Ymir in 2025 was a very special event – not only was it the 50th Ymir, it was also the investiture of our 14th Baron and Baroness. As a former Windmasters’ Baroness, I was honored to put forth a feast.
The menu was inspired by the many travels of Vikings throughout the world, and by the four winds that name many of the awards of Windmasters’ Hill. The Norse journeyed far and traded wide, from the glacier-fed rivers of the Rus to the golden mosaics of Constantinople, from the wooded shores of Markland to the rune-carved mead halls of the North. This banquet traces that journey, drawing on archaeological records, poetic sagas and even medical texts to evoke the flavors they encountered – though many of the recipes are not, as prepared, strictly documentable.
The Menu and Inspirations
I will be adding recipes as time permits – if there’s a particular favorite you’d like me to upload first, please contact me and I’ll move it to the top of the list.
First Course from the East: Appetizers from the Rus
- Rye Bread: Rye was the most commonly found grain in the 11th-12th century layers in digs in Novgorod, and references exist to its use in both porridges and breads. This is a sourdough, and only contains rye as opposed to many modern breads which combine it with wheat.
- Butter: Smetana, or soured cream, is mentioned throughout the Domestroi – making butter from this cream is reasonable.
- Smoked Fish with Pickled Onions: Russia’s rivers are famous for their trout, and salt preserved fish was a dietary staple. Pickles and onions were both mentioned often in the Domestroi, though this particular combination is not mentioned.
- Poppyseed and Onion Varushki: The Domostroi also speaks of tarts filled with onion and with poppyseeds; this dish combines the two.
- Turnip and Carrot Piroshki: Pirozhki, too, are mentioned in the Domostroi with a variety of possible fillings (“For fast days use kasha, peas, broth, turnips, mushrooms, cabbage, or whatever God provides”) though no specific recipes.
- Sauerkraut: Sour cabbage, too, is mentioned often in the Domestroi – while we do not know whether it was fermented with additional ingredients, it is conjecturally plausible. The cabbage here is mostly salt fermented – a small amount of vinegar was added to kickstart the process.
Second Course from the South: Delights of Byzantium
- Stuffed Pork: An ambassador to the emperor in Constantinople in the 10th century wrote of a kid ‘’proudly stuffed with garlic, onion, leeks, swimming in fish sauce” – a more restrained but similar treatment was applied to this pork.
- Chicken with Oxymel: Anthimus (a Byzantine physician of the 7th century) speaks of basting pork with honey and vinegar – since I already had one pork dish I chose to prepare chicken similarly.
- Sfougata: Byzantine sources reference both a folded omelette and a soufflé-like dish – my interpretation was also inspired by modern Sfougata, a zucchini quiche served in Crios.
- Beet Salad: This beet dish was inspired by a recipe in Apicius, for “Beets another way”.
- Lentils: Anthimus, again, describes lentils that have been twice cooked and dressed with vinegar and sumac.
Third Course from the West: A Taste of the New World
- Duck Two Ways: Viking age archaeological finds include both domesticated and wild ducks. These could have been spit-roasted or stewed; I seared the breasts of these ducks in order to simulate the crisp skin of spit roasting, while braising the legs for tenderness and ease of serving.
- Barley with Mushrooms: This dish was inspired by the archeological finds of barley grains in midden heaps at Norse farms in South Greenland.
- Berry Sauce: The cranberries in this dish serve as a substitute for the lingonberry, common in Scandinavia.
Fourth Course from the North: Sweets for the Mead Hall
- Oat Cakes: A conjectural sweet, with dried fruit.
- Skyr: Mentioned in both Egil and Grettis Sagas, this cultured yogurt was served as a drink or as a food.
- Poached Pears: Pears were not a common fruit for the Norse, however, evidence of their consumption has been found in archaeological deposits from Viking age Denmark. I chose to think of this as a dish for a truly special occasion.
A Brief Report of a Difficult Feast
Some feasts go as planned. And then there was this one…
Sources
A full bibliography will be added as recipes are uploaded.