Research Paper on:
Middle Ages' Desserts

Unformatted Sample Text from the Research Paper:
sources. MHMedDes.rtf Desserts of the Middle Ages Written by 11/2001   Please The Middle Ages are a period in European history marked by a major differences in the cultural and social manifestations relative to class. Indicators of class  differences included everything from attire to the types of food served at meals, and assessments of specific indicators is beneficial in gaining a view of the Medieval European culture as  a whole. The Medieval feast is a common representation of both culture and social context, and medieval literature is full of representations of the feast with descriptions of the  vast array of foods present. Dessert, though a common element in the feasts of the modern era regardless of cultural or social stratification, was less common in the meals  of the paupers and more a representation of the elite. The expansive variety of Medieval desserts in England, France and throughout Europe demonstrates the concentration on existing ingredients, a  view of the importance of the cultivation of wheat and the emerging importance of baking in directing the finishing touches of the Medieval feast. Food and Eating in  the Medieval Culture The agrarian culture of Medieval Europe was the central basis for culinary development in the Middle Ages (Carlin and Rosenthal, 1999). Patterns of food consumption  were defined as much by factors like availability of certain types of products and expense as by cultural trends. At the same time, the latter half of the Middle  Ages was marked by a focus on the cultivation of grains and the development of bakery collectives, providing a shift in the production base for breads, pastries and cakes that