Medieval Irish feast in Richmond
The folks who dared to dream about presenting a medieval style Irish banquet could never have imagined how well the evening would turn out, from the moment the basket of homemade breads was placed on every table, to the arrival of desert.
There were speakers such as Patricia Keenan-adank with her description of life and times from 500 a.d. to well past 1200 a.d. "Life was totally different then, but even at this early stage of development, trade and commerce was beginning," she remarked, explaining how the island was divided into what we would call provinces with a king in each one. Ireland was an important shipping country with one of the best natural sequences of harbors and trade with the Orient began early here, which gave them the advantage of imported spices among other goods.
Leo Gaudet, President of the Richmond Region Historical Society also emphasized the importance of trade in Ireland at a time when other countries were just beginning to deal with Asian and Oriental traders. He noted how the population grew, especially after the potato was introduced around 1200 and spoke of the terrible cost of lives during the bubonic plague and the potato famine which wiped out nearly fifty percent of the population. "Getting away from the terrible diseases brought many, many immigrants to North America and tonight, we celebrate our Irish heritage. Actually, everybody is at least a little bit Irish this evening," he concluded, laughing.
The menu beginning with a variety of homemade bread included a small plate of fruit between each course. A bean and ham soup, the fruit plate and large platters of roasted meats, accompanied with large bowls of typical vegetables such as green peas, whole carrots and boiled cabbage and beets proved that one didn't need potatoes to enjoy a substantial meal. There was a honey sauce one could dip veggies and meats into and even large plates of fresh salmon fillets for anyone preferring fish to meat.
In medieval times, days were mostly spent in gathering food, hunting and fishing. Many folks had a cow or two so most families made butter, used milk in their sauces and made plenty of cheese. There was no shortage of cheeses at this banquet either, with a wedge nudged in beside the fruit. Medieval Ireland also seemed to have plenty of salt and pepper along with many of the same spices we still use today. We saw folks dribbling honey sauce on carrots and meats, enjoying a variety of fruits such as dried prunes, figs, cranberries and grapes, and once they had a plan, taking the sharp knife in hand and carving the meats with courage and efficiency.
All in all, this was an evening that will long be remembered as a unique approach to celebrating the Irish community and heritage in the Richmond region, and, as some folks said thoughtfully, a welcome change in banquet style and one that will hopefully be repeated another year.