Re: Celebrate the holidays at Hampton Court Palace Elizabethan style

[PaulaB]

Depends the diet of the rich Elizabethans wasn't the healthiest.  After all they cleaned their teeth with sugar.

[LouisFerdinand]

Richer households would have a luxurious Christmas banquet which would include roasted swan or peacock.

[Curryong]

Richer households would have a luxurious Christmas banquet which would include roasted swan or peacock.

^ Yes, but vegetables to go with the meat wouldn't be very varied. For instance, until the 20th century and food-freezing techniques, people would look forward to green peas coming into season at the beginning of summer and before and after they wouldn't be eaten.

Potatoes were unknown until the Jacobean period, pumpkin and corn until much later on (in England). Some vegetables might be pickled but salad vegs wouldn't be around at Christmas and roasted carrots and turnips might provide the main fare in the veggie family.