An indispensable part of medieval feasts was the roast bird on a huge platter, whether it was turkey, liba or swan. Yes, a swan. For the sake of a more elegant presentation.
the skins of the birds used were artistically stuffed, re-dressed in their feathers and placed in the middle of the roast or roast meat pie.
The swan was also the most distinguished of the festive feasts, as it was too noble, graceful and awe-inspiring to be served every day.
on the dinner table. Once it was served, a golden crown was often placed on the head to enhance the event. Under English law, all swans in the country are still the property of the Queen and can only be eaten with her permission.
Let's go back in time five hundred years for dinner! Let's assume we have obtained His Majesty's permission and have acquired a swan of sufficient size. All we have to do now is clean it, skewer it, girdle it, fry it thoroughly, season it and cut it up. In the old days, it was served with a sauce called „chaudon”, a mixture of vinegar, spices, broth and blood, with a little offal added.
Don't have a swan handy? It's okay, it's protected in Hungary anyway. It was once native to our country, then it died out, then it was reintroduced. But it is a misconception that it is overpopulated in our country, because only about 50 pairs of swans live permanently on Lake Balaton, the others - who may make it look like a crowd - only come for the summer, for a holiday, so to speak. So it's OK if you don't have a swan in the freezer, Tudor cookbooks say that this same princely dish can be easily prepared duck, turkey or From is.
