- Oille Oil.
Cooking
oils were, then as now, quite common. Generally speaking, oil derived
from
animals was referred to as fat or greese, while the oil that was called
for in recipes was most usually olive oil. Walnut oil, and oil from
filberts
& hazel nuts, were also commonly used in cooking. Northern
countries,
such as Flanders and the German states, were more likely to use poppy
oil
than olive.
"As men in fyr wol casten oille or greesse." - The
Physician's
Tale
- Oille of Tartre
Cream of Tartar.
"Boras, ceruce, ne oille of tartre noon" - Prologue
to The Canterbury Tales
- Olyve, Olyveres
Olive tree, olive trees.
"The olyve of pes, and eke the dronke vyne;"- The Parlement
of Foules
"And alle hire olyveres, and vynes eke." - The Monk's
Tale
- Open-ers
Medlars,
the fruit of the medlar tree. Similar to a crab apple, medlars were
grown
in orchards all over Medieval Europe and were as common as apples and
cherries.
They were frequently found for sale in markets and were a basic food
resource.
A fermented liquid cotignac could be made from medlars, as well as
preserves
and jellies. The name open-er refers to the fact that the fruit
needs to become mushy before eating.
"But if I fare as dooth an open-ers:
That ilke fruyt is ever lenger the wers,
Til it be roten in mullock or in stree." - The Reeve's Tale
- Oynons Onions.
Onions were common enough in the Middle Ages to qualify as being a
universal
food. They were grown in nearly every garden plot and farm and were
found
in market places with little difficulty. Onions were considered to be
moist
in the third and even the fourth degree - a dangerously excessive
amount
- and were usually fried or roasted to reduce their moistness.
"Wel loved he garleek, oynons, and eek lekes" - Prologue
to The Canterbury Tales
- Oysters
Oysters.
A valued sea-food, frequently eaten at Christmas time in celebration.
"Quod he, 'for many a muscle and many an oystre' " -
The Summoner's Tale