Medieval Banquet at Château de Cherveux (1470)

Medieval banquet at the castle of Cherveux on the fourth day of October, in the year of grace 1470. Lord Robert Cunningham, a Scottish captain of King Louis XI’s bodyguards, invites his vassals to celebrate the completion of his castle works and build lasting friendships. The banquet lasts over a week, punctuated by hunting parties in the forest of La Chapelle-Bâton near Cherveux. To ensure the success of the festivities, he calls upon the expertise of La Cour des Saveurs.

Table Customs and Dining Protocol

The feast is naturally composed of dishes rich in rare spices (some valued as highly as gold). Displaying spices directly on the table allows the lord to demonstrate his wealth. Before sitting at the table, servants present ewers, basins, and towels so guests may wash their hands.

The dining table is set using large boards placed on trestles — a custom perfectly suited to the nomadic lifestyle of noble courts — and covered with a heavy white linen or hemp cloth symbolizing divine light and purity. Along the table's edge, a long, narrow strip of linen called a « longuière » allows guests to wipe their hands and mouth.

Guests eat using only the first three fingers of their right hand. Only the wealthiest possess their own knife, spoon, or goblet. Soup bowls and bread trenchers (bread plates) are shared between every two guests. Seating is arranged on benches, from which the word banquet originates.

Officers of the Mouth and Ceremonial Staff

Under the direction of the head butler, the protocol is strictly observed: the pantler prepares the bread trenchers and salt; the cupbearer handles the wine service, diluting it with water; the fruiterer serves dried plums and hazelnuts. During major feasts, the head table is sheltered under a canopy, while musicians announce each new service with fanfares.

The 5 Courses of the Medieval Feast

Served alongside hypocras and fine wines, the meal unfolds in five distinct gastronomic stages brought simultaneously to the table:

• First Course (Aperitif): Seasonal fresh fruits intended to "open digestion", served with oysters and cockles.
• Second Course: Wild boar terrines prepared in hypocras, roe-deer with blackcurrant, duckling with sage, and seasoned salads.
• Third Course (Sauce Dishes): Civet of venison with chestnuts, duckling broth with fruit, and pork with verjuice.
• Fourth Course (Roasts & Entremets): Roasted deer, pheasants, and wild boars. The entremet features a spectacular bread-paste swan filled with flying birds, accompanied by live musical entertainment.
• Sweets & Desserts: Apple pies, tiered tarts, dried fruit taillis, pastries, and marzipan cakes, accompanied by local Poitou goat cheeses.
• Issue de Table: Waffles and thin pastries cooked between two irons by the obloier.
• The Boutehors: The final service designed to ease digestion, consisting of wine and "chamber spices" (candied ginger, coriander, anise, pine nuts, quince paste, and sugared almonds).