Cosman, Madeleine Pelner

An illustrated dictionary of words and phrases currently in use which have their roots in pre-Renaissance Italy.

Contains alphabetically arranged entries that provide definitions of over four thousand words and phrases from the medieval period, dating roughly from 500 to 1500 A.D.

Presents information on medieval feasts, discussing menus, etiquette, ceremony, and festivity, and includes 100 recipes from medieval manuscripts for appetizers, soups, breads, meats, fish, poultry, vegetables, desserts, and spectacle foods.

Describes customs and activities associated with twelve medieval holidays and festivals, from Twelfth Night through Midsummer Eve and Halloween to Christmas. Also includes recipes and instructions for making banners, decorations, and costumes.

Text and illustrations show the work women did in Europe from the tenth to the fifteenth century, describing writers and poets, medical women, rulers of manors and monasteries, craftswomen, and illicit trades.