Hartshorn-dale’s cooking group, called “Dining with Lorenzo,” is dedicated to historically accurate high quality cuisine. “Dining with Lorenzo” was the first of several events centered on a single recipe manuscript (of a particular time & place) and of a single season, and when the cooks continued experimenting with period recipes, the name stuck.
Menus from all the “Dining with” events follow.
Dining with Elizabeth I at Midsummer, 2014
Our good Queen Elizabeth has been on her throne more than 10 years and it’s that glorious time of mid-summer when the whole isle is verdant, the crops are growing, and the berries are ripening in the woods and gardens. Our shire is celebrating as the Queen progresses through, and we invite you to join us.
Many excellent cooks of her era have recorded the marvelous dishes often served to her Majesty and her nobles. Commedia del Arte, Madrigal Singing, Instrumental Music and Dancing will be enjoyed between each of the four courses from mid-afternoon through the glorious summer evening in an outdoor picnic setting.
Light Repast at mid-afternoon
This course will consist of salads and cold items (appetizers) and be placed on a buffet in the dining pavilion. Guests are expected to go back and forth between the pavilion for eating & the lawn for entertainment.
Sweet Cherry Toast
Spinach Tart
Chicken & Gooseberry Tart
Carrot & Shrimp Salad
Cucumber & Lemon Salad
Sweet, Savory & Fish Jellies
First Course, followed by Commedia D’Arte
Green Pea Pottage
Bread with butter
Spinach Fritters
Chicken Thighs with Lemon Sauce
Aloes of Veal
Coney with pudding in belly & herb sauce
Custarde in Shaped Crust
Second Course, followed by Madrigals
Eggs in Moonshine
Orange Rice Molded
Fish with Oranges
Artichokes
Cabbage stuffed with sausage
Pear Subtlety
Strawberries, Wafers & a Dish of Snow
Dessert Buffet followed by dancing
Marchpane
Sugar Walnuts with walnut marzipan
Purses – raison pastry
Comfits
Syllabub
Dining with King Valdemar , 2013
We invite you to dine with King Valdemar II at his Midwinter feast in his mead hall in Danemark. Dr. Harpestraeng has brought the king many marvelous dishes in a new book of cookery which the King is eager to taste. Not since the Romans has a book of cookery been seen and all are eager to try its delights. Our guests are encouraged to have a poem, saga or song to share.
The feast is the product of many months of redacting recipes from Libellus de Arte Coquinaria, An Early Northern Cookery Book.
The dishes at this feast were:
First
Bread & Honey butter
Whitefish with Garlic/Pepper Sauce
Chicken Dumplings in Broth
Second
Salmon with Green Sauce
Rye Bread with soft cheese
Chicken Pie
Gilded Milk with Sauce
Third
Venison with Cameline Sauce
Northern Beans with onion, leeks & herbs
Red Cabbage
Almond Milk Tarts
Fourth
Marrow Pasty
Ham Mortrewes
Skyr with stewed fruit compote & hazelnut crumble
Dining with Lorenzo, 2012
We invite you to the unique experience of dining with Lorenzo di Medici. The recipes are redacted from a rare manuscript by a 15th century Italian friar mixing medieval fare with Italian specialties. These elegant dishes will be served in four removes and the redactions and history of the dishes discussed with our guests. During the afternoon games of Lorenzo’s era will be taught as well as the two dances, Lauro and Venus, which Lorenzo wrote himself. The sumptuous feast will be followed by dancing of this era.
For this event, the feast included:
First Course
Saracen Broth with Fish on Toast
A good and fine Composta
Mozerella with basil and olive oil
Second Course
Torte Parmesan with roasted savory leaf garnish
Spring salad with baby romaine, new peas & flowers
Spinach in olive oil with garlic & balsamic vinegar
Third Course
Saracen Broth with Chicken
Blancmangiere in the old style
Mushrooms
Asparagus in olive oil with garlic & lemon
Dessert Course
Apple Fritters
Sweet Composta in wine
Cheese Pie