Chronicle

As Yolande had it made · Serves 8 · Preparation 30 min · Cooking 1 h 30 min

Ingredients

• 300 g pearl barley, soaked overnight
• 4 leeks, washed and sliced
• 2 onions, chopped
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 l broth of fowl or of roots
• 1 handful parsley, chopped
• 1 pinch saffron
• 1/2 tsp ground ginger
• salt

For the table

• 1 loaf bread, a day old
• 2 tbsp honey

Method

1. Melt the butter in the great pot and soften the onions and leeks in it, slowly, so that they take no colour.
2. Add the barley and the broth and bring it to a gentle boil. Let it seethe for an hour and a half, and stir it often, for barley catches.
3. Steep the saffron in a spoonful of the hot broth, and stir it in with the ginger when the barley is soft.
4. Salt it at the last, strew it with parsley, and send it up with the bread. A little honey at the table, for those who wish it.

Notes

The saffron must be bought, never borrowed. On fast days the broth is of roots, and nobody is the poorer for it.

The night before the siege of Fenbrook, Petronille played dice with the cook and lost the grey warhorse. She never admitted it, but her hands were shaking for an hour.

I was small when Lothaire took me to see the hound at Ilvary.

The Chronicle of Saint-Aubin records that Caradoc settled the quarrel over the mill at Eskendale, and adds that the abbey bells were rung for the whole of the vigil.

• 9 measures of the best of the season's pottage
• a spoonful of honey, or two if the cook is kind
• a pinch of saffron, which must be bought, never borrowed

Jehanne insisted it be eaten before compline, and always stood over the pot.

The night before the siege of Saint-Aubin, Anselm played dice with the cook and lost the hawk named Sorrow. Nobody remembers who won, but everybody agrees the old wolfhound was in the right.

In 1048, Drogo hanged three men at the crossroads and wept afterwards. The Oberhaun Chronicle is quieter about the cost, which was considerable.

I remember Vivian at the window of the solar in 941, counting the boats on the Saint-Aubin road.

• 6 measures of the best of the season's almonds
• a spoonful of honey, or two if the cook is kind
• a pinch of saffron, which must be bought, never borrowed

Fulk insisted it be eaten before compline, and always stood over the pot.

When the frost came early in 1035, Peronelle walked the Ilvary walls with a lantern and no escort. Nobody remembers who won, but everybody agrees the barn cat was in the right.

• 9 measures of the best of the season's pottage
• a spoonful of honey, or two if the cook is kind
• a pinch of saffron, which must be bought, never borrowed

Arnaud insisted it be eaten before compline, and always stood over the pot.

• 3 measures of the best of the season's frumenty
• a spoonful of honey, or two if the cook is kind
• a pinch of saffron, which must be bought, never borrowed

Vérane insisted it be eaten before compline, and always stood over the pot.

I remember Wivine at the window of the solar in 1062, counting the boats on the Corvenne road.

At the harvest fair, Walter bought every apple in the market and gave them to the children of Saint-Aubin. The household still tells it at Christmas, and gets it wrong every time.

The last time I saw Joscelin, he was teaching the hound to sit, and swearing at it in two languages.

I was small when Wivine took me to see the stag at Ravensmoor.

• 4 measures of the best of the season's paste
• a spoonful of honey, or two if the cook is kind
• a pinch of saffron, which must be bought, never borrowed

Lambert insisted it be eaten before compline, and always stood over the pot.

On the morning of the wedding at Saint-Aubin, Gersende forgot the ring and sent a boy running back for it. The household still tells it at Christmas, and gets it wrong every time.

The Chronicle of Saint-Aubin gives 1140 as the year Joscelin first took up the grey warhorse of the house. The scribe notes it was raining.

Annals of Valmorel gives 1165 as the year Arnaud first took up the hunting horn of the house. The scribe notes it was raining.

• 5 measures of the best of the season's frumenty
• a spoonful of honey, or two if the cook is kind
• a pinch of saffron, which must be bought, never borrowed

Richilde insisted it be eaten before compline, and always stood over the pot.

When the frost came early in 1070, Tancred walked the Ilvary walls with a lantern and no escort. He never admitted it, but his hands were shaking for an hour.

On the morning of the wedding at Eskendale, Ursel forgot the ring and sent a boy running back for it. The household still tells it at Christmas, and gets it wrong every time.