Doppelbratenfest (Double Roast Feast) 2021

Our goal was to create a menu of foods that approximate medieval German approaches, ingredients and flavor profiles while also appealing to a modern American palate. Since Defending the Gate takes place in early spring, most of our recipes focus on ingredients that would be readily available at that time or would have been stored over winter (often dried or fermented). A few indulgences (a premium cut such as pork loin is unlikely to be left at that point) were made. 

The goal is not to reproduce an exact feast from 14th century Germany. That would be an impossible task. Even if we had a menu and recipes from an actual historical feast, we do not have access to the exact same ingredients or cooking utensils as they did. Modern produce is the product of centuries of selective breeding since then. A modern kitchen contains technical marvels that a medieval cook could barely dream of. I’m going to use my electric oven and mixer!

This is a flexible, mix and match feast. The menu set up represents how we would serve this at an event. You are free to only cook 1 course, pick and choose recipes that appeal to you, or otherwise tweak to suit your tastes. If you choose to cook both courses, we suggest halving your recipes. Each recipe makes approximately 6 servings if that course is being served as an entire dinner.

Vorspeise (Appetizers)

Pretzels
Kohlbrot (Bread with Cabbage)
Cheese Platter
Honey Mustard

First Course

Schweinebraten (Roast Pork)
Brat Rüben (Roasted Root Vegetables)
Spenat (Spinach with ginger and currants)
Rotkohl (Red cabbage with apples and vinegar)

Second Course

Sauerbraten (Beef Pot Roast)
Gepanzert Rüben (Armored Turnips)
Käsesauce auf brassica (Savory Toasted Cheese on your favorite Brassica)
Böhmische Erbsen (Bohemian Pease)

Phantasien (Fancies for High Table)

When planning and serving an 80 person feast, there will be interesting and historically appropriate recipes that are not very practical to produce in that volume. These are often made in a small batch and served to high table only. Do you feel like being high table?

The fancies recipes were prepared by Mistress Blitha of Wolfhou.

Lachshandkuchen (Salmon hand pies)
Gefüllte Eier (Stuffed Eggs)
Powder Douce

Dessert of Your Choice

Make something you like! Buy something from the store! Skip dessert entirely because you are so incredibly full after all that tasty food.

Lady Helena Hrolfsdottir and Lord Jasper of Hartshorn-dale