What were trenchers used for?

trencher, originally, a thick slice of bread used as a primitive form of plate for eating and for slicing meat (hence its derivation from “trancher”—to cut, or carve), but by the 14th century a square or circular wooden plate of rough workmanship.

What is a trencher plate?

A trencher is an old-fashioned wooden plate for serving or eating food. It was most common to use a trencher in Medieval Europe. The original trencher was a piece of bread that other food would be served on and eaten from.

What are the edible plates made of bread called?

As you probably already know, a bread bowl is literally a bowl made of bread, meaning it’s effectively edible dishware.

Did medieval people have plates?

In the Middle Ages, plating basically consisted of ladling stews or porridge into trenchers–hollowed out “plates” cut from loaves of old bread, the staler the better.

Where does the equipment trencher used?

A trencher is a piece of construction equipment used to dig trenches, especially for laying pipes or electrical cables, for installing drainage, or in preparation for trench warfare. Trenchers may range in size from walk-behind models, to attachments for a skid loader or tractor, to very heavy tracked heavy equipment.

What did rich people drink in the medieval times?

Wine was the drink of choice for the upper classes and anyone who could afford it. It was produced all over medieval Europe and, due to the Medieval Warm Period that prevailed over western Europe until the 14th century, the climate meant it could be produced as far north as northern England.

What is a dough trencher?

In the Middle Ages a “trencher” was a hunk of old bread –stale and hard. It was typically cut into a rough square which food was placed on in lieu of a plate! The family dough bowl was a critical part of the family food preparation. It was a highly used and highly treasured kitchen tool.

What was medieval ale?

In medieval England, ale was an alcoholic drink made from grain, water, and fermented with yeast. The difference between medieval ale and beer was that beer also used hops as an ingredient. Virtually everyone drank ale. It provided significant nutrition as well as hydration (and inebriation).

What is a trencher used for in medieval times?

A trencher was originally a flat round of bread used as a plate, upon which the food could be placed to eat. At the end of the meal, the trencher could be eaten with sauce, but was more frequently given as alms to the poor. Later the trencher evolved into a small plate of metal or wood, typically circular and completely flat,…

What is a trencher plate used for?

A trencher (from Old French tranchier ‘to cut’) is a type of tableware, commonly used in medieval cuisine. A trencher was originally a flat round of (usually stale) bread used as a plate, upon which the food could be placed to eat.

How do you eat a trencher?

At the end of the meal, the trencher could be eaten with sauce, but could also be given as alms to the poor. Later the trencher evolved into a small plate of metal or wood, typically circular and completely flat, without the lip or raised edge of a plate.

What is the meaning of trencher salt?

In language. An individual salt dish or squat open salt cellar placed near a trencher was called a “trencher salt”. A “trencherman” is one devoted to eating and drinking, often to excess; one with a hearty appetite, a gourmand.