Poudre Douce Handout
POUDRE DOUCE
Sweet Powder - A Medieval Spice Blend
What is Poudre Douce?
Poudre Douce, literally "sweet powder" in medieval French, was one of the most common spice blends in medieval European kitchens. Unlike modern assumptions, "sweet" didn't necessarily mean sugary - it referred to aromatic, warming spices that were considered mild and pleasant rather than sharp or pungent.
Historical Documentation
Primary Sources
**Le Ménagier de Paris (c. 1393)**
A French household management treatise written by an elderly Parisian merchant for his young wife. This book provides one of the most detailed recipes for Poudre Douce, showing it was important enough to record exact measurements - unusual for the period.
**Llibre del Coch (16th century)**
A Catalan cookbook that provides two different variations of "polvora de duch" (powder douce), showing regional variations in the blend.
**The Forme of Cury (c. 1390)**
The cookbook of King Richard II of England's master cooks frequently calls for "powdour douce" in recipes, though it doesn't provide the blend's recipe - suggesting it was so common that every cook knew how to make it.
The Historical Recipe
From Le Ménagier de Paris
*"Prenez gingembre blanc une once et une drachme, canelle triée un quarteron, giroffle et graine chascun demi quart d'once, et de succre en pierre un quarteron et faictes pouldre"*
**Translation:**
"Take white ginger one ounce and one drachma, hand-picked cinnamon a quarter-ounce, cloves and grains [of paradise] each half a quarter-ounce, and rock sugar a quarter-ounce, and make into powder"
Original Measurements:
- 1 ounce + 1 drachma (1⅛ oz) white ginger
- ¼ ounce hand-picked cinnamon
- ⅛ ounce grains of paradise
- ⅛ ounce cloves
- ¼ ounce rock sugar
Modern Recreation
Practical Modern Measurements:
- 3 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tablespoons fine sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (Ceylon preferred)
- 1 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 teaspoon grains of paradise (or substitute black pepper with a pinch of cardamom)
Optional additions found in other period sources:
- Nutmeg
- Mace
- Galangal
Documented Period Uses
**From The Forme of Cury:**
**"Chykens in hocche" (Chickens in Hodgepodge)**
*"Take chickens and scald them, take parsley and sage without any other herbs, take garlic and grapes and stuff the chickens full and seethe them in good broth... dish them up and cast thereto powder douce."*
**"Sawse madame" (Madame's Sauce for Geese)**
*"Take sage, parsley, hyssop and savory, quinces and pears, garlic and grapes, and stuff the geese therewith... when the geese are roasted enough, take them off and chop them in pieces... add powder of galangal, powder-douce and salt."*
The repeated instruction to "cast thereon powder douce" appears throughout the manuscript, showing this was a finishing spice, often sprinkled on dishes just before serving.
Period Recipe Redaction
Chickens in Hodgepodge (Chykens in Hocche)
*A 14th-century poached chicken dish from The Forme of Cury*
Ingredients:
- 1 whole chicken (3-4 pounds)
- 1 large bunch fresh parsley
- 6-8 fresh sage leaves
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 cup red or green grapes
- Good chicken broth (enough to cover)
- Salt and pepper
- 2 teaspoons Poudre Douce for serving
Method:
1. Clean and prepare the chicken for cooking
2. Combine parsley, sage, garlic, and grapes with a pinch of salt and pepper
3. Stuff the chicken cavity with this mixture and secure
4. Place chicken in a pot with enough good broth to cover
5. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook 1-1.5 hours until tender
6. Remove chicken carefully and let rest 10 minutes
7. Carve into serving pieces and arrange on a platter
8. Sprinkle generously with Poudre Douce just before serving
Understanding Medieval Spices
Why These Spices?
**Ginger** - The base of the blend, considered "hot and dry" in medieval dietary theory. White ginger (dried and bleached) was preferred for its milder flavor and pale color.
**Cinnamon** - "Hand-picked" indicates the highest quality bark, carefully selected. True Ceylon cinnamon was preferred over cassia.
**Grains of Paradise** - A West African spice related to cardamom, popular in medieval Europe but rarely used today. Provided a warm, peppery note with subtle floral hints.
**Cloves** - Imported from the Spice Islands (Indonesia), extremely expensive and used sparingly. Added depth and warmth.
**Sugar** - Considered a spice, not a sweetener. "Rock sugar" meant the finest refined sugar, shaped into hard cones.
Historical Context
The Spice Trade
These spices traveled thousands of miles from Asia and Africa through Muslim-controlled trade routes to Venice and other European ports. A pound of ginger might cost a laborer several days' wages.
Social Status
The ability to season food with Poudre Douce marked you as prosperous. Spice blends were kept in locked boxes and featured in household inventories alongside silver and jewels.
Humoral Theory
Medieval medicine believed spices helped balance the body's humors. Poudre Douce's "warm and dry" nature was thought to aid digestion and prevent illness from "cold and moist" foods.
Making Your Own
1. **Source quality spices** - Fresh spices make an enormous difference
2. **Grind separately** - Some spices are harder than others
3. **Sift together** - Medieval cooks used horsehair sieves
4. **Store carefully** - In an airtight container away from light
5. **Use sparingly** - A little goes a long way
Myth Busting
❌ **MYTH:** "Medieval cooks used spices to hide the taste of rotten meat"
✓ **FACT:** Spices were far too expensive to waste on spoiled food. They were used to create sophisticated, complex flavors.
❌ **MYTH:** "Medieval food was crude and heavily spiced"
✓ **FACT:** Medieval noble cuisine was subtle and refined. Recipes show careful attention to color, texture, and balanced flavors.
Try Poudre Douce Today!
Beyond historical recreation, Poudre Douce is delicious on:
- Roasted root vegetables
- Baked apples or pears
- Sprinkled on custards or rice pudding
- Mixed into honey for a medieval sweetmeat
- Added to mulled wine or cider
*This handout prepared for SCA educational purposes from primary medieval sources including Le Ménagier de Paris (1393) and The Forme of Cury (1390).*
Want to Learn More?
**For general SCA information and newcomer resources:**
Contact the Windmaster's Hill Chatelaine
Lady Odele - chatelaine@windmastershill.atlantia.sca.org
**For medieval cooking classes and to join the Windmaster's Hill Kitchener's Guild:**
Contact the Head of the Windmaster's Hill Kitchener's Guild
Lady Rose - Rosegreensca@gmail.com