eat better. (Nelson)
In conclusion life in the medieval times was hard and dirty times. Certain basic similarities remain. Like us, our ancestors had a fondness for sweets, a craving for variety and the desire to produce food that was satisfying, tasty and wholesome. Their methods in pursuing this last goal may sometimes be suspect; certainly modern dieticians would frown on sugar and the medieval tendency to waste valuable nutrients by cooking and overcooking anything vegetable-shaped. However, on the most basic of levels both medieval and modern cookery share at least one thing. In both, food is given meanings that go far beyond the mere necessity for bodily sustenance.

Bibliography
Alchin, Linda. Index. June 2014. October 2014. .
—. Medieval Daily Meals. June 2014. November 2014. .
—. Medieval Drink. June 2014. November 2014. .
Jenkins, Phillip. Lent and Fasting. 15 February 2013. October 2014. .
Nelson, Lynn Harry. The Great Famine (1315-1317) and the Black Death (1346-1351). n.d. November 2014. .
Trueman, Chris. Food and Drink in Medieval England. 2000-2014. November 2014. .