ein spise von birn

ein spise von birn (a food of pears)

nicole has been studying german quite extensively these past few years

to compliment her degree and interest in art history.

the other day, she came upon the most gorgeous collection of 

medieval german "hausbuchen" or house books.

these house books were essentially handwritten manuals used for a household

and added to, over time.

the one she shared with me was called the house book of michael de leone

and is from bavaria in central germany, dated between

1345 and 1354.

we had so much fun looking at the section called

a book for good food

we just had to try one of the 101 recipes.  

since it was breakfastime, we chose a recipe that looked somewhat like

divine french toast....

Nim gebratene birn und sure epfele und hacke sie kleine. und tu dar zu pfeffer und enis und ro eyer. znit zwo dünne schiben von dünne brote. fülle diz da zwischen niht vollen eines vingers dicke. mache ein dünnez blat von eyern und kere daz einez dor inne umm, und backez mit butern in einer phannen biz daz ez rot werde und gibz hin.

Take roasted pears and tart apples and chop them small. And add thereto pepper and anise and raw eggs. Cut two thin slices from thin bread. Fill this in between not too full, of a finger's thickness. Make a thin leaf of eggs and turn that therein about and bake it with butter in a pan until it becomes red and give out.

it includes the english translation to the recipes and is fascinatingly quaint.

for instance, they didn't measure cooking time in a quantity of minutes but 

in the time it would take to:

boil against a half mile

(as long as it takes to walk this distance)

or

 let it lie from morning until evening 

faszinierend und lecker!