ABSTRACT
Many of the most notable men of the Middle Ages often act like impulsive children. The fantastic exploits depicted in the medieval romances are hardly more unreasonable than, for example, the First Crusade, undertaken with no conception of the dangers involved and with no adequate preparation. The Middle Ages have often been idealized by writers who have fixed their attention upon features that were attractive and have ignored the rest. As social life grew more complex and luxury increased, the feast became more and more a favourite means of manifesting the wealth and social importance of the donor. Certain aspects of the Middle Ages have been carefully studied and brilliantly depicted—the tournaments, the pilgrimages, the Crusades, and many other features of religious and secular life in times of war and of peace. In the medieval kitchen warmth was purely incidental. The main purpose was to get sufficient heat for boiling, baking, and roasting.
