Poudre Forte Handout

POUDRE FORTE

Strong Powder - A Medieval Spice Blend

What is Poudre Forte?

Poudre Forte, meaning "strong powder" in medieval French, was the robust counterpart to the mild Poudre Douce. This pungent, pepper-forward blend brought heat and intensity to medieval dishes. The "strength" came not just from its spicy heat, but from its powerful, penetrating flavors that could stand up to rich meats and heavy sauces.

Historical Documentation

Primary Sources

**Libro di cucina / Libro per cuoco (14th century)**

This Italian cookbook provides one of the clearest recipes for strong spices, including both "Fine spices for all dishes" and "Black and strong spices for many sauces." This manuscript shows the Italian approach to powerful spice blends.

**The Forme of Cury (c. 1390)**

The cookbook of King Richard II's master cooks frequently calls for "powdour fort" alongside "powdour douce," showing these were complementary blends in the medieval kitchen.

**Harleian MS 279 (c. 1430)**

An English manuscript with numerous recipes calling for "powder fort," demonstrating the blend's continued use through the 15th century.

**Robert May's The Accomplisht Cook (1684)**

While later period, May's pepper-forward sausage spices echo the medieval "forte" profile, showing the tradition's continuation.

The Historical Recipe

From Libro di cucina - "Black and Strong Spices for Many Sauces"

*"Specie negre e forte per assay savore. Toy lo otavo de una onza de garofali e do onze de pevere e toy tanto pevere longo e do nose moscate e fa de tute specie."*

**Translation:**

"Black and strong spices for many sauces. Take an eighth of an ounce of cloves and two ounces of pepper and take the same amount of long pepper and two nutmegs and make of all spices."

Modern Recreation

Basic Strong Powder:

- 2 tablespoons black pepper (freshly ground preferred)

- 2 tablespoons long pepper (freshly ground preferred)

- 1 teaspoon ground cloves

- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Deluxe Version (with exotic spices):

- 1 tablespoon black pepper

- 1 teaspoon long pepper

- 1 teaspoon cubebs (tailed pepper)

- 1 teaspoon grains of paradise

- 1 tablespoon ground ginger

- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

- 1 teaspoon ground cloves

- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

- Pinch of saffron (for the finest version)

Documented Period Uses

**Cherry Sauce with Meat**

"Cherries, washed clean with wine and filtered through a cloth, then heated with white grease and rice flour in a pot until stiff. To this cherry mixture, the cook would add honey, vinegar, egg yolk and strong powder - in this case, a mix of cinnamon and cypress root."

**From Libro di cucina:**

"Black and strong spices for many sauces" - indicating this blend was specifically formulated for sauce-making

**From The Forme of Cury:**

Lamprey pie recipes call for both "powder douce" and "powder forte," showing how the two blends worked together in complex dishes

Period Recipe Redaction

Egurdouce (Sweet and Sour Rabbit)

*A 14th-century stewed meat dish from The Forme of Cury*

**Original Middle English:**

*"Take connynges or kydde and smyte hem on pecys rawe, and fry hem in white grece. Take raysouns of coraunce and fry hem. Take oynouns, perboile hem and hewe hem small and fry hem. Take rede wyne and a lytel vynegur, sugur with powdour of pepr, of gynger, of canel, salt..."*

Ingredients:

- 2 pounds rabbit (or chicken), cut into serving pieces

- 2 tablespoons lard or oil

- ½ cup currants

- 2 medium onions, minced

- 1 cup red wine

- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

- 2 tablespoons sugar

- 1 tablespoon Poudre Forte

- Salt to taste

Method:

1. Heat lard in a large pot and brown meat pieces well on all sides

2. Remove meat and set aside

3. In the same fat, briefly fry the currants until plump, remove

4. Parboil onions for 5 minutes, drain, chop fine, and fry until golden

5. Return meat and currants to the pot

6. Add wine, vinegar, and sugar

7. Sprinkle in the Poudre Forte and salt

8. Cover and simmer gently for 45 minutes to 1 hour until meat is tender

9. The sauce should be thick and glossy

10. Taste and adjust seasoning before serving

Understanding Medieval Spices

The Pepper Family

**Black Pepper** - The king of spices, from India's Malabar Coast. "Black" indicated the whole peppercorn with its skin, considered stronger than white pepper.

**Long Pepper** - Hotter than black pepper with a sweet undertone. From Indonesia, it was the Romans' preferred pepper but became rare after medieval times.

**Cubebs** - "Tailed pepper" from Java, with a bitter, camphor-like note. Used in both cooking and medicine.

**Grains of Paradise** - Not a true pepper but used similarly. From West Africa, providing heat with floral and citrus notes.

The Sweet Spices

Even "strong" powder contained sweet spices for balance:

**Cinnamon** - Provided sweetness and warmth to balance the pepper's heat

**Ginger** - Bridged the gap between sweet and hot, considered good for digestion

**Cloves** - Intensely aromatic, used sparingly even in strong blends

Historical Context

Medieval Cuisine Philosophy

Medieval cooks sought balance in their dishes. Poudre Forte wasn't meant to overwhelm but to provide a counterpoint to rich, fatty meats and to "open the stomach" for digestion.

The Guilds

Spice merchants (pepperers) were among the wealthiest guild members. In London, the Pepperers' Guild eventually became the Grocers' Company, one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies.

Preservation vs. Flavoring

While Poudre Forte's antimicrobial properties helped preserve food, its primary purpose was flavoring. Medieval people knew the difference between fresh and spoiled food.

Making Your Own

1. **Toast whole spices** - Briefly heating releases essential oils

2. **Cool completely** - Hot spices won't grind properly

3. **Grind in small batches** - Overfilling reduces effectiveness

4. **Sift if needed** - Remove any large pieces

5. **Mix thoroughly** - Ensure even distribution

6. **Age briefly** - Let flavors meld for a day before using

Regional Variations

**English:** Heavy on black pepper and ginger

**French:** More balanced with sweet spices

**Italian:** Often included saffron for color and prestige

**German:** Favored caraway and coriander additions

Using Poudre Forte Today

Perfect for:

- Beef or game stews

- Sausage making

- Meat pies and pasties

- Roasted root vegetables

- Mulled wine (use sparingly!)

- Pickled vegetables

- Cheese sauces

Modern Recipe Suggestion:

**Medieval-Inspired Beef Stew**

Brown stew meat, add red wine, broth, onions, and 2 teaspoons Poudre Forte per pound of meat. Simmer with dried fruits (prunes, apricots) for a sweet-savory medieval flavor.

Myth vs. Reality

❌ **MYTH:** "Strong spices were used carelessly in huge quantities"

✓ **FACT:** Medieval recipes show careful measurement and balance. Spices were too valuable to waste.

❌ **MYTH:** "Only the rich used Poudre Forte"

✓ **FACT:** While the rich used more, even middle-class households had some version of strong powder, perhaps with less exotic ingredients.

❌ **MYTH:** "Medieval people couldn't taste their food under all the spices"

✓ **FACT:** Medieval palates were sophisticated. Recipe instructions like "taste and correct the spices" show careful attention to balance.

Spice Substitutions

**Long Pepper →** Use black pepper plus a pinch of cinnamon

**Cubebs →** Black pepper with a tiny amount of allspice

**Grains of Paradise →** Black pepper mixed with ground cardamom

**Saffron →** For color only, use a tiny pinch of turmeric (not for flavor!)

*This handout prepared for SCA educational purposes from primary medieval sources including Libro di cucina (14th c.), The Forme of Cury (1390), and Harleian MS 279 (c. 1430).*

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