Medieval Frumenty

Hearty wheat berry porridge thickened with egg yolks and tinted with saffron

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City/Region: France

Time Period: c. 1300

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There was little in the way of fresh food during a medieval winter. Meat, if you could get it, was salted, brined, or smoked (or some combination of the three). During some particularly harsh winters in the beginning of the 1300s, rivers froze for months at a time, making it impossible for water-powered mills to grind wheat into flour.

At such a time, this hearty porridge would be just the ticket. Everyone ate frumenty during the Middle Ages, from royalty to peasants, though wealthier people would add expensive spices and sugar and serve it with venison. 

This frumenty is made of whole wheat berries and is a rib-sticking, satisfying meal all by itself. The wheat berries retain some wonderful texture so that it’s not just a mush, and egg yolks add richness and flavor. It’s more flavorful than I thought it would be, but I’d add some cinnamon and sugar.

“Formentee
Take wheat, prepare it, wash it very well, and cook it in water. When it is cooked, drain it. Take cow’s milk and bring it to a boil, add the wheat, and boil it again stirring frequently. Remove it from the fire, stir often, and add in plenty of beaten egg yolks, and it should not be too hot when they are added. Some people add spices, a little saffron and venison stock. It should be yellowish and quite thick.”

— Le Viandier de Taillevent by Guillaume Tirel, c. 1300

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Ingredients:

• 1 cup (200 g) wheat berries
• 1 quart (1 L) water
• 1 cup (235 ml) whole milk or almond milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• A pinch ground saffron, optional*
• 3 egg yolks, beaten

*The saffron is really just to color the dish.

Instructions:

1. Rinse the wheat berries and drain them.
2. Bring 1 quart (1 L) of water to a boil in a large pot, then stir the wheat berries in. Bring it back to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and let it simmer for 30 minutes or until the wheat berries are nice and soft.
3. After the wheat has cooked, drain off any excess water.
4. Whisk together the milk, salt, and saffron.
5. To help prevent scrambled egg yolks, I whisked the egg yolks into the milk at this point, before heating it. You can add the egg yolks separately in step 7 to follow the historical recipe more closely, but the risk of scrambled eggs is higher.
6. Place the milk-egg mixture into a medium pot and set it over low heat. Slowly heat it, stirring constantly.
7. When it steams, stir in the wheat. If you’re adding the egg yolks in separately, do it now, you brave soul. Raise the heat to medium and bring the mixture to a gentle boil, stirring constantly to prevent it from burning on the bottom.
8. Once the frumenty has thickened, it’s ready to eat. Serve it forth as-is, or fancy it up with some spices, sugar, or a side of venison.

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