Class Description
Food was central to everyday life in medieval and renaissance Europe. In this seminar, we will explore how the culture of food was connected to health, social status, economics, religion, law, art, literature, and much more. Focusing on primary sources, many from the Newberry’s collection, we will discuss topics as diverse as theological debates about chocolate, pepper trees guarded by mythical serpents, and cries of Parisian street vendors in a thirteenth-century motet.
All virtual classes are recorded and made available to participants registered in the class. These recordings are password-protected and available for up to two weeks after the class ends.
Sarah Peters Kernan, culinary historian, regularly collaborates with the Newberry Library. In addition to regularly writing and teaching, she is co-editor of The Recipes Project and host of the Around the Table podcast.
What to Expect
Format: Virtual
Class Capacity: 30
Class Style: Mix of lecture and discussion; participation encouraged
Materials List
Required
- Digital Course Packet
A Brief Syllabus
- Introduction to Food and Dining in the Middle Ages and Renaissance
- Producing and Procuring Food
- Exotic Foods and the European Imagination
- Food in Law and Religion
- Food and Health
Cost and Registration
5 Sessions, $200 ($180 for Newberry members, seniors, and students). Learn about becoming a member.
We offer our classes at three different price options: Regular ($200), Community Supported ($185), and Sponsor ($215). Following the models of other institutions, we want to ensure that our classes are accessible to a wider audience while continuing to support our instructors. You may choose the price that best fits your situation when registering through Learning Stream.
To register multiple people for this class, please go through the course calendar in Learning Stream, our registration platform. When you select the course and register, you’ll be prompted to add another registrant.
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