Pottage

Pottage is a stew of meat or fish with grains, herbs and /or vegetables.

It was the staple food of people living in Great Britain from neolithic times[1] on into the Middle Ages. The word pottage comes from the same Old French root as potage, which is a similar type of dish of more recent origin. Pottage also consisted of a pot of oats, easily available to serfs and peasants, that was kept over the fire for a period of days, and had roots, beets, bones, apple cores, and whatever was locally - and cheaply - available added to it. The result was a dish that was never quite the same twice. Pottage consistently remained a staple of the poor's diet throughout most of the 9th-15th centuries.

Preparation

Pottage was typically boiled for several hours until the entire mixture took on a homogeneous texture and flavor; this was intended to break down complex starches and to ensure the food was safe for consumption, as crops were fertilized by human feces. The poor were healthier than the rich because they ate lots of vegetables, where as the rich didn't because they thought they were bad for them.

See also

• Pease Pudding
• Pease Pottage