Fra kokebøker til matrester i middelalderbyen

Abstract

owns of Norway.
Three preserved collections of medieval food recipes are written in Norse languages. One of these is probably based on a Norwegian edition. Too what degree do the recipes present relevant information about the food culture in the medieval towns of Norway?

A compilation of sources shows a relatively large discrepancy between the food remains found in Norwegian medieval towns and the ingredients mentioned in the preserved Norse food recipes. The recipes do not reflect the diet of an average urban inhabitant in the medieval Norway as it appears in the archaeological sources. Despite this, the recipes can nevertheless contribute to insights into food trends that might be traced through more detailed investigations of archaeological material and historical sources from high status contexts. As an expression of a modern and international cuisine that signalled high status, the collections of medieval food recipes are relevant sources of information on food culture in the Norwegian medieval towns.