Walter Map (c. 1140–c. 1210) was a Welsh cleric and courtier in the service of Henry II of England. Educated likely in Paris, he became known for his sharp wit, skepticism, and keen observations of court and church life. He held various ecclesiastical posts and traveled widely across England and the continent.
His most famous work, De Nugis Curialium (“Courtiers’ Trifles”), is a collection of anecdotes, satire, folklore, and moral commentary. Written in Latin, it blends gossip, supernatural tales, and criticism of contemporary institutions.
Map was notably critical of the Knights Templar, accusing them of arrogance, moral decline, and hypocrisy—reflecting broader clerical unease about the wealth and influence of military orders during the Crusades.
Late in life, Map is believed to have traveled to the Levant, possibly in connection with royal or ecclesiastical business tied to crusading efforts. Though details are sparse, such a journey would have exposed him to the complex realities of crusader society on the ground.
As a modern reflection on this cultural intersection, I've created a recipe blending English, European, Middle Eastern, and Turkish fruits and spices— a way to evoke the layered exchanges of the Crusader States. Rather than focusing on conflict alone, this approach highlights the quieter, everyday mingling of civilian life: trade, taste, and shared ingredients shaped by the shifting presence of Crusader rulers and Arab societies, where cultural influence often flowed more continuously than political control.
Medieval cookery books do exist but are vague in descriptions, giving ingredients and extremely basic directs such as what I’ve written for Walter Map:
Maketh it thus
in pan brown foul of chois
add white wyn
leek and mushrom.
cook til don.
Choose a protein: game birds preferred Duck? Cornish hens? in the absence of that desire use chicken thighs, turkey leg, small pork loin or cubed pork — even lamb or a hearty fish.
Brown protein. Add large chunks of leek and mushroom, this packet (Walter Map) and a generous amount of white wine or stock. ~375ML. Simmer until cooked and sauce reduces to taste, or braise in the oven.
Ingredients: pear, persimmon, currant, salt, onion, garlic, ginger, pomegranate, aleppo chili, cardamom, cumin, cloves, coriander, hyssop.
Net wt. 3.0 oz (85g)
Walter Map (c. 1140–c. 1210) was a Welsh cleric and courtier in the service of Henry II of England. Educated likely in Paris, he became known for his sharp wit, skepticism, and keen observations of court and church life. He held various ecclesiastical posts and traveled widely across England and the continent.
His most famous work, De Nugis Curialium (“Courtiers’ Trifles”), is a collection of anecdotes, satire, folklore, and moral commentary. Written in Latin, it blends gossip, supernatural tales, and criticism of contemporary institutions.
Map was notably critical of the Knights Templar, accusing them of arrogance, moral decline, and hypocrisy—reflecting broader clerical unease about the wealth and influence of military orders during the Crusades.
Late in life, Map is believed to have traveled to the Levant, possibly in connection with royal or ecclesiastical business tied to crusading efforts. Though details are sparse, such a journey would have exposed him to the complex realities of crusader society on the ground.
As a modern reflection on this cultural intersection, I've created a recipe blending English, European, Middle Eastern, and Turkish fruits and spices— a way to evoke the layered exchanges of the Crusader States. Rather than focusing on conflict alone, this approach highlights the quieter, everyday mingling of civilian life: trade, taste, and shared ingredients shaped by the shifting presence of Crusader rulers and Arab societies, where cultural influence often flowed more continuously than political control.
Medieval cookery books do exist but are vague in descriptions, giving ingredients and extremely basic directs such as what I’ve written for Walter Map:
Maketh it thus
in pan brown foul of chois
add white wyn
leek and mushrom.
cook til don.
Choose a protein: game birds preferred Duck? Cornish hens? in the absence of that desire use chicken thighs, turkey leg, small pork loin or cubed pork — even lamb or a hearty fish.
Brown protein. Add large chunks of leek and mushroom, this packet (Walter Map) and a generous amount of white wine or stock. ~375ML. Simmer until cooked and sauce reduces to taste, or braise in the oven.
Ingredients: pear, persimmon, currant, salt, onion, garlic, ginger, pomegranate, aleppo chili, cardamom, cumin, cloves, coriander, hyssop.
Net wt. 3.0 oz (85g)
