Found a 1990s cookbook at a thrift store that completely changed how I write fantasy meals

I used to just throw in "roasted venison" or "ale" for every meal scene in my stories. Then I found this 1995 cookbook called "The Medieval Kitchen" at a Goodwill in Austin for $2.50. It has actual recipes using grains, herbs, and preservation methods from the 1300s. Now I describe dishes with specifics like barley pottage with sage or pickled turnips, and my beta readers say the food feels real. Anyone else use weird reference books to build world details?

3 comments

3 Comments

alice_hart2mo agoMost Upvoted

Whoa, $2.50 for a cookbook that old? That's insane!

miles2792mo ago

Yeah, but you gotta think about what "old" means here. That's a relatively recent reprint, not some 1920s original. I've seen people asking $50 for actual vintage cookbooks from the 1940s, now that's insane. $2.50 is honestly a steal for any cookbook, even a beat up one, if it's got good recipes in it. Plus, you can't really beat real paper books for cooking, they just lie flat better than a tablet (unless you've got one of those fancy magnetic cases). I'd grab it just for the nostalgia factor alone, even if I never cooked from it.

the_wren1mo ago

i mean it's cool and all that your betas dig it but are we really acting like a 30 year old reprint is some ancient lost text? pretty sure you can find the same info online for free in five minutes.