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Recipes

Soups

These two soups are favorites of Bera Signy"s. She is a Viking wife and mother living in the 909, in England's Danegeld. Her home is on a thriving farmstead just two days journey east of York. She is wed to a Northumbrian, Herebrygt, Bone-Stripper her people have named him. These dishes are typical fare for someone of her wealth, rank, martial situtation and geography. (Note the inclusion of Thyme as a herb in the savory soup). The Beer soup or more specifically the wine variant would be a very special treat as Rhenish Wine was a luxury import. However it could also be made with any hold fruit wine as well.

Yellow Pea or Barley Soup

• 1 pound of dried Yellow peas or for a less hearty soup 1/2 pound of barley
• 1 1/2 quarts of water
• One ham bone or 1/2 pound of slab bacon or salt lamb or lamb bones.
• Herbs can be all of the following or any combination there of thyme, onions, parsley, leeks ... all well chopped
• Chopped carrots can also be added and or turnip

In a large kettle add everything bring to a boil and then keep it gently simmering until the peas soften. This takes around an hour and a half . You may have to top up the water every now and again.

This soup is also good made with barley instead of the dried peas. The barley takes much less time to cook so I usually add it later in the cooking process. If you decide to make this dish with barley still simmer the broth for at least an hour and a half so that the broth has a rich fulsome flavor. Serve hot.

The Scandinavians still prepare a Yellow Pea cook which is pretty much identical to this. In Denmark it is called gule aerter and in Norway Ertesuppe

Beer or Wine Soup ( A sweet Soup)

• 2 cups of beer or red Rhenish Wine
• 2 ounces of currants, raisins or dried cranberries ( instead of lingen)
• 4 ounces of brown or rye bread crumpled into tiny pieces

In a bowl, soak the fruit in a little water or a splash of beer or wine near the hearth side slowly warming and gently swelling the fruit. Then take the bowl and add the beer or wine and the bread crumbs to the fruit. Sir it up. Put the bowl aside to allow the crumbs to soak up all of the beer or wine. This takes about ten minutes. Serve with heavy cream, drizzled with honey.

A similar dish was still served in peasant kitchens of northern Germany and southern Denmark right up and even into the beginning of the twentieth.

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