BBC4 Medieval Season - last post
May. 12th, 2008 04:57 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
pandopWell I think this will be the last post, as it appears the season is over.
Christina: a medieval life was fascinating. To be able to trace the life of one person, who lived so long ago, is a social historian/geneaologists dream. The wider background to her life was well told too - she lived through 'interesting times'! I like that they chose a woman for this too, as women's history from this period is still less known than 'regular, male history', although there is great progress being made.
How to Build a Cathedral was worth watching just for the stunning images - but then again I love Gothic architecture. Medieval masons were extremely skilled - more so than they are sometimes given credit for (unreasonably, I feel, as after all their cathedrals are mostly still standing), although of course, hearing of the mistakes is always more entertaining!
Clarissa and the Kings Cookbook has to have been my favourite programme from this season - I am sorry it was so short (and I bet it never makes it to DVD). I love that the cookbook in question is called 'The form of curry' - it just shows how language has changed, curry no longer just means cooking! The history of the kitchens and the food was fascinating - and links in well with the book I am currently reading (The Spice Route - John Keay), as spices were so important in medieval food, well rich people's food. What was particularly interesting was what had stayed the same (pears in red wine), and what had changed (blancmange is now sweet, not savoury). I would have liked to see more on the presentation though (A Tudor Feast at Christmas, currently on the iPlayer, is much better for this).
Also, Regia should eat more fish, as more than half the days of the year are fish days (according to the church calendar), but I suspect we won't, for practical reasons.
Christina: a medieval life was fascinating. To be able to trace the life of one person, who lived so long ago, is a social historian/geneaologists dream. The wider background to her life was well told too - she lived through 'interesting times'! I like that they chose a woman for this too, as women's history from this period is still less known than 'regular, male history', although there is great progress being made.
How to Build a Cathedral was worth watching just for the stunning images - but then again I love Gothic architecture. Medieval masons were extremely skilled - more so than they are sometimes given credit for (unreasonably, I feel, as after all their cathedrals are mostly still standing), although of course, hearing of the mistakes is always more entertaining!
Clarissa and the Kings Cookbook has to have been my favourite programme from this season - I am sorry it was so short (and I bet it never makes it to DVD). I love that the cookbook in question is called 'The form of curry' - it just shows how language has changed, curry no longer just means cooking! The history of the kitchens and the food was fascinating - and links in well with the book I am currently reading (The Spice Route - John Keay), as spices were so important in medieval food, well rich people's food. What was particularly interesting was what had stayed the same (pears in red wine), and what had changed (blancmange is now sweet, not savoury). I would have liked to see more on the presentation though (A Tudor Feast at Christmas, currently on the iPlayer, is much better for this).
Also, Regia should eat more fish, as more than half the days of the year are fish days (according to the church calendar), but I suspect we won't, for practical reasons.
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Date: 2008-05-13 05:39 am (UTC)Um don't suppose you have a copy of it. I only managed to grab it on i player
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Date: 2008-05-13 05:41 am (UTC)I have been to that kitchen, didn't manage to live near there though