Whether most of the men and women who joined the Crusades were motivated by Christian zeal or the prospects of loot and adventure will never be fully understood but it is known that during the thirty years following the first Crusade in 1097 fully half of the knights of France set of for the Holy Land. Small port towns like Caesaria and Atlit became such crowded way stations for Crusaders that they soon became thriving metropolitan areas. So many people accompanied these knights that Anna Comena, the daughter of the emperor of Byzantium wrote that "the whole of the west and all the barbarians who lived between the Adriatic and Straits of Gibraltar migrated in a body, marching across Europe country by country with all their household goods. ... Full of enthusiasm and ardor they thronged every highway and they outnumbered the sands of the seashore or the stars of heaven".

When the Crusaders first landed in the Holy Land they found the ingredients of the region so alien to their palates that huge industries developed, especially in Italy, all with the purpose of dispatching food to the hungry armies and the rabble that had followed them. For more than a century, hundreds of ships departed weekly from Genoa, Pisa and Venice, each bearing huge amounts of arms and food.

The Crusaders finally developed a taste for the new foods they discovered. They had a special fondness for local herbs such as coriander, parsley, basil and rosemary, all of which existed in their own nations but were virtually unknown in European cookery. Many found, for example, that the use of pulverized almonds in cooking added a delicate touch to dishes with which they were already familiar. More than anything, however, the Europeans fell in love with the Arabic system of cooking that allowed cooks to hang a large cauldron permanently over a low burning fire and to daily add to the pot whatever happened to be at hand. In every Crusader castle and camp, these cauldrons became a permanent part of the scenery and from them came thick soups, stews and dumplings made of rye flour. The Crusaders even learned that they could make puddings in these pots if the ingredients were first tied in a flaxen cloth before suspending in the pot from a hook.

Most households and camps also had at least a few pans for making special dishes. Leftover meats were often chopped and mixed together with vegetables and then made into pan-fried croquettes. Fresh fish, which were readily available along the entire coastal region were popular but the most popular dish was frumenty, a milky pudding made by soaking husked wheat in hot water. The dish was especially adored when eaten cold with milk and honey.

Several after the Pilgrim's Castle was built in Atlit in 1220, an entire village had developed, the purpose of which was to greet Christian pilgrims who docked their small boats at the local port. The master of the castle, Count Gaston Phoebus de Foix, was known as a "prudent knight and much beloved by all who surrounded him." According to one of his servants, the count "adored dogs, hunting his wife and eating and dined four times daily, the main repast being held each night at midnight when the count would come from his chambers to the dining hall. Twelve servants each bore a lighted torch before him as he made his way to the table, and the hall was always full of knights, squires and dozens of scoundrels who came and chose to stay to dinner". The count had a good appetite and was especially fond of poultry, eating only the wings and thighs. He also took special pleasure when fanciful or inventive dishes were offered to him and, even though he rarely partook of these, once he had seen them he immediately dispatched them to the tables of his guests.

Because Crusader food was often too highly spiced (in order to hide the fact that the meat had gone rancid), many of the dishes of that time are no longer considered palatable. Despite this, many dishes of that time have come to us intact, and even though each of the following recipes is nearly 900 years old, these will please the fussiest of modern palates.

Artichoke Soup with Mustard and Yoghurt

1/4 cup butter
2 1/4 lb. (1 kilo) Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and sliced (if Jerusalem artichokes are not available, use the hearts of regular artichokes)
2 large onions, sliced thinly
1 1/2 Tbsp. powdered mustard
6 cups chicken stock
1 bouquet garni made by tying together 2 sprigs each of parsley and thyme and 1 bay leaf
3/4 cup yogurt
2 tsp. parsley, chopped finely

In a saucepan melt the butter over a low flame. Add the artichokes, onion and mustard, cover and cook gently for about 10 minutes. Pour over the stock, stir well, and bring the mixture to a boil. Add the bouquet garni, reduce the flame, cover and simmer gently for 1/2 hour. Puree the still solid portions of the soup, add the yogurt and parsley and, over a low flame heat through, stirring constantly without allowing to boil. Serve hot. (Serves 6 - 8).

