Medieval feast at joust festival

Food may not be the first thing you think of when you attend a medieval jousting festival, but it was a key part of medieval life and the Loxwood Joust is adding medieval banquets to its programme of events.
Visitors to the banquet will enjoy a sumptuous feastVisitors to the banquet will enjoy a sumptuous feast
Visitors to the banquet will enjoy a sumptuous feast

In medieval life banquets were designed to amaze and entertain.

Maintaining this tradition, the Loxwood Joust has teamed up with Toby Harmer the award winning Garlic Wood Farm chef to create an authentic medieval banquet overflowing with the sights, sounds and smells of a medieval luncheon never to be forgotten.

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Unbeknown to many, medieval food was rich and flavoursome with probably more spices used in cookery than there are today. Queen Georgiana of Loxwood will be hosting the four-course banquet, while court jesters, live music and riddlers will regale diners with wit, amuse with their antics and entertain in the marquee.

All participants are asked to remember the good manners taught by Erasmus of Rotterdam in 1530 and know that ‘to swallow whole pieces of food in one gulp is the practice of storks and clowns’.

The medieval banquet menu comprises of mutton pottage, whole raised pork and nettle pie, mead glaze gammon and poached pears in spiced red wine with ginger cream.

Danny Bacon, organiser of the banquets and the Loxwood Joust, said: “The response we had for our Christmas banquet was astounding, with so many people commenting that they would like to see one at the joust too. We are delighted to be working with Toby, and his sumptuous medieval menu will be a real treat for our guests.

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“We always build more and more into the joust’s medieval experience each year, and exploring the vibrancy of the food is another great way to do this.”

In medieval times it was thought that food had medicinal qualities, and a balanced diet was one that balanced the medical qualities with your body, but how did you quench your thirst?

A popular myth is that everyone drank beer, but the traditional drink of the 15th century was mead, the nectar of the Gods.

Mead is making a comeback, thanks to Game of Thrones and the joust has its own three meads you can choose from; traditional mead, tournament mead and Christmas mead.

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Banqueting groups of ten or more are offered free entry to the joust and guests should email [email protected] to secure this time limited promotional offer.

The new 2018 programme of events ensures that banqueting guests will not miss any of the action in the main joust arena and tickets for this sumptuous banquet are available at www.loxwoodjoust.co.uk.

The Loxwood Joust’s unrivalled programme of medieval revelry takes place on August 4, 5, 11 and 12 between 10am and 6pm.

It is located just off the B2133 between Wisborough Green and Loxwood with ample free parking.