Peter Brears. December 6th
Peter started by telling us that Christmas food had nothing to do with
Christianity but was a combination of habit and family tradition. He then went
back in time, explaining how to make fromity; a 50,000-year-old recipe which
was used to convert grass seeds into edible grain when there was no use of
a mill.
We were told that most people could not afford rich food and would mainly
have had a diet of oatcake, bacon and white bread, depending on whether
they lived in the country or in towns. Peter informed us that carolling
originated as a way of ‘begging’ for money to buy Christmas food. He talked
about the tradition of wassailing when young girls would go around town with
a wreath of holly decorated with little wax dolls to represent Christ. A cloak
would have hidden these and they would be revealed on payment of a penny.
In terms of actually getting the food, some shopkeepers would allow
customers to pay in instalments in the run up to Christmas and the market
also played an important role; people would wait and wait on Christmas Eve
for the price of any perishable goods to come down.
Preparation of the food was a matter of family pride as Christmas was
usually a time for family parties and could include individual bowls of fromity
and yule cake, although this would have been very hard and flat as it did not
contain eggs, yeast or baking powder.
Peter then went on to talk about ginger cake and gingerbread and how they
were made. He showed us some beautiful moulds which were used
traditionally. This would last a very long time; ideal if you were going to sea.
It was usually eaten with cheese in Yorkshire (usually Cheshire) and we were
told that Wensleydale was originally a blue cheese.
Traditionally people had goose at Christmas or ox tongue and stuffing, or
a Yorkshire Pie would be made. This was a large item, with two-inch thick
pastry which would basically form a pot to contain the ingredients. This would
include a small bird inside a larger bird and so on, which was then put into
the crust. Giblet pie was also made from the goose. Goose was something
most ordinary folk very rarely had and usually they would have had a joint of
mutton or lamb followed by Christmas pudding. Plum pudding was originally
eaten with the meat to mop up the gravy. The pudding would have been
boiled and in the 1850s would have been mostly pudding but generations of
family competition meant that it evolved to contain much more fruit than
pudding. The pudding needed to be boiled for a very long time.
Later in the day, cold meats and Christmas cake would be eaten. In the
1830s a fruit cake would have been very fruity. From the 1850s, baking
powder could be used instead of expensive eggs and not as much flour was
required.
Festivities would continue until January 6th – Twelfth Night. Peter gave us
an idea of what Christmas food would have been like at Harewood House,
when elsewhere there would have been very little food indeed.
Peter concluded his very enjoyable talk by reminding us that Christmas
food had nothing to do with Christianity. Through the following questions we
learned of the origin of the tradition of putting sixpences in Christmas pudding
which goes back to the time of Samuel Pepys. Others would include
symbolic tokens and the recipient had to act out whatever their token
symbolised.
Peter told us that mince pies originated in medieval times and would have
been made from lamb or veal. After the Crusades more fruit and spices were
added until they are as we eat them now with fruit and suet but no meat.
