Seven century old dinner is about to be served

University of Southampton professor, Chris Woolgar, was invited to quite literally taste of slice of history by TV chef Clarissa Dickson Wright as part of a documentary.

The food historian from Chandler's Ford, who is head of the university's special collections, was treated to a medieval banquet complete with dishes prepared to 14th century recipes.

Alongside other experts, he devoured pike and sole with galantine and raisins, roast goose stuffed with warden pears and garlic and pears in red wine and blackberries.

He said: "In medieval times when you ate something you did not just eat it for nutritional reasons but for moral and spiritual qualities within the food.

"They used to eat gold leaf because it is seen as one of the virtuous metals. Roe deer was preferable to red deer, which are much more associated with fighting, and hares were avoided because they were seen as lascivious.

"The rich also liked putting gem stones into their food either powered or in little bags. They believed that the gems were a source of light. They had a very different way of seeing the world."

The BBC4 programme looked at Britain's oldest known cookbook The Forme of Cury.

This 700-year-old scroll was written during the reign of King Richard II from recipes created by his own master chefs including instructions on how to rustle up venison and beaver, and lamprey and pike.

The professor added: "The opportunity to eat food prepared to medieval recipes has been a fascinating experience: I can sit in a library, reading the manuscript of a recipe, but to put it into practice brings a whole new dimension to our understanding, which can only come from sympathetic cooks."

Clarissa Dickson Wright's Medieval Menu

Starter
Pike and sole with galatine and raisins

Main course
Roast goose stuffed with warden pears and garlic

Dessert
Pears in red wine and blackberries

• Clarissa and the King's Cookbook is showing tonight on BBC4 at 9pm.