Mutton with String Beans and Pears

1 leg of mutton, about 6 1/2 lb. (3 kilos)
12 cloves garlic, halved
12 whole cloves
6 firm pears, peeled, cored and halved
3/4 cup corn syrup
1 cup butter, melted
2 lb. (900 gr.) string beans
2 cups bacon or salt pork, cut in small cubes about
2 cups light cream

Remove the outer covering from the meat and rub well with the cut garlic cloves. With a sharp knife pierce the meat in 24 places and in each insertion place a halved garlic clove. Stud the meat with the whole cloves and then transfer, fat side up, to a rack in an oven pan. Place in an oven that has been preheated to very hot. Immediately reduce the oven temperature to medium and roast until the meat is done, allowing about 25 minutes per pound (55 minutes per kilo). Do not baste during cooking.

While the meat is cooking place the pears in a baking dish with 3 Tbsp. of water and pour over the corn syrup. Cover and bake in the medium oven for 1 1/2 hours, basting during the cooking with the melted butter.

Trim off the ends of the green beans and, if they are particularly long halve them on the bias. Drop the beans into a large amount of rapidly boiling salted water together with the bacon or salt pork. Immediately reduce to a low flame, cover tightly and cook just until the beans are tender (15 - 20 minutes). Drain the beans well.

When the meat has finished cooking remove it from the pan and set aside to keep warm. Prepare a pan gravy by pouring off all but about 6 Tbsp. of the drippings. Into this blend 4 Tbsp. of flour and stir with a wire whisk over a low flame until the mixture is well blended and somewhat thickened. Continue cooking over a very low flame, stirring constantly, while adding enough light cream to make a total of three cups.

Distribute the beans on a large serving platter together with the salt pork or bacon and on these set the mutton. Distribute the pear halves around the edges of the platter. Pour over about 1/2 cup of the gravy and serve the remaining gravy separately. (Serves 6 - 8).

Stewed Celery

4 large bunches celery
2 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. each mace and salt
peel of 1 lemon, grated
3 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. flour
4 egg yolks
1 tsp. nutmeg, grated
1 cup light cream

Remove the coarse outer leaves and green ends of the celery. Place the celery in a saucepan and add the chicken stock. Add additional stock or water if necessary to cover the heads completely. Bring to a boil and boil just until tender, adding more stock or water if necessary to keep the celery covered.

Remove the celery from the saucepan and set aside. To the liquids add the salt, mace and lemon peel. Roll the butter in the flour until the flour is absorbed and add this to the saucepan. Again bring to the boil, stirring constantly until the butter and flour are well absorbed.

In a bowl beat the egg yolks and to these add the nutmeg. Mix To well and then add the sweet cream and several tablespoons of the liquids in which the celery was cooked. Pour the mixture slowly into the saucepan, mixing constantly, and cook over a very low flame until the sauce is thickened. Do not allow the mixture to boil. Return the celery to the sauce and heat through but do not boil. (Serves 8- 10).

Orange Triffle

6 Tbsp. brandy
juice of 1 small orange
12 large macaroon cookies
2 large seedless oranges, peeled, with pith removed and broken into segments
3 cups whipping cream
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks, well beaten

Place the brandy and orange juice in a mixing bowl and in this soak the macaroon cookies, whole, for about 1 hour. In a shallow serving dish arrange the macaroons and the orange segments in circles.

In a saucepan combine half the cream, 6 Tbsp. of the sugar and the beaten egg yolks. Heat over a low flame, stirring constantly until the mixture thickens. Pour this custard over the oranges and macaroons, let cool, cover and refrigerate.

Shortly before serving combine the remaining cream and sugar and beat until well thickened. Distribute the whipped cream over the custard and serve well chilled. (Serves 6).

© Daniel Rogov