School: Mullingar (Pres. Convent) (roll number 934)

On this page

1. Food in Olden Times

   

   Share Share Post

   People in olden times were early risers, and so a day's work was often done before the morning meal, which consisted of oat-meal porridge and milk or potatoes and milk. Milk was drunk from noggins, i.e, wooden mugs, handleless, made by coopers of which there were many engaged in work in town. The plates off which they ate were also wooden and were called platters. The table was usually kept by the wall and when in use it was drawn out on middle of floor and family sat around it. Sometimes is consisted of a leaf or shelf of timber which was nailed to the wall by leather hinges. It was raised for meal time and dropped down again when not in use.

   The midday meal consisted of potatoes, butter, buttermilk. In houses of the poor the potatoes were boiled and drained through a "crandy" a round wicker basket. Crandy was placed on floor and family sat around and ate the potatoes out of their skins off platters held on their knees. Knives and forks were unknown but wooden spoons were used. Some times the potatoes were turned out of crandy on to a "práisgín" spread on floor.

   (continues on next page)

   

   Transcribed by a member of our volunteer transcription project.

   History Edit

   Topics

   1. products
      1. food products (~3,601)

   Language

   English

   Collector

   Irene Beglen

   Gender

   Female

   Address

   Culleen More, Co. Westmeath

   Informant

   James Daly

   Gender

   Male

   Address

   Culleen More, Co. Westmeath