I thought I’d share a few more
tidbits, and maybe even another
Tudor-era receipt, from the book
The Taste of the Fire, The Story
of the Tudor Kitchens at Hampton
Court Palace. Then I’m heading
back “home,” back to the time
period I know best, namely the
early 19th century. If you’re interested in anything more,
well, you’ll just have to get your own copy of the book!
Now, when you visit the kitchens at Hampton Court
today, you more or less see them as they were during
King Henry VIII’s reign. Although some sections, even
entire buildings, no longer exist, Henry would probably
feel at home, right down to the cooks and the food
that they’re preparing.
What I was surprised to discover is that, although
the kitchens are currently outfitted perfectly for
Henry’s time, the Palace as a whole was not only
much smaller, it was also built nearly a century
earlier. For some reason, it’s generally believed
that Hampton Court was constructed in the early
16th century for Cardinal Wolsey, when, in fact,
it was not. He was actually owner Number Three.
The Cardinal did, however, greatly expand the
Palace kitchens. And yet, they were still not large
enough to handle the requirements of Henry and
his court. Massive expansions of the kitchens,
as well as other areas throughout the Palace,
were begun for him in 1529. And even though
future kings rebuilt some areas and demolished
or expanded on others, by and large the Tudor
kitchens remained intact. Fortunately for us,
I’d say, as anyone who now visits can get
an idea of the manner in which Henry and
members of his court lived.
