Medieval Cutlery - Life in Medieval Days

Pretty much every person in medieval times carried a knife - man, woman, child. A knife was used for all sorts of things. You cut rope with it. You whittled sticks with it. You cut your meat with it. It was expected when you went to a meal that you brought your own knife. The host wouldn't be expected to hand around knives to everyone to use. A knife was a normal part of what you carried with you, like a wallet in modern times. There were many wild animals about. Just walking to and from your house, a knife could come in handy if you came across something toothy like a wild dog.

Spoons were well known, but would be supplied to you. If someone offered you a soup, they would give you a spoon with it. You would of course just drink it down by raising the bowl to your face, but they would usually give you a spoon to help out with any chunky bits. Spoons were usually made of wood, although wealthy families would have silver spoons. Kings might even have gold spoons.

Forks, on the other hand, didn't really get used until the 1600s. There were two-tined forks that they used to hold a roast down while they carved it - this was a serving item, not an eating item. People would eat with their knife, stabbing it into food and then eating it. Why would they need a fork? Hands did quite well for things like chicken wings or legs, just as in modern times. Forks were seen as "girly" items when they were brought in during the 1600s - wimpy utensils for those not manly enough to just eat their food the normal way. Think of it as wearing gloves when you eat chicken wings. That's how the people of the time viewed forks.

Medieval Eating
Medieval Beverages
Medieval Cutlery
Medieval Food

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Medieval Romance for Villagers
Medieval Romance for Nobles
Medieval Romance for Men
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Life in Medieval Days

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Believing your Eyes - a medieval romance

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