Sheep’s penis for the foodie. Wash it well and clean it. Then take brayed saffron, the yolks of ten eggs and a spoonfull of milk. Temper with fat and stuff the penis, but take care that it is not overstuffed. Blanch it, then roast it. Sprinkle with powder of ginger, cinnamon and a little pepper.

From How to eat a sheep’s penis on Medieval Cookery.

The site is a treasure trove of food related curiosities and history. The library section has an excellent collection of Medieval cooking books (and some, even older, like ancient Roman texts).

I would venture the recipe above would not be for the cholesterol minded, though.

The collection of suggested menus taken from some of the books is priceless. Just an example of one such feast, from Le Ménagier de Paris, (France, 1393) (I hope anyone reading is not easily put off by the sheer volume of these meals):

Another Meat Dinner of Twenty-four Dishes with Six Platters

First Course:

Veal pies
Pompano pies
Black puddings and sausages
Forcemeat
Rich pies

Second Course:

Hare soup and Eel broth
Strained beans
Salted meats
Coarse meats (beef and mutton)

Third Course:

Roast coneys, partridges, capons, and veal
Fish
Chopped and browned vegetables

Fourth Course:

River ducks a la dodine
Tench soup and Tench mold with hot sauce
Capon soup with chicken fat and parsley

Fifth Course:

Bacon gruel
Smothered rice
Jellied eels
Roast fish
Chopped and browned vegetables

Sixth Course:

Little sugared tarts
Sugared milk
Medlars
Shelled nuts
Cooked pears
Sugared almonds
Hippocras and wafers


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