Published in Brussels by Éditions du Livre Timperman, Festins mérovingiens brings together fifty-five historical recipes adapted for contemporary kitchens.
A book between history and gastronomy
The book was written by Alain Dierkens, professor of medieval history at the Université libre de Bruxelles, and Liliane Plouvier, founder of the Historical Gastronomy Centre.
The first part illuminates the historical context and cultural forces behind the first Merovingian kings’ adoption of great Roman cuisine. It reawakens the tastes and senses of the period, explores relationships between food and religion, describes a banquet at Clovis’s table and examines Roman wines.
Fifty-five recipes recreated
The second part translates fifty-five recipes from the period through the work of Pierre Wynants, the multi-starred chef of Brussels restaurant Comme chez Soi, and Yves Cousin of Dill d’Ycov, a culinary archaeologist specialising in the recreation of historic banquets.
