Daniel Serra - Culinary Archaeologist

21/08/2026

Some images from the grand finals of the culinary battle to nominate the historical cooks of the year. Each team produced a number of dishes with a limited larder, gamified stress and quite some fun. Below are the dishes from each of the finalist teams.
Image 7: team "No Name"
Image 8: team "Theas Gästabud"
Image 9: team "Bogesunds gästabud"
Image 10: team "Tre kannor"
Aftr a fierce and tasty battle, with high standards both in taste and historicicity we were able to nominate the overall vinner ...
Tre Kannor

The event was sponsored by
Gotlands Bryggeri
And the fine prices were donated by
ChronoCopia Publishing
Kränku Te & Kaffe
Ica Nära Torgkassen Visby

20/08/2026

During the medieval week in Visby, I had the chance to do two impromptu cooking ecperiments based on Swedish medical texts from the 15th-16th century.

The first was a carrot brew which supposedly helps a sore back, which is helpfull during a festival.

"Syudhar man hänna 
rötir mz wiin oc litith aff honagh oc drikkir tha 
är thz goth for syukom mielta oc liffwir oc ländha werk"

In short carrots cookedwith wine and honey. This beverage was ok with som odd meaty tones to it. I cannot tell if it helped my back, spleen or liver.

The second dish is mentioned as part of dietary advices. After a longlist on what to avoid it is mentilned that one sometimes can eat roasted pears with figs, raisins, aniseeds and fennelseeds.

"Wtan wndhirstundom tha ätin stekta päror mz 
fenikals fröö oc anis oc rosiin fykor dogha wäl"

This turned out to be delicious, and I can fully recommend it.

07/08/2026

05/08/2026

The first workshop on medeltidsveckan 2026. Together we cooked food based on the first Scandinavian cookbook

24/07/2026

17/07/2026

Spiceworkshop & servingdisplay at Glimmingehus, Sweden.

I hosted dropin workshops where the visitors could choose to make poudre fort or poudre douce based on 15th century recipes or a 14th century Scandinavian mustard.

15/07/2026

The first recipe in "Libellus de arte coquinaria"

Quomodo fiet oleum de nucibus

Man skal takæ en dysk mæth nutæ kyærnæ. oc en æggy skalæ full mæth salt. oc latæ them samæn .i. en heet mortel oc stampæ thæt wæl oc writhæ gømæn et klæthæ tha warthær thæt oly.

29/06/2026

Interesting, especially since the shellfish does not seem to be a thing in Scandinavia. However amongst Norse settlers in England, Ireland and Faeroe islands it seems to have been something they started including in their diet.

Medieval Scandinavians ate more fish than their neighbours and increased fish consumption in western Europe is often linked to the Viking Age

Lipid analysis of medieval English cooking vessels paints a more complex picture.

Learn more 🆓 via the link in our comment 👇

19/06/2026

Finally I am able to do more than hint about my new upcoming cookbook. It will not be out until the end of the year. But sign up on the publishers webpage for news, preorders and such

11/05/2026

Next week I'll be talking renaissance food at the Glimmingehus.

Till Kristi Himmelsfärdshelgen blir det två spännande föreläsningar hos oss! Varför inte gå på båda? :)

Foton:
Renässansmat: Mats Larsson, CC BY.
Daniel Serra, CC BY.
Klövasten i Glemmingebro: Mats Larsson CC BY.
Lena alebo: Wikipedia, Public Domain.