Instructions
You are a member of a noble Welsh household in the age of myth and legend. The Lady Rhiannon, a powerful and mysterious figure from the Mabinogion, has honoured your home and will be arriving for breakfast. Your task is to ensure every detail is perfect for her visit. Read each section carefully and complete the activities to prepare for your esteemed guest.
Activity 1: A Menu for a Queen
A guest of Rhiannon’s stature cannot be served simple porridge. You must design a breakfast menu that is both fitting for medieval nobility and touched with the whimsy of the Mabinogion. Using the list of available ingredients below, or your own research into medieval Welsh cuisine, create a three-course breakfast menu. Be prepared to describe each dish.
Available Ingredients:
- Stone-ground oat flour
- Wild honey from the deep woods
- Fresh cheese from goat’s milk
- Smoked fish from the River Severn
- Dark rye bread with caraway seeds
- Foraged mushrooms and leeks
- Wild berries (bilberries, blackberries)
- Spiced apple cider (non-alcoholic)
- Cured boar bacon
- Eggs from free-roaming hens
Your Proposed Menu for the Lady Rhiannon:
First Course (The Welcome): ____________________________________________________________________
Description: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Second Course (The Centrepiece): __________________________________________________________________
Description: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Third Course (The Sweet Farewell): _________________________________________________________________
Description: ____________________________________________________________________________________
Activity 2: The Art of Hospitality
In medieval Wales, hospitality was a sacred duty. A host was expected to provide food, shelter, and entertainment to any visitor, and a guest's safety was guaranteed. This tradition of providing excellent service is the foundation of modern catering and home economics. Read the statements below and answer the questions that follow.
1. In a time of difficult travel and few inns, why was a host's welcome so critically important to a traveller?
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2. What are three essential qualities that a good host, whether a medieval lord or a modern caterer, must possess?
i. __________________________________
ii. _________________________________
iii. _________________________________
Activity 3: The Gleam of Silver
Before Rhiannon arrives, the silverware must be polished to a brilliant shine. It would be a great shame to serve such a guest with tarnished spoons. Tarnish is the dull, dark layer that forms on silver. It is not dirt, but the result of a chemical reaction. Silver (Ag) reacts with sulfur compounds in the air (like hydrogen sulfide, H₂S) to create a new substance: black silver sulfide (Ag₂S).
Polishing removes this layer, but a clever household steward knows a gentler method: lining a bowl with aluminium foil, adding hot water and a spoonful of baking soda, and soaking the silverware. The baking soda and aluminium work together to reverse the chemical reaction, converting the silver sulfide back into pure, gleaming silver without scraping any away.
Considering both the science and the social custom, explain in your own words why it is essential to present perfectly polished silverware to an important guest.
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A Gentlewoman's Guide to the Assessment of One's Accomplishments
It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a student in possession of a completed work must be in want of a fair assessment. Let us, therefore, appraise the merit of these endeavours with the propriety and discernment befitting the subject at hand. An accomplished student shall see their efforts reflected in the highest measure, whilst those of a less developed sensibility may observe herein a path toward improvement.
On the Command of the Historical Context:
- Of the First Excellence: The student demonstrates a most refined understanding of the period, selecting fare and describing customs with an accuracy that speaks of diligent and judicious enquiry.
- A Creditable Achievement: The student’s work shows a general acquaintance with the age, though some particulars may lack the fine polish of deep study.
- Requires Further Refinement: The work betrays a want of knowledge concerning the era, confounding modern notions with the realities of a time long past.
On the Flourish of Imagination:
- Of the First Excellence: The creative choices display a lively and whimsical spirit, perfectly suited to the fabled subject. The descriptions possess a vivacity that engages the senses and captivates the mind.
- A Creditable Achievement: The student has made a sincere attempt at creativity, though the execution may, at times, appear more dutiful than inspired.
- Requires Further Refinement: The narrative is wanting in spirit and originality, presenting a composition of a plain and commonplace character.
On the Propriety of Expression and Persuasion:
- Of the First Excellence: The language employed is precise, the sentences well-formed, and the arguments presented with a clarity of thought that is most persuasive and becoming.
- A Creditable Achievement: The student expresses their meaning with tolerable clarity, though the composition may suffer from a certain awkwardness of phrase or want of elegance.
- Requires Further Refinement: The expression is frequently obscure, rendering the student’s true meaning a matter for conjecture and interpretation.
Answer Key
Activity 1: A Menu for a Queen
Answers will vary based on student creativity. A good answer will use the provided ingredients to create a plausible, well-described menu. For example:
- First Course: Warm oatcakes with fresh goat's cheese and a drizzle of wild honey.
- Second Course: Scrambled hen's eggs with foraged mushrooms and leeks, served with a side of cured boar bacon and dark rye bread.
- Third Course: A small bowl of wild berries with a splash of spiced apple cider.
Activity 2: The Art of Hospitality
- A host's welcome was critical because travel was dangerous and difficult. A safe place to rest, eat, and be protected from bandits or the elements was a matter of survival.
- Answers may include qualities like: Generosity, attentiveness (anticipating a guest's needs), preparedness, kindness, good communication, organisation, cleanliness, etc.
Activity 3: The Gleam of Silver
Answers should combine the two aspects mentioned. For example:
It is essential to present polished silverware for two main reasons. Socially, it shows respect for the guest and demonstrates the host's high standards, wealth, and attention to detail. It shows you have made a special effort. Scientifically, polishing the silver removes the layer of silver sulfide (tarnish) that forms from contact with the air, restoring its beautiful and clean appearance, ensuring the guest dines with pristine utensils